Where the USA women’s hockey team for the 2026 Olympics played in college

The United States women's hockey team won the gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, defeating Canada, 2-1 (OT). The American team is filled with former and current college hockey greats — all 23 members hail from the NCAA.

From Wisconsin to Minneapolis, Boston to Columbus, these athletes honed their skills at the NCAA’s most storied programs. Here are all the former college players representing Team USA and a look at their collegiate careers:

Cayla Barnes

College: Boston College, Ohio State
Years: 2017–23 (Boston College), 2023-24 (Ohio State)
Hometown: Eastvale, Calif.
Stats: Was one of just nine, two-time team captains in program history. Barnes was a four-time Hockey East All-Star and closed her Boston College career ranked in the top 10 on the Eagles’ career defender scoring lists: seven in points (75), tied for sixth in goals (20) and seventh in assists (55). For her final season, Barnes won a national title at Ohio State, assisting on the championship-winning goal. She also recorded 36 points with the Buckeyes.

Hannah Bilka

College: Boston College, Ohio State
Years: 2019–23 (Boston College), 2023-24 (Ohio State)
Hometown: Coppell, Texas
Stats: Bilka emerged as an elite two-way forward at Boston College, leading the Eagles in scoring multiple seasons before transferring to Ohio State. She helped the Buckeyes win the 2024 national title and led the team in scoring.

Alex Carpenter

College: Boston College
Years: 2011–16
Hometown: North Reading, Mass.
Stats: Carpenter was one of the most prolific scorers in NCAA women’s hockey, piling up records and national honors at Boston College. She won the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award as a junior and finished her career as the program leader in points (278), goals (133), assists (145) and game-winning goals (27) just to name some. 

Kendall Coyne Schofield

College: Northeastern
Years: 2011–16
Hometown: Palos Heights, Ill.
Stats: She is on the school's record list for both career points (249) and career goals (141). She won the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award her senior season, when she had 50 goals and 34 assists for 84 points in 37 games.

Britta Curl-Salemme

College: Wisconsin
Years: 2018–24
Hometown: Bismarck, N.D.
Stats: She won three national championships with the Badgers and left the program as the all-time leader in games played (181). In her final season, she posted 22 goals and 40 assists for 62 points in 41 games.

Joy Dunne

College: Ohio State
Years: 2023–present
Hometown: O’Fallon, Mo.
Stats: Still in her junior season, Dunne has already solidified herself as one of the Buckeyes' top players. She was the first Ohio State player to be named WCHA and Julie Chu Rookie of the Year. She has made back-to-back Frozen Four All-Tournament Teams and helped lead the Buckeyes to the 2024 title.

Laila Edwards

College: Wisconsin
Years: 2023–present
Hometown: Cleveland Heights, Ohio
Stats: Edwards was a First-Team All-American in 2024-25, leading the NCAA in scoring with 35 goals and being named to the Frozen Four All-Tournament team.

Still not over this Laila Edwards goal 🤯 x 🎥

— NCAA Ice Hockey (@NCAAIceHockey)

Aerin Frankel

College: Northeastern
Years: 2017–2021
Hometown: Chappaqua, N.Y.
Stats: Another Northeastern standout, Frankel was the 2021 Patty Katzmaier Memorial Award Recipient. She also holds the school’s all-time career record with 73 wins. She led Northeastern to the national championship game in 2021.

Rory Guilday

College: Cornell
Years: 2021–25
Hometown: Chanhassen, Minn.
Stats: Guilday is a two-time First Team All-Ivy selectee and has represented Team USA for the past three years in the Rivalry Series. 

Caroline Harvey

College: Wisconsin
Years: 2022–present
Hometown: Salem, N.H.
Stats: Harvey has been an AHCA First-Team All-American each of the last two seasons at Wisconsin as well as the 2023-24 and 2024-25 WCHA Defender of the Year. 

. ➡️

2X NCAA National Champion and Olympic Silver Medalist Caroline Harvey has punched her ticket to with ! x 

— NCAA (@NCAA)

Taylor Heise

College: Minnesota
Years: 2018–23
Hometown: Lake City, Minn.
Stats: Heise was a dominant offensive force at Minnesota, a two-time First Team All-American in 2022 and 2023. She led the nation in points with 66 and finished second in goals at 29 in 2021-22. She won the Patty Kazmaier Award in 2022.

Tessa Janecke

College: Penn State
Years: 2022–present
Hometown: Warren, Ill.
Stats: She’s helped elevate the Nittany Lions’ profile nationally with her scoring. Janecke became the Penn State ice hockey (men’s and women’s) all-time leader in points last season as a junior. She was named a CCM/AHCA Second Team All-American in each of the last two seasons.

Tessa's headed to Milan!

She becomes the first Nittany Lion ever to be named to the USA Women's Ice Hockey Olympic roster🇺🇸

🔗:

— Penn State Women’s Hockey (@PennStateWHKY)

Megan Keller

College: Boston College
Years: 2014–19
Hometown: Farmington Hills, Mich.
Stats: Keller was an all-time great defender for Boston College, finishing her career as the program’s career leader in defenseman scoring (158), goals (45) and assists (113). She was a three-time First Team All-American.

Hilary Knight

College: Wisconsin
Years: 2007-12
Hometown: Sun Valley, Idaho
Stats: Knight holds the school record for goals scored (men’s and women’s) with 143 in her career. She was a three-time AHCA All-American and two-time NCAA Frozen Four All-Tournament Team member as well as a three-time Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award top-10 finalist. She took a year off to compete in the 2010 Olympic Games, earning a silver medal.

Ava McNaughton

College: Wisconsin
Years: 2022–present
Hometown: Seven Fields, Pa.
Stats: McNaughton was the HCA Goaltender of the Year in 2024-25 as a sophomore, posting a 36-1-2 record — the most wins by a Wisconsin goalie in a single season. 

Ava. McNaughton.

What a game for the freshman goaltender! 👀 x

— NCAA Ice Hockey (@NCAAIceHockey)

Abbey Murphy

College: Minnesota
Years: 2020–present
Hometown: Evergreen Park, Ill.
Stats: Murphy was named team captain for the 2024-25 season, earning CCM/AHCA Second Team All-American honors. She ranked second in the nation in 2024-25 with a career-best 33 goals and ranked third with 65 points.

MINNESOTA DOWNS NO. 1 🚨 defeats No. 1 Ohio State, 4-2. Abbey Murphy leads Minnesota with 2️⃣ goals 😤 x 🎥

— NCAA Ice Hockey (@NCAAIceHockey)

Kelly Pannek

College: Minnesota
Years: 2014–19
Hometown: Plymouth, Minn.
Stats: Pannek was a CCM/AHCA First Team All-American. She totaled 186 points in her career, winning two national championships. In 2017, she was a Patty Kazmaier finalist when she scored 62 points in 39 games.

Gwyneth Philips

College: Northeastern
Years: 2019–23
Hometown: Athens, Ohio
Stats: Philips was the 2023 National Goaltender of the Year as well as a two-time First Team All American in 2023 and 2024. She holds the single-season program record in wins with 34 and games played at 38 as well as the NCAA record holder with .958 career save percentage. 

Hayley Scamurra

College: Northeastern
Years: 2013–17
Hometown: Buffalo, N.Y.
Stats: She finished her Northeastern career with 111 points (39 goals, 72 assists) in 123 games, a +83 rating, 11 power play goals and seven game-winning goals while skating in every game during her final two seasons. 

Kirsten Simms

College: Wisconsin
Years: 2022–present
Hometown: Plymouth, Mich.
Stats: Simms has quickly become one of Wisconsin’s most dynamic forwards, securing First-Team All American honors in 2024 and 2025. She scored the game-winning goal in the 2023 National Championship game against Ohio State. In the 2025 title game, she scored the tying goal on a penalty shot with 18 seconds remaining and then scored the game-winning goal in OT.

We're going to be watching this on loop for the rest of the night... Here's another angle of Simms' GAME-WINNING, CHAMPIONSHIP-CLINCHING GOAL IN OT. ||

— Wisconsin Hockey (@BadgerWHockey)

Lee Stecklein

College: Minnesota
Years: 2012–17
Hometown: Roseville, Minn.
Stats: Stecklein won three national championships at Minnesota, finishing eight all-time on the Gophers' list for career points by a defensemen (83) and career assists (65).

Haley Winn

College: Clarkson
Years: 2021–25
Hometown: Rochester, N.Y.
Stats: Winn was a star for the Golden Knights in her time there. She was a Second Team All-American for the 2023-24 season, leading the team in assists with 29 and tied for points with 39 in 38 games. She was the ECAC Hockey Player of the Year and Defender of the Year her senior season.

Grace Zumwinkle

College: Minnesota
Years: 2017–23
Hometown: Excelsior, Minn.
Stats: Zumwinkle made her mark in her five seasons with two AHCA All-America Second Team honors. As a freshman, she was the WCHA scoring champion with league-leading 27 points (11 goals and 16 assists). In the 2022-23 season she netted nine game-winning goals — tied for most in NCAA and second-most in program history in a single season.