The long wait is over.
It’s been more than a year since Mercyhurst College and Erie were awarded host rights to the NCAA Division I women’s hockey championship tournament — the Frozen Four.
Practices started more than seven months ago, games shortly thereafter. Fall fell, winter did its worst and, come Sunday — championship game day — spring will drop in.
Four teams withstood all that opponents and circumstance threw at them to arrive at Tullio Arena for today’s semifinals. Boston College takes on Wisconsin at 5 p.m. Boston University faces Cornell at 8 p.m.
Nearly 4,000 weekend passes had been sold as of Thursday. Thousands more fans will watch the games live, and free, at www.ncaa.com.
Here’s the Frozen Friday report:
Erie Times-News
News from Thursday’s practice and media sessions.
Photos of all four teams from Thursday’s practices.
Adieu, 87: Meghan Agosta has one more chance to add to her lengthy legacy.
A look back in photos at Meghan Agosta’s career at Mercyhurst College.
Boston U., Boston College study in contrasts.
Wisconsin team profile (last in a series on the Frozen Four qualifiers).
The Frozen Four can have a lingering effect on girls hockey in host cities.
Frozen Four teams claimed nine of the 12 spots on the ACHA All-America teams.
Boston College
BC and BU shared a flight to Erie.
Get in-game tweets from a BC angle.
Boston University
The Frozen Four is a first for the Terriers.
Cornell
Big Red hope Tullio Arena ice is nice.
Cornell’s one of three Eastern teams in an event that’s been dominated by programs from the Midwest.
Wisconsin
Follow the Badgers in a gameday live blog.
Get in on Wisconsin fan events in Erie.
Alex Rigbsy’s Thursday diary entry.
Hilary Knight could score 50 goals this season.
The upperclassmen set the tone for the Badgers.
Sophomore goalie wins Elite 88 award.
Check the Erie Times-News and www.GoErie.com/frozenfour all weekend for tournament news.