MINNEAPOLIS — Ridder Arena at the University of Minnesota is so familiar to Nadine Muzerall, the Ohio State women’s hockey coach, that glancing up at the mural never occurred to her. Her players, however, couldn’t miss it on Thursday morning as they skated out for an N.C.A.A. Frozen Four practice. High on the southeast wall, the montage honoring 16 Gophers All-Americans includes a fierce-looking Muzerall in a skating pose, wearing No. 4.

Renowned for her toughness and her scoring touch, Muzerall starred on Minnesota’s first national championship team in 2000, then won four N.C.A.A. titles in five seasons as an assistant coach to the Gophers’ Brad Frost. Ohio State hired her two years ago to fix a scandal-riddled program that had never qualified for the N.C.A.A. playoffs and was seeking its third coach in three seasons. The Buckeyes needed more than a coach — they needed a healer.

“It was just a bunch of lost girls with no direction,” said Lauren Spring, a senior captain.

Muzerall provided that and much more. After a 14-18-5 debut season, she guided Ohio State this year to 24 victories, a record for the program, and its first N.C.A.A. tournament berth. The Buckeyes surprised Boston College, 2-0, in the quarterfinals to reach this weekend’s Frozen Four at Ridder.

Ohio State (24-10-4) is to face the defending national champion, Clarkson (34-4-1), in a national semifinal Friday afternoon; Wisconsin (31-4-2) faces Colgate (33-5-1) at night. The winners meet for the championship Sunday afternoon.