Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs

The Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs are a Men's Division I and Women's Division I team in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.

Conference affiliation history
From 1947 until 1949, UMD played an independent schedule. In 1949 they were accepted as a member in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. In 1961, UMD joined the NCAA as a Division I member for hockey, playing an independent schedule. The Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) accepted them for membership, beginning in the 1965-66 season.

Bulldogs in the NCAA national tournament
The first year that they participated in the tournament, in 1983, UMD was defeated by the Providence Friars in a two game series.

The next season UMD would make a trip again into the NCAA tournament and would come very close to the school's first ever NCAA national title. To reach the finals they had to defeat Clarkson College in the quarterfinals. Next came a trip to Lake Pacid, New York and the 1984 Frozen Four. UMD reached the title game by defeating the North Dakota Fighting Sioux. In what was at the time the longest NCAA post-season game ever (97 minutes and 11 seconds of playing time), UMD was defeated by the Bowling Green Falcons by the score of five to four. Gino Cavallini's goal for BGSU in the fourth overtime ended the Bulldogs hopes for a NCAA hockey national title.

For the third season in a row, UMD reaches the NCAA tournament. For the second season in a row, UMD reached the Frozen Four and had their hopes for a national lost in yet another long game in the 1985. This time they would lose in three overtimes to Rensselaer (RPI). They would rebound the next game to finish as the third best team in the nation.

UMD would taste the NCAA tournament again in 1993. The Bulldogs faced the Brown Bears in the West Regional in Detroit for the first round, winning seven to three. Their season was ended the next night by Lake Superior State by a score of four to three. Lake Superior State would go on to the Frozen Four, losing in the national title game to Maine.

It would be almost eleven years until the Bulldogs next tasted the NCAA tournament. UMD made the most of their opportunity during the 2003-2004 season. UMD won the first game in the Midwest Regional over Michigan State. That setup a highly emotional game against the rival Minnesota Golden Gophers, who were the defending back-to-back National Champions. The Bulldogs advanced, defeating the Gophers 3-1. The Bulldogs packed their bags for the 2004 Frozen Four in Boston. University of Denver (the eventual National Champions) ended their season with a 5-3 victory of the Bulldogs. Again heartbreak for the Bulldogs as they lost a 3-1 lead that they had after two periods. Prior to facing Denver, UMD had been undefeated (25-0-1 record) for the last twenty-six games when leading after two periods.

They got another chance again in 2011. After beating Union 2-0 and #1 Yale 5-3. the Bulldogs avanced to the Frozen Four at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. They beat first round opponent Notre Dame 4-3, setting up a championship game against Michigan. After a thrilling back and forth game, Kyle Schmidt, a native of Hermantown, MN, put the game-winning goal past Michigan goaltender Shawn Hunwick at 3:22 in the 1st OT. It was UMD's first men's national championship.

Championships/Awards
UMD has won both the WCHA league and playoff championships in their history, but the biggest championship, the NCAA National Title, had eluded them, until 2011.

The Bulldogs have been the WCHA's regular season champion on three occasions. They also have been the WCHA Tournament champions on two occasions. The first championship came in the 1983-1984 season when they won the regular season championship. UMD then went on to the postseason and won the WCHA tournament title. They then successfully defended both of their titles, winning both of them again in the 1984-1985 season. Their third time as WCHA regular season champions was during the 1992-1993 season.

Seven times a Bulldog has won the WCHA's MVP award. The most recent was Junior Lessard, who won it in the 2003-2004 season. Other WCHA MVP award winners are: Keith "Huffer" Christiansen (1966-67 season), Bob Mason (82-83) , Tom Kurvers (83-84) , Bill Watson (84-85) , Derek Plante (92-93) , and Chris Marinucci (93-94).

The WCHA's rookie of the year has been taken five times by a Bulldog. Award winners have been: Murray Keogan (1969-1970 season), Rick Kosti (83-84) , Brett Hull (84-85) , and Brant Nicklin (96-97).

Two different Bulldog coaches have won WCHA Coach of the Year: Mike Sertich and Scott Sandlin. Mike Sertich won the award four times (1982-83 through 1984-1985 and 92-93 seasons) and is the only coach to have won the award three years in a row. Scott Sandlin won the award during the 2003-2004 season.

For showing good skills in both the classroom and on the ice, two Bulldogs have won the WCHA's Student Athlete of the Year. Brett Hauer (1992-1993) and Jeff Scissons (1999-2000) won the award.

Hobey Baker Awards
UMD has won the Hobey Baker Award, which is given to the top player in college hockey, four times. No other team has more trophies than the Bulldogs. Only the Minnesota Golden Gophers have as many. The Bulldog players who have won the trophy are (season is in parenthesis):


 * Tom Kurvers (1984)
 * Bill Watson (1985)
 * Chris Marinucci (1994)
 * Junior Lessard (2004)

Traditions

 * The UMD Bulldog (Killer, Champ)
 * The Maroon Loon
 * Minnesota-Duluth Pep Band
 * The Penalty Box
 * The Beer Song

Bulldogs and the NHL
UMD has sent a number of players to play on in the world's top league. The players who have gone on to long NHL careers are (in no particular order):


 * Brett Hull
 * Norm Maciver
 * Tom Kurvers
 * Shjon Podein
 * Curt Giles
 * David Langevin
 * Glenn Resch
 * Jim Johnson