UW-River Falls Wins Second Straight NCAA Women’s Ice Hockey Championship

**UW-River Falls Sports Information contributed to this recap

RIVER FALLS, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-River Falls won its second straight NCAA Division III Women’s Ice Hockey Championship with a 3-1 victory over Amherst College (Mass.) at Hunt Arena on March 30.

Since the 1982-83 academic year, Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) schools have combined to win 130 NCAA Division III team championships.

The Falcons are the sixth repeat champion in the NCAA Division III women’s ice hockey history and first since Plattsburgh State (N.Y.) in 2016 and 2017. UW-River Falls completed the 2025 campaign with a 26-3-2 record and accumulated a 57-3-2 mark in the last two years.

In the first period against Amherst (23-6-1), the Falcons avoided trouble early by killing a penalty drawn at the 1:47 mark - Amherst did just the same only minutes later. Another penalty kill by the Falcons saw both squads remain scoreless through the first 10 minutes, with shots on goal dead even at five per team. The Falcons saw several solid shots on goal late in the first period, but neither team found the back of the net through the first 20 minutes - River Falls held a 20-14 advantage in total shots and 10-5 edge in shots on goal.

The second period saw an influx of goals, as just 40 seconds into the period, MaKenna Aure scored the opening goal of the game off an assist from Bailey Olson, giving the Falcons a 1-0 lead. The goal marked the 15th of the year for Aure and Olson picked up her 32nd assist of the season.

At the 12:52 mark of the game, a pivotal review took place over a potential 2-0 goal for the Falcons scored by Madison Kadrlik and assisted by Olson and Allisen Carothers. After a challenge by UW-River Falls, the goal stood, giving the Falcons a two-goal advantage.

The Mammoths cut into UW-River Falls lead at the 8:06 mark of the second, as Bea Flynn scored off assists from Annabel Raffin and Ayla Abban to bring the game to 2-1 in favor of the Falcons. UW-River Falls extended the lead back to two goals at the three-minute mark, as Olson found the back of the next net off assists from Cahlilah Lindquist and Alexa Niccum - the Falcons' 3-1 advantage held through the remainder of the period. Amherst outshot UW-River Falls 21-20 in total shots in the second, but the Falcons held a 10-6 advantage in shots on goal.

Amherst tallied four shots on goal in the first 10 minutes of the third period, but Jordan O’Kane made saves on each attempt to keep the score at 3-1. O'Kane made two more saves throughout the remainder of the game. UW-River Falls totaled 19 shots and eight shots on goal in the third period, holding onto the team's 3-1 advantage through the final buzzer.

Olson led the way for UW-River Falls with three points off one goal and two assists, as well as a game-high six shots on goal. Kadrlik and Aure each totaled four shots on goal. In the net, O'Kane finished with 16 saves — she recorded five saves in each of the first two periods and six in the third.

At the conclusion of the contest, Olson, Kadrlik and Aure earned spots on the all-tournament team. Olson was named Most Outstanding Player.

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