USA Hockey announced the 2022 U.S. Olympic Women’s Ice Hockey Team roster for competition at the Winter Games in Beijing, China in February.Check out a complete guide, before the squad hits the ice:
The 23-member team is led by Hilary Knight, who will be making her fourth Olympic appearance. Four other members on the roster – Coyne Schofield, Brianna Decker, Amanda Kessel, and Lee Stecklein – will be making their third Olympic showing. In all, 15 of the athletes own Olympic experience and 13 of them earned gold on the 2018 team.
Knight, at age 32, is set to become the oldest U.S. Olympic women’s hockey player in history in her record-tying fourth Winter Games. Last summer, the forward shattered Cammi Granato’s national team career world championships scoring record
Abby Roque, a member of Wahnapitae First Nation, will be the first Indigenous woman to suit up for the U.S. Women’s Hockey Team
The team features a strong presence of both veteran experience and youth, for an average age of 25.9 years old
Go Golden Gophers! The University of Minnesota boasts eight alumni. Five athletes are from University of Wisconsin, Boston College has three players, and two trained at Northeastern University.
All but one goal medal has been awarded to the United States or Canada since women’s hockey debuted on the Olympic program in 1998. This year, the U.S. enters as the defending Olympic champion, while Canada snagged the most recent world title.
While these two teams are undoubtedly rivals on the ice, since 2018, players from both rosters have been working closely together to build an inclusive, supportive women’s pro league that pays a sustainable salary. Hilary Knight and Coyne Schofield currently serve on the Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association board alongside international competitors such as Canada’s Brianne Jenner and Sarah Nurse.
The U.S. opens Olympic competition in group play against Finland on Thursday, Feb. 3. with puck drop set for 9:10 p.m. local time and 8:10 a.m. ET. The action starts ahead of the Opening Ceremony on Friday, Feb. 4.
The U.S. Women’s Hockey Team holds odds at +160 (bet $100 —> win $160).