NCAA Division III Women's Ice Hockey Tournament

Women's collegiate ice hockey started to set it roots in the late 1990's. Prior to this point the only varsity league was the Division I ECAC women's conference, which had 12 teams as of the 1997-98 season. For the 1997-98 season there were 41 schools offering ice hockey at the varsity level (Division I & III combined). By the 2000-01 hockey season that number was up to 59. That number has grown to over 100 teams planned to play for the 2017-18 season.

The first national championship was held in 2000. The "tournament" was simply a best-of-three series between the playoff champions of the two Division III women's conferences (the ECAC and the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference).

The NCAA did not begin to sanction a tournament until the 2001-02 season.

Formats

 * 2000 to 2000 - 2 teams qualify for best-of three series
 * 2001 to 2001 - 4 teams qualify
 * 2002 to 2002 - 6 teams qualify
 * 2003 to 2011 - 7 teams qualify
 * 2012 to 2017 - 8 teams qualify
 * 2018 to 2018 - 9 teams qualify
 * 2019 to         - 10 teams qualify