USA Hockey has an all-time , all of whom competed in the NCAA. These players represent 17 different schools, each with a claim to having produced at least one Olympian since women's ice hockey became a part of the winter games in 1998.
Here are the schools that have developed the most U.S. Olympic women’s ice hockey players.
1. University of Minnesota (13)
The Golden Gophers top this list with 13 players earning Olympic medals. With the help of these Olympians, Minnesota earned its first NCAA title in 2000 and then won three sets of back-to-back titles in 2004 & 2005, 2012 & 2013 and 2015 & 2016.
Notable alumnae for the Gophers include Gigi Marvin, Amanda Kessel, Hannah Brandt and Megan Bozek. Marvin has competed in three Olympics in her career, most recently recording a shootout goal in the 2018 gold-medal game between Canada and the U.S. Kessel has appeared in two Olympic games and ranks among the top three for Minnesota career records for points (248), goals (108) and assists (140).
Here's the first one, with Kelly Pannek () of
— Nicole Haase (@NicoleHaase)
Megan Bozek represented the U.S. and the Gophers in the 2014 Olympic games. She was a standout defenseman for Minnesota and still holds the career records for points by a defender (146), goals by a defender (47), and assists by a defender (99).
Here all all of Minnesota's women's ice hockey Olympic athletes:
- Megan Bozek
- Hannah Brandt
- Dani Cameranesi
- Natalie Darwitz
- Courtney Kennedy
- Amanda Kessel
- Gigi Marvin
- Kelly Pannek
- Anne Schleper
- Lee Stecklein
- Kelly Stephens
- Lyndsay Wall
- Krissy Wendell
2. Harvard (9)
Although Harvard has never won an NCAA championship, the Crimson have made appearances in four championship final games, including a 4-3 double-overtime loss to Minnesota Duluth in 2003. Harvard has a reputation for producing top hockey players, and six of all past Patty Kazmaier Award winners (given to the top female college hockey player) have played at Harvard, the most from any school.
Notable Olympic representatives from Harvard include four-time Olympians Julie Chu and Angela Ruggiero. Chu won the Patty Kazmaier Award in 2007 and still holds the Harvard record for assists (196) and ranks third in points (88) for the university.
Ruggiero helped the U.S. claim its first-ever gold medal in women’s hockey in 1998 as the youngest member of the team. She would go on to win three more medals with Team USA, as well as become the first non-goalie to play in a men’s professional hockey game in North America. She still ranks third in assists for Harvard (157) and fifth in goals (96).
OLYMPIC gold medalist to female tech CEO? A glance into my journey on this podcast:
— Angela Ruggiero (@AngelaRuggiero)
All Harvard Olympic hockey athletes:
- Caitlin Cahow
- Julie Chu
- Lyndsey Fry
- Jamie Hagerman
- AJ Mleczko
- Michelle Picard
- Josephine Pucci
- Angela Ruggiero
- Sandra Whyte
3. Wisconsin (9)
The University of Wisconsin is tied with Harvard at nine Olympians. The Badgers hold four NCAA championship titles with back-to-back wins in 2006 and 2007, and then wins in 2009 and 2011. Head coach Mark Johnson, of Miracle on Ice fame, helped develop hockey standouts Hilary Knight, Brianna Decker and Meghan Duggan.
Knight and Duggan have competed in the last three Olympic games, and Decker in the last two. All three contributed to Team USA’s most recent gold-medal win in PyeongChang. Knight, Duggan and Decker are the only Wisconsin players to date to have more than 100 career goals, and the trio tops the list for longest individual scoring streaks. Knight still holds the Badgers’ records for points (262), goals (143), GWG (30), PPG (37), and shots (986).
With the return of Emily Clark and Annie Pankowski, the Badgers have their sights set on their first national title since 2011.
— NCAA Ice Hockey (@NCAAIceHockey)
Six Badgers are in the
All Wisconsin Olympic athletes:
- Brianna Decker
- Meghan Duggan
- Molly Engstrom
- Hilary Knight
- Erika Lawler
- Alex Rigsby
- Jessie Vetter
- Kerry Weiland
- Jinelle Zaugg (Siergiej)
4. Providence College (8)
Notable players include Chris Bailey, Laurie Baker, Sara DeCosta and Cammi Granato. All four players paved the way for Olympic women’s hockey, winning a gold medal at the 1998 games.
Cammi Granato is notable as one of the greatest women’s hockey players. She captained both the 1998 and 2002 Olympic teams, posted 343 points for Team USA between 1990-2005 and was the first female to be inducted into both the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame and the Hockey Hall of Fame. Granato still holds the Providence College records for points (256) and goals (139), and the single season leader records for points, goals and assists.
WATCH: Maureen Murphy helped the U22 squad to a three-game sweep over Canada with two goals in the series - The goal below was her late game-winner to lift the United States to a 2-1 victory in game three!
— Providence W Hockey (@PCWHockey)
While the Friars have yet to capture an NCAA title, the team earned seven ECAC titles throughout the late 80’s and 90’s and earned its first NCAA tournament bid in 2005.
All Providence Olympic athletes:
- Chris Bailey
- Laurie Baker
- Alana Blahoski
- Lisa Brown (Miller)
- Sara DeCosta (Hayes)
- Cammi Granato
- Vicki Movsessian
- Karen Thatcher
5. Boston College (8)
The Eagles have made seven NCAA Frozen Four appearances, thanks to talented rosters boasting eight Olympians. Notable alumnae include Alex Carpenter and Kelli Stack, both of whom competed for Team USA at the 2014 Olympics. Carpenter maintains the Eagles’ all-time records in points (278), goals (133), assists (145), points per game (1.85), PPG (26), SOG (853), GWG (27) and a +/- rating of 180. Stack ranks in the top five as well for points (209), goals (98), GWG (22), assists (111), short-handed goals (11) and PPG (24).
Five of its eight Olympians competed for the first time at the 2018 games: Cayla Barnes, Kali Flanagan, Megan Keller, Emily Pfalzer and Haley Skarupa.
Six current and former Eagles have been invited to the
👋🏻 Hi guys! 🦅
— BC Women's Hockey (@BC_WHockey)
All Boston College Olympic athletes:
- Cayla Barnes
- Alex Carpenter
- Kali Flanagan
- Megan Keller
- Emily Pfalzer
- Molly Schaus
- Haley Skarupa
- Kelli Stack
Here are the rest of the schools who have sent players to the Olympic hockey team:
Brown (5)
- Pam Dreyer
- Kim Insalaco
- Kathleen Kauth
- Katie King
- Tara Mounsey
New Hampshire (5)
- Kacey Bellamy
- Karyn Bye
- Colleen Coyne
- Tricia Dunn (Luoma)
- Sue Merz
Dartmouth (4)
- Kristin King
- Sarah Parsons
- Sarah Tueting
- Gretchen Ulion
Minnesota-Duluth (3)
- Sidney Morin
- Jenny Potter
- Maddie Rooney
Northeastern (3)
- Kendall Coyne
- Chanda Gunn
- Shelley Looney
North Dakota (2)
- Jocelyne Lamoureux (Davidson)
- Monique Lamoureux (Morando)
Ohio State (1)
- Lisa Chesson
Lindenwood (1)
- Nicole Hensley
Princeton (1)
- Andrea Kilbourne
Robert Morris (1)
- Brianne McLaughlin (Bittle)
Vermont (1)
- Amanda Pelkey
Yale (1)
- Helen Resor
