The Dee Stadium was one of two buildings to host a championship game in the tournament's inaugural season. The Xcel Energy Center hosted the WCHA tournament final from 2001 to 2013. The Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) is the oldest active NCAA Division I ice hockey -only conference beginning in 1959–60 , and based in Denver, Colorado . At the conclusion of each regular season, it holds the WCHA Men's Ice Hockey Tournament to determine its conference champion(s), which it has done since the foundation of the conference.
The tournament has had many variations over the course of its history, starting with four teams and naming two regional champions. The modern format of the tournament, where only one champion was crowned, wasn't codified until 1981–82 after four teams left to join the CCHA and the NCAA began to offer automatic bids to the National tournament rather than inviting finals participants.
Denver has won the most WCHA championships with 15.[ 1] Murray Armstrong has won the most titles (10), all with Denver, and appeared in the second most title games. John MacInnes has appeared in the most title games (15) and won the second most, all with Michigan Tech . These numbers are, however, misleading as the WCHA had named two tournament champions for most of its first 22 years rather than offering a game(s) to decide a single champion, the era that both Armstrong and MacInnes coached in. Had this policy continued unabated Doug Woog would be tied with Armstrong for most titles as well as winning 5 consecutive (1990–1994) and appearing in 12 consecutive finals (1986–1997).
Year Winning team Coach Losing team Coach Score Location Venue Reference 1960 Michigan Tech †Denver ‡John MacInnes Murray Armstrong North Dakota Colorado College Barry Thorndycraft Tony Frasca 9–7* Houghton, Michigan Denver, Colorado Dee Stadium DU Arena 1961 Minnesota †Denver ‡John Mariucci Murray Armstrong Michigan Michigan Tech Al Renfrew John MacInnes 6–4* Minneapolis, Minnesota Denver, Colorado Williams Arena DU Arena 1962 Michigan Tech John MacInnes Michigan Al Renfrew 6–4 Ann Arbor, Michigan Weinberg Coliseum 1963 Denver Murray Armstrong North Dakota Barry Thorndycraft 5–4 (OT ) Denver, Colorado DU Arena 1964 Denver Murray Armstrong Michigan Al Renfrew 6–2 Ann Arbor, Michigan Weinberg Coliseum 1965 Michigan Tech John MacInnes North Dakota Bob Peters 6–4 Grand Forks, North Dakota Winter Sports Building 1966 Michigan State †Denver ‡Amo Bessone Murray Armstrong Michigan Tech North Dakota John MacInnes Bob Peters 4–3OT ) Houghton, Michigan Denver, Colorado Dee Stadium DU Arena 1967 Michigan State †North Dakota ‡Amo Bessone Bill Selman Michigan Tech Denver John MacInnes Murray Armstrong 2–1 (OT ) Houghton, Michigan Denver, Colorado Dee Stadium DU Arena 1968 North Dakota †Denver ‡Bill Selman Murray Armstrong Michigan Tech Minnesota John MacInnes Glen Sonmor 3–2* Houghton, Michigan Denver, Colorado Dee Stadium DU Arena 1969 Michigan Tech †Denver ‡John MacInnes Murray Armstrong Michigan Colorado College Al Renfrew John Matchefts 7–4 Ann Arbor, Michigan Denver, Colorado Weinberg Coliseum DU Arena 1970 Michigan Tech †Wisconsin ‡John MacInnes Bob Johnson Minnesota Denver Glen Sonmor Murray Armstrong 6–5 Duluth, Minnesota Denver, Colorado Duluth Arena Auditorium DU Arena 1971 Minnesota †Denver ‡Glen Sonmor Murray Armstrong North Dakota Minnesota-Duluth Rube Bjorkman Terry Shercliffe 5–2 Madison, Wisconsin Denver, Colorado Dane County Coliseum DU Arena 1972 Wisconsin †Denver ‡Bob Johnson Murray Armstrong North Dakota Michigan State Rube Bjorkman Amo Bessone 6–2* Madison, Wisconsin Denver, Colorado Dane County Coliseum DU Arena 1973 Wisconsin †Denver ‡Bob Johnson Murray Armstrong Notre Dame Michigan Tech Lefty Smith John MacInnes 8–7* Notre Dame, Indiana Denver, Colorado Edmund P. Joyce Center DU Arena 1974 Michigan Tech †Minnesota ‡John MacInnes Herb Brooks Michigan State Denver Amo Bessone Murray Armstrong 12–10* Houghton, Michigan Minneapolis, Minnesota Student Ice Arena Williams Arena 1975 Michigan Tech †Minnesota ‡John MacInnes Herb Brooks Michigan State Michigan Amo Bessone Dan Farrell 15–8* Houghton, Michigan Minneapolis, Minnesota Student Ice Arena Williams Arena 1976 Minnesota †Michigan Tech ‡Herb Brooks John MacInnes Michigan State Michigan Amo Bessone Dan Farrell 9–9* East Lansing, Michigan Houghton, Michigan Munn Ice Arena Student Ice Arena 1977 Wisconsin Bob Johnson Michigan Dan Farrell 9–4* Madison, Wisconsin Dane County Coliseum 1978 Wisconsin †Colorado College ‡Bob Johnson Jeff Sauer Michigan Tech Denver John MacInnes Marshall Johnston 11–7* Madison, Wisconsin Denver, Colorado Dane County Coliseum DU Arena 1979 Minnesota †North Dakota ‡Herb Brooks John Gasparini Minnesota-Duluth Wisconsin Gus Hendrickson Bob Johnson 8–4* Minneapolis, Minnesota Grand Forks, North Dakota Williams Arena Ralph Engelstad Arena 1980 Minnesota †North Dakota ‡Brad Buetow John Gasparini Colorado College Notre Dame Jeff Sauer Lefty Smith 13–4* Minneapolis, Minnesota Grand Forks, North Dakota Williams Arena Ralph Engelstad Arena 1981 Michigan Tech †Minnesota ‡John MacInnes Brad Buetow Colorado College Michigan Jeff Sauer John Giordano 13–4* Houghton, Michigan Minneapolis, Minnesota Student Ice Arena Williams Arena 1982 Wisconsin Bob Johnson North Dakota John Gasparini 12–1* Grand Forks, North Dakota Ralph Engelstad Arena 1983 Wisconsin Jeff Sauer Minnesota Brad Buetow 8–3* Minneapolis, Minnesota Williams Arena 1984 Minnesota-Duluth Mike Sertich North Dakota John Gasparini 12–6* Minneapolis, Minnesota Williams Arena 1985 Minnesota-Duluth Mike Sertich Minnesota Brad Buetow 10–8* Duluth, Minnesota Duluth Arena Auditorium 1986 Denver Ralph Backstrom Minnesota Doug Woog 6–2* Denver, Colorado DU Arena 1987 North Dakota John Gasparini Minnesota Doug Woog 10–6* Grand Forks, North Dakota Ralph Engelstad Arena 1988 Wisconsin Jeff Sauer Minnesota Doug Woog 3–2 St. Paul, Minnesota Civic Center 1989 Northern Michigan Rick Comley Denver Ralph Backstrom 9–4 St. Paul, Minnesota Civic Center 1990 Wisconsin Jeff Sauer Minnesota Doug Woog 7–1 St. Paul, Minnesota Civic Center 1991 Northern Michigan Rick Comley Minnesota Doug Woog 4–2 St. Paul, Minnesota Civic Center 1992 Northern Michigan Rick Comley Minnesota Doug Woog 4–2 St. Paul, Minnesota Civic Center 1993 Minnesota Doug Woog Northern Michigan Rick Comley 5–3 St. Paul, Minnesota Civic Center 1994 Minnesota Doug Woog St. Cloud State Craig Dahl 3–2 (OT ) Milwaukee, Wisconsin Bradley Center 1995 Wisconsin Jeff Sauer Colorado College Don Lucia 4–3 (OT ) St. Paul, Minnesota Civic Center 1996 Minnesota Doug Woog Michigan Tech Bob Mancini 7–2 Milwaukee, Wisconsin Bradley Center 1997 North Dakota Dean Blais Minnesota Doug Woog 4–3 (OT ) St. Paul, Minnesota Civic Center 1998 Wisconsin Jeff Sauer North Dakota Dean Blais 3–2 Milwaukee, Wisconsin Bradley Center 1999 Denver George Gwozdecky North Dakota Dean Blais 4–3 Minneapolis Target Center 2000 North Dakota Dean Blais Wisconsin Jeff Sauer 5–3 Minneapolis, Minnesota Target Center 2001 St. Cloud State Craig Dahl North Dakota Dean Blais 6–5 (OT ) St. Paul, Minnesota Xcel Energy Center 2002 Denver George Gwozdecky Minnesota Don Lucia 5–2 St. Paul, Minnesota Xcel Energy Center 2003 Minnesota Don Lucia Colorado College Scott Owens 4–2 St. Paul, Minnesota Xcel Energy Center 2004 Minnesota Don Lucia North Dakota Dean Blais 5–4 St. Paul, Minnesota Xcel Energy Center 2005 Denver George Gwozdecky Colorado College Scott Owens 1–0 St. Paul, Minnesota Xcel Energy Center 2006 North Dakota Dave Hakstol St. Cloud State Bob Motzko 5–3 St. Paul, Minnesota Xcel Energy Center 2007 Minnesota Don Lucia North Dakota Dave Hakstol 3–2 (OT ) St. Paul, Minnesota Xcel Energy Center 2008 Denver George Gwozdecky Minnesota Don Lucia 2–1 St. Paul, Minnesota Xcel Energy Center 2009 Minnesota-Duluth Scott Sandelin Denver George Gwozdecky 4–0 St. Paul, Minnesota Xcel Energy Center 2010 North Dakota Dave Hakstol St. Cloud State Bob Motzko 5–3 St. Paul, Minnesota Xcel Energy Center 2011 North Dakota Dave Hakstol Denver George Gwozdecky 3–2 (2OT ) St. Paul, Minnesota Xcel Energy Center 2012 North Dakota Dave Hakstol Denver George Gwozdecky 4–0 St. Paul, Minnesota Xcel Energy Center 2013 Wisconsin Mike Eaves Colorado College Scott Owens 3–2 St. Paul, Minnesota Xcel Energy Center 2014 Minnesota State Mike Hastings Ferris State Bob Daniels 4–1 Grand Rapids, Michigan Van Andel Arena 2015 Minnesota State Mike Hastings Michigan Tech Mel Pearson 5–2 St. Paul, Minnesota Xcel Energy Center [ 3] 2016 Ferris State Bob Daniels Minnesota State Mike Hastings 2–1 Grand Rapids, Michigan Van Andel Arena 2017 Michigan Tech Mel Pearson Bowling Green Chris Bergeron 3-2 (2OT ) Houghton, Michigan MacInnes Student Ice Arena 2018 Michigan Tech Joe Shawhan Northern Michigan Grant Potulny 2–0 Marquette, Michigan Berry Events Center 2019 Minnesota State Mike Hastings Bowling Green Chris Bergeron 3–2 (OT ) Mankato, Minnesota Mankato Civic Center 2020 Cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic [ 4] 2021 Lake Superior State Damon Whitten Northern Michigan Grant Potulny 6–3 Mankato, Minnesota Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center
† East regional champion ‡ West regional champion * Champion decided by a total goal sum in multiple games
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