GRAND FORKS, N.D. - The University of North Dakota women's hockey team announced its 2012-13 schedule today which is highlighted by 18 regular season home contests at the Ralph Engelstad Arena.

The 2012-13 schedule features 34 regular season games including 28 against Western Collegiate Hockey Association opponents and six non-conference tilts. UND's 18 regular-season home games matches the most in program history and most home dates since 2005-06.

With no exhibition games on this year's schedule, North Dakota will jump straight into conference play opening the regular season Oct. 5-6 hosting Minnesota State University, Mankato.

After heading to Columbus, Ohio, the following weekend on its first road trip of the season to take on Ohio State (Oct. 12-13), UND returns to Grand Forks for the next three weekends hosting  St. Cloud State (Oct. 19-20) and rival Minnesota (Oct. 27-28) before its first non-conference series against Clarkson (Nov. 2-3).

Twelve of UND's 18 games before the Christmas break are at home adding Minnesota Duluth (Nov. 23-24) and Rochester Institute of Technology (Nov. 30-Dec. 1). North Dakota closes out 2012 action at Wisconsin (Dec. 8-9).

Opening 2013 will be UND's last non-conference series of the season as it heads to St. Charles, Mo., for a 2-game series against Lindenwood.

North Dakota's remaining 14 games consist of league play at Minnesota (Jan. 11-12), versus Wisconsin (Jan. 18-19), at St. Cloud State (Jan. 25-26), at Minnesota State (Feb. 1-2), versus Bemidji State (Feb. 8-9), versus Ohio State (Feb. 15-16) and complete their regular season campaign at Minnesota Duluth (Feb. 22-23).

The pursuit of the annual WCHA playoff championship will get underway the weekend of March 1-3 with the four first round, best-of -three, playoff series. The four first-round conference playoff winners will advance to the 2013 WCHA Final Face-Off (March 8-9) to be held at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis.

Following the league playoff championship, four NCAA Division I regional games will be contested the weekend of March 15-17 at sites to be determined. The four NCAA regional winners will then earn a trip to the 2013 NCAA Women's Frozen Four at Ridder Arena the weekend of March 22-24.

North Dakota enters 2012-13 off its most successful season in program history in 2011-12 where it finished with a 22-13-3 record and secured its first NCAA postseason berth.

For complete schedule click here.