6 Minnesotans invited to USA Hockey women’s pre-Olympic residency
USA HOCKEY
USA Hockey announced today the 27 players invited to be part of the 2021-22 U.S. Women’s National Team Residency Program that will commence in October at the Super Rink in Blaine, Minn., in preparation for the 2022 Olympic Winter Games.
“We’re excited to return to Blaine,” said Katie Million, director of women’s national team programs for USA Hockey. “The Super Rink will be a great home for our players and staff as we train for the upcoming Olympics.”
Million noted that a series of games against high-level competition will be part of the Olympic preparations, including several that will be played in the U.S.
“We’re still finishing our game schedule that will be used to help our athletes get ready for Beijing and will have further details as we head toward the Fall.”
(Players listed below in bold are Minnesotans, players listed in italics are non-Minnesotans who are played college hockey at the University of Minnesota)
RESIDENCY ROSTER INCLUDES 14 OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALISTS
Among the 27 invited athletes are 14 members of the gold medal-winning 2018 U.S. Olympic Women’s Ice Hockey Team, including Cayla Barnes (Eastvale, Calif.), Hannah Brandt (Vadnais Heights, Minn.), Dani Cameranesi (Plymouth, Minn.), Alex Cavallini (Delafield, Wis.), Kendall Coyne Schofield (Palos Heights, Ill.), Brianna Decker (Dousman, Wis.), Kali Flanagan (Hudson, N.H.), Nicole Hensley (Lakewood, Colo.), Megan Keller (Farmington, Mich.), Amanda Kessel (Madison, Wis.), Hilary Knight (Sun Valley, Idaho), Kelly Pannek (Plymouth, Minn.), Maddie Rooney (Andover, Minn.) and Lee Stecklein (Roseville, Minn.).
SEEKING TO MAKE OLYMPIC DEBUT
Eleven players will be looking to make their first-ever Olympic team, including Caroline Harvey (Salem, N.H.), Savannah Harmon (Downers Grove, Ill.), Jincy Dunne (O’Fallon, Mo.), Natalie Buchbinder (Fairport, N.Y.), Abby Roque (Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.), Grace Zumwinkle (Excelsior, Minn), Hayley Scamurra (Getzville, N.Y.), Jesse Compher (Northbrook, Ill.), Britta Curl (Bismarck, N.D.), Lacey Eden (Annapolis, Md.) and Abbey Murphy (Evergreen Park, Ill.).
STATE BREAKDOWN
The 27 players represent 13 different states. Minnesota leads the way with six representatives followed by Illinois with five, Wisconsin with three, and Michigan, New Hampshire and New York each with two. California, Colorado, Idaho, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri and North Dakota all have one representative.
OTHER ROSTER HIGHLIGHTS
Megan Bozek (Buffalo Grove, Ill.) and Alex Carpenter (North Reading, Mass.) are seeking to make their Olympic return. Both were part of the 2014 U.S. Olympic Women’s Ice Hockey Team, but did not make the Olympic team in 2018 … The average age of the 27 players is 25.4, with Caroline Harvey (10/14/02) being the youngest player at 18 and Hilary Knight (7/12/89) the oldest at 31. Knight is seeking to become just the fourth U.S. women’s ice hockey player to make four Olympic hockey teams, joining Julie Chu, Jenny Potter and Angela Ruggiero … Cumulatively, the players have combined for 97 gold medals in IIHF world championship and Olympic competition … Twenty players are post-graduates, while seven are current collegiate athletes … The University of Minnesota and University of Wisconsin each have eight players who are playing or have played at their respective universities.
NOTES: The 2021 IIHF Women’s World Championship is set for August 21-30 in Calgary, Alberta. The event, originally slated for May, was postponed due to COVID challenges in Nova Scotia. USA Hockey will name its 25-player roster for the world championship from among the 27 players named to its residency program roster later this month … USA Hockey conducted its residency program in front of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games at the Super Rink in Blaine, Minn. … The final 23-player roster for the 2022 U.S. Olympic Women’s Ice Hockey Team is expected to be revealed in very late December or early January.
Courtesy: USA Hockey