Wisconsin men’s hockey: UW will co-host 2023 Frozen Four in Tampa

Wednesday was a big day for announcements of where various NCAA tournaments would be played. We’ve already told you about Madison hosting the 2024 Cross Country Championships, but the Badgers will also be hosting the 2023 Men’s Frozen Four in, uh, Tampa, Fla.

Observant hockey fans with good memories (read: not me) may remember that the Badgers and Tampa are not strange bedfellows when it comes to hosting big time hockey tournaments. Back in 2016 UW and the Tampa Bay Sports Commission teamed up to host that year’s Frozen Four at Amalie Arena and, apparently, a beautiful friendship was born.

According to a UW press release:

This will mark the fifth time Wisconsin will serve as host or co-host of the event, including 2006, 1997 and 1993 at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee. Wisconsin hoisted the National Championship trophy in 2006, while the 1993 and 1997 Frozen Fours were won by Maine and North Dakota, respectively. UND won in 2016.

“We are again happy to partner with the Tampa Bay Sports Commission to help play host to the 2023 NCAA Men’s Frozen Four,” UW Senior Associate AD Jason King said. “We were pleased with how the partnership went in 2016 at Amalie Arena and look forward to playing host to the men’s college hockey world three years from now.”

After Wisconsin hosts in Tampa in 2023 the next three locations are: St. Paul, Minn. for 2024, St. Louis, Mo. for 2025 and Las Vegas, Nev. for 2026. The regional sites for 2023 are Fargo, N.D., Allentown, Pa., Bridgeport, Conn., and Manchester, N.H.

According to Todd Milewski at the State Journal, “UW had sought to host the women’s volleyball championship in either 2024 or 2025 and the women’s hockey Frozen Four in 2024.” Sadly, neither of those bids were successful. Louisville, Ky. got 2024 volleyball and St. Louis, Mo. got 2025 while the women’s Frozen Four in 2024 will be in Durham, N.H.

Some minor good news for the women’s hockey team though...the 2023 Frozen Four is in Duluth, Minn. and the 2025 one is in Minneapolis sooooo, those aren’t THAT far away.

It is also worth noting that, while the Badgers won’t be playing host, the men’s NCAA basketball tournament will be returning to the state in 2025.

Things worked out pretty well for Wisconsin the last time they played tourney games in the Cream City. I’ve already marked my calendar.