The Bison women's hockey team (regular season: 19-5-3-1; playoffs: 5-1) are the No. 1 seed at the 2018 U SPORTS Championship at Western University in London, ON from March 15-18 and won 4-0 against the No. 8 seed Queen's Gaels (regular season: 17-3-4; playoffs: 4-3) in quarter-final game on Friday, March 16. 

Bison women's hockey head coach Jon Rempel said after the victory, "I though we did well after being off for two weeks. The pace was very good by us and our puck position made it tough for them to get the puck. We made some nice little plays throughout. This was our first win ever in the first game at a Nationals…we can also play better for the next game."

Manitoba will now play in the semi final game on Saturday, March 17 at 6 p.m. CT against either the Concordia Stingers or the StFX X-Women. The Herd has a 2-1 record versus StFX in U SPORTS Championship history after 3-1 win in 2008 round robin,  2-1 [SO] win in 2009 round robin and 4-3 loss in round robin in 2011. The Bisons have a 1-0 record over Concordia at the Nationals with a 1-0 win in 2005.

The Bisons seek first national championship in their sixth appearance. Manitoba had not played the 2018 OUA (Ontario University Athletics) finalist this season and did not met them during the national championships until this contest. 

Manitoba last earned a nationals berth in 2011 and finished sixth. The Herd had a fourth place finish in 2009. The program best showing is three bronze medal finishes at U SPORTS Nationals. In 2008, Manitoba was third and again was third place in 2007. In the first national appearance for the Herd in 2005, Manitoba also placed third. 

This is the first time the Bisons have been the No. 1 seed at the U SPORTS Women's Hockey Championship in their sixth appearance. Manitoba highest previous seed at the Nationals was third during the last visit in 2011 and also third seed in 2009. Manitoba was the fifth seed in 2007 and 2008 while the sixth seed in first appearance in 2005.

Eight teams compete for the 2018 U SPORTS women's hockey title. There are two representatives from Canada West – No. 1 seed Manitoba and No. 7 seed Saskatchewan; two representatives from OUA – No. 3 seed Western and No. 8 seed Queen's and while two representatives from RSEQ  – No. 4 seed Concordia and No. 6 seed Montreal plus two representatives from AUS  – No. 2 seed Saint Mary's and No. 5 seed StFX.

2018 U SPORTS Women's Hockey Championship seeding:
1. Manitoba
2. Saint Mary's
3. Western
4. Concordia
5. StFX
6. Montreal
7. Saskatchewan
8. Queen's

Thursday, March 15 – Quarter-finals (all times are Central Time)]
3 p.m. No. 7 Saskatchewan 3 No. 2 Saint Mary's 2
6 p.m. No. 3 Western 4 No. 6 Montreal 0

Friday, March 16 – Quarter-finals (all times are Central Time)
3 p.m. No. 1 Manitoba 4 No. 8 Queen's 0
6 p.m. No. 4 Concordia vs. No. 5 StFX

Saturday, March 17 (all times are Central Time)
9 a.m. Consolation Semifinal #1: No. 2 Saint Mary's vs. No. 6 Montreal
12 p.m. Consolation Semifinal #2: No. 8 Concordia vs. TBD
3 p.m. Semifinal #1: . No. 7 Saskatchewan vs. No. 3 Western
6 p.m. Semifinal #2: No. 1 Manitoba vs. TBD

Sunday, March 18 (all times are Central Time)
9 a.m. Consolation Final
12 p.m. Bronze medal game
3 p.m. Gold medal game 

Bison women's hockey record in U SPORTS Championship (Manitoba with three bronze medal finishes)
Year    Final Results     Played at        Seed
2018   TBD                 Western          1st
2011    6th place         Wilfrid Laurier  3rd
2009    4th place         StFX                3rd
2008   3rd place        Ottawa             5th
2007   3rd place        Ottawa             5th
2005   3rd place        McGill              6th