GRAND FORKS, N.D. – With the advent of the Big Ten and the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) at the start of this season, longtime on-ice rivals Wisconsin and North Dakota are no longer WCHA rivals. However beginning next season, the teams have two-game series scheduled in four of the next five seasons.

“We are excited to announce a long-term scheduling agreement with the University of Wisconsin,” said North Dakota head coach Dave Hakstol . “Most importantly, we are excited about the opportunity to continue playing another of our most traditional rivals on a long-term basis.”

“Being able to schedule North Dakota keeps the rivalry alive that we have from the old WCHA days,” said Wisconsin men's hockey coach Mike Eaves. “We look forward to playing one of the top programs and testing ourselves. Going back to my playing days, there has been great hockey games and great emotion over the years in the series and it is great to be able to continue that into the future.”

The two schools resume their rivalry during the 2014-15 season in Madison, Wis., at the Kohl Center. The teams will meet during the 2015-16 season at Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks, N.D. A year off follows, before UND returns to the Kohl Center during the 2017-18 campaign. UW revisits Grand Forks during the 2018-19 season.

The two programs last met in Feb. 2013, in Grand Forks, but the series dates back to the 1967-68 season. Wisconsin leads 86-65-12 in 163 games played in the all-time series.

Wisconsin and North Dakota boast a combined 13 NCAA championships (UND – 7, UW – 6), and in 2012-13 watched 33 alumni play in the National Hockey League (UW – 20, UND – 13).