Women's League (Switzerland)

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Women's League
Formerly
  • Leistungsklasse A
  • 1986–2014
  • Swiss Women’s Hockey League A
  • 2014–2019
SportIce hockey
Founded1986 (1986)
FounderSwiss Ice Hockey Federation
Inaugural season1986–87
No. of teams7
Country Switzerland
Most recent
champion(s)		ZSC Lions Frauen
(2021–22)
Most titlesZSC Lions Frauen (10 titles)
Domestic cup(s)Swiss Women's Hockey Cup
International cup(s)EWHL Super Cup
European Women's Champions Cup (2004–2015)
Related
competitions
  • SWHL B
  • SWHL C
  • SWHL D
Official websiteOfficial website

The Women's League is the top ice hockey league in the Swiss Women's Hockey League (SWHL) system. The league was founded in 1986 as the Leistungsklasse A, abbreviated LKA, and was also officially known as the Ligue nationale A in French and the Lega Nazionale A in Italian, both abbreviated as LNA. During 2014 to 2019, the league was called the Swiss Women's Hockey League A, abbreviated SWHL A; the abbreviation continues to be used by the league following the 2019 name change. An amateur league, it is organized by the Regio League, an organ of the Swiss Ice Hockey Federation.

History

With the creation of several women's ice hockey clubs in the early 1980s, the Swiss Ice Hockey Federation chose to incorporate women's hockey within the scope of its governance in 1984. During the 1985–86 season, an unofficial club championship was played. The following season, the first official championship tournament, called Leistungsklasse A ('Performance Class A'), was organized and the victors, the Kloten Specials of EHC Kloten, became the first Swiss Champions in women's ice hockey.

With the growing interest and participation in ice hockey among Swiss women, a second tier league, called the Leistungsklasse B (LKB), was established from the 1988–89 season. Two years later, league rules were changed to allow foreign players and several big names in international women's hockey opted to play with Swiss teams, including Canadian national team forwards Andria Hunter and France Saint-Louis, and Finnish national team phenom Riikka Sallinen. The arrival of imports coincided with the rise to dominance of SC Lyss, who won four titles in five years from 1991–92 to 1996–97. The women's section had become an independent club, the DHC Lyss, when they won their fourth title in 1997. In 1995, a third level league, the Leistungsklasse C (LKC), was introduced.

From the 2001–02 season onward, a final four tournament is held to determine the Swiss Champion. SC Reinach, the 2001 champions, retained their title in the league's inaugural final four in 2002 and followed it up with a third consecutive victory in 2003. Playoffs were introduced in the 2005–06 season and the HC Lugano Ladies Team and ZSC Lions Frauen dominated in the playoff era, with one of the two teams winning the championship in all but one year since format change.[1]

Format

Starting from the 2010–11 season, the participating teams play against each other four times in two home-and-away rounds. At the end of the first round, the each team's total of points is cut by half. Once the second round is completed, the top ranking teams qualify for the play-offs which are in a best-of-five format, excepted the third place game played on a one-off match. The finals winner is declared Swiss Champion. Meanwhile, the teams finishing in the bottom two positions dispute a best-of-five playdown. The loser then faces the second tier champions in a best-of-three games series, the winner getting to play the following season in the top tier.

Current teams

Seven teams are participating in the 2022-23 season:[2]

class=notpageimage|
Location of Women’s League teams for the 2022–23 season
Team Location Home venue Head coach Captain
HC Ambrì-Piotta Girls Quinto-coat of arms.svg Quinto Nuova Valascia Dmitri Tsygourov
EV Bomo Thun CHE Thun COA.svg Thun Eissportzentrum Grabengut Thomas Zwahlen Andrea Schranz
SC Langenthal Damen Langenthal-coat of arms.svg Langenthal Eishalle Schoren Rudolf Minder Sévérine Zaugg
HC Ladies Lugano Lugano-coat of arms.svg Lugano Cornèr Arena Benjamin Rogger
Neuchâtel Hockey Academy Neuchatel city coat of arms.svg Neuchâtel Patinoire du Littoral Yan Gigon
HC Thurgau Ladies Kreuzlingen-blazon.svg Kreuzlingen Bodensee Arena Emanuel Karrer
ZSC Lions Frauen Wappen Zürich matt.svg Zürich Kunsteisbahn Oerlikon Angela Frautschi

Swiss Champions

  • 2000–01 – SC Reinach
  • 2001–02 – SC Reinach
  • 2002–03 – SC Reinach
  • 2003–04 – EV Zug
  • 2004–05 – EV Zug
  • 2005–06 – Ladies Team Lugano
  • 2006–07 – Ladies Team Lugano
  • 2007–08 – DHC Langenthal
  • 2008–09 – Ladies Team Lugano
  • 2009–10 – Ladies Team Lugano
  • 2010–11 – ZSC Lions Frauen[3]
  • 2011–12 – ZSC Lions Frauen
  • 2012–13 – ZSC Lions Frauen
  • 2013–14 – Ladies Team Lugano
  • 2014–15 – Ladies Team Lugano
  • 2015–16 – ZSC Lions Frauen
  • 2016–17 – ZSC Lions Frauen
  • 2017–18 – ZSC Lions Frauen
  • 2018–19 – Ladies Team Lugano
  • 2019–20 – not finished
  • 2020–21 – Ladies Team Lugano
  • 2021–22 – ZSC Lions Frauen

Titles by teams

Team Titles Last title
1 ZSC Lions Frauen (prev. Grasshopper Club Zürich) 10 2022
2 HC Ladies Lugano 8 2021
3 EV Zug 4 2005
– DHC Lyss (earlier known as SC Lyss) 4 1997
5 SC Reinach 3 2003
6 DHC Langenthal 2 2008
– EHC Kloten Specials 2 1988
8 DSC St. Gallen 1 2000
– EHC Bülach 1 1992

Awards

Jessica Müller, one of the 2009–10 MVPs

Woman of the Year

The Woman of the Year award honours the best active Swiss player, whether she plays in the Swiss league or elsewhere.[4][5] First awarded by the Swiss Ice Hockey Federation in the 2005–06 season.[6]

Most Valuable Player

First awarded in the 2009–10 season to the most valuable player of each team in the Swiss Championship playoff final.[5][9]

…

Others women's competitions in Switzerland

Second division (SWHL B)

The SWHL B, previously called the Leistungsklasse B (LKB) and also previously known as the Ligue nationale B (LNB) in French and as the Lega Nazionale B in Italian, is the second tier of the Swiss Women's Hockey League system.

The team finishing first is declared SWHL B champion and qualifies for a best-of-three playoff against the loser of the top league playdown. The team finishing last is relegated in the lower division.

The ten teams that took part in the 2020–21 season were:[10]

  • HC Ambrì-Piotta (HCAP) Giovani (aka HCAP Girls)
  • EHC Bassersdorf Ladies
  • Brandis Ladies
  • HC Fribourg Ladies
  • GCK Lions Frauen
  • SC Langenthal Damen
  • EHC Sursee Damen
  • HC Tramelan Ladies
  • EC Wil Ladies
  • EHC Zunzgen-Sissach Damen

Third division (SWHL C)

The SWHL C, previously called the Leistungsklasse C (LKC) and also previously known as the Ligue nationale C (LNC) in French and as the Lega Nazionale C in Italian, is the third tier of the Swiss Women's Hockey League system.

The team finishing first is declared SWHL C champion and is promoted to SWHL B.

For the 2020–21 season, there were eleven participating teams:[11]

  • EHC Basel Hockey Ladies/KLH
  • CdH Engiadina Damen
  • HC Eisbären Queens
  • Lausanne HC Féminin
  • Neuchâtel Hockey Academy 1999
  • SC Rapperswil-Jona Lady Lakers
  • Sf. Imier-Sonceboz Femmes
  • HC Sierre Féminin
  • EHC Wallisellen Lions Frauen
  • SC Weinfelden Ladies
  • HC Wisle Damen

Swiss Women's Cup

It is also called Ochsner Hockey Swiss Women Cup for sponsorship reasons.

  • 2005–06 – Ladies Team Lugano
  • 2006–07 – No cup
  • 2007–08 – DHC Langenthal
  • 2008–09 – ZSC Lions Frauen
  • 2009–10 – DHC Langenthal
  • 2010–11 – ZSC Lions Frauen[3]
  • 2011–12 – ZSC Lions Frauen
  • 2012–13 – ZSC Lions Frauen
  • 2013–14 – ZSC Lions Frauen
  • 2014–15 – No cup
  • 2015–16 – ZSC Lions Frauen
  • 2016–17 – Ladies Team Lugano / ZSC Lions Frauen
  • 2017–18 – ZSC Lions Frauen

See also

References

  1. ^ Müller, Barbara. "Kontinuierlicher Aufschwung des Schweizer Fraueneishockeys" (PDF). sport.winterthur.ch (in German). Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 August 2011. Retrieved 13 April 2011.[dead link]
  2. ^ "Women's League – Clubs". Swiss Ice Hockey Federation (in German). Retrieved 9 August 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. ^ a b Patton, Kelly (10 April 2011). "The ZSC Lions Are Crowned Swiss Champions". Women's Hockey Life. Archived from the original on 12 March 2012.
  4. ^ "Archiv Woman of the year". Swiss Ice Hockey Federation (in German). Archived from the original on 28 February 2018. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
  5. ^ a b "Women > Auszeichnungen". Swiss Ice Hockey Federation (in German). Archived from the original on 31 March 2018. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
  6. ^ "Awards - Swiss Ice Hockey Woman of the Year". Elite Prospects. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  7. ^ "Swiss Ice Hockey Awards 2021". Swiss Ice Hockey Federation (in German). 4 September 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  8. ^ "Swiss Ice Hockey Awards 2022". Swiss Ice Hockey Federation (in German). 29 July 2022. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  9. ^ "Archiv MVP". Swiss Ice Hockey Federation (in German). Archived from the original on 2 March 2018. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
  10. ^ "Regio League – Frauenligen – SWHL B". Swiss Ice Hockey Federation (in German). Retrieved 15 February 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  11. ^ "Regio League – Frauenligen – SWHL C". Swiss Ice Hockey Federation (in German). Retrieved 15 February 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)

External links

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