Highlighting the preliminary roster are nine Olympians, including Angela Ruggiero (Harper Woods, Mich./U.S. Olympic Women’s Team), a three-time U.S. Olympian, and Julie Chu (Fairfield, Conn./Harvard University), Natalie Dartwitz (Eagan, Minn./Minnesota Whitecaps) and Krissy Wendell (Brookyn Park, Minn./Etobicoke Dolphins), who have each represented the United States at the Games on two occasions.

“Our preliminary roster includes some very experienced international players, along with some really talented up-and-comers,” said Mark Johnson (Madison, Wis.), the head women’s ice hockey coach at the University of Wisconsin who will serve as the head coach of the U.S. Women’s Select Team. “With this balanced group of players, we look forward to continuing with the success we’ve enjoyed in the past at this tournament.”

In total, the roster includes 11 players who have skated for Team USA on a senior women’s team, along with eight newcomers.

Joining Chu and Ruggiero on the blue line will be Caitlin Cahow (Branford, Conn./Harvard University) and Helen Resor (Greenwich, Conn./Yale University), who are both fresh off a stint with the U.S. Women’s Under-22 Select Team after competing in their first Olympic Winter Games in February. Kacey Bellamy (Westfield, Mass./University of New Hampshire) and Monique Lamoureux (Grand Forks, N.D./ Shattuck St. Mary’s), both playing in their first international event for Team USA,  round out the preliminary defensive corps.

Up front, the U.S. boasts Darwitz and Wendell alongside fellow 2006 Olympians Kristin King (Piqua, Ohio/Minnesota Whitecaps) and Sarah Parsons (Dover, Mass./Dartmouth College). The offensive pool also includes college graduates Tiffany Hagge (Minneapolis, Minn./Mississauga Aeros) and Karen Thatcher (Douglas, Mass./BC Breakers), formerly of Dartmouth College and Providence College, respectively, along with current Western Collegiate Hockey Association stars Erika Lawler (Fitchburg, Mass/University of Wisconsin), Jinelle Zaugg (Eagle River, Wis./University of Wisconsin) and Gigi Marvin (Warroad, Minn./University of Minnesota).
Rounding out the 11 forwards are 17-year-olds Hilary Knight (Palo Alto, Calif./Choate Rosemary Hall) and Jocelyne Lamoureux (Grand Forks, N.D./Shattuck St. Mary’s), twin sister of Monique Lamoureux.

In net, Team USA returns 2006 Olympian Chanda Gunn (Huntington Beach, Calif./U.S. Olympic Women’s Team) and Shari Vogt (Richmond, Minn./Minnesota Whitecaps), who spent part of the 2005-06 season with the U.S. Women’s National Team.

NOTES: Team USA will hold a training camp at the Ann Arbor (Mich.) Ice Cube (home to USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program) from Oct. 29 – Nov. 4 … The U.S. Women’s Select Team’s tournament-opening game versus Canada on Tuesday, Nov. 7, will be televised live on TSN, as will the gold-medal game on Saturday, Nov. 11… At 17 years old, twins Monique and Jocelyne Lamoureux are the youngest members of Team USA, while Kristin King is the oldest at 27 years … The United States has earned either the gold or silver medal in each of the nine years it has competed in the Four Nations Cup (Three Nations Cup from 1996-99), including back-to-back silver medals in 2004 and 2005 … Joining Mark Johnson on the coaching staff as assistant coaches are Hilary Witt (Hamden, Conn.), head women’s ice hockey coach at Yale University, and Erin Whitten Hamlen (Hampton, N.H.), associate head women’s ice hockey coach at the University of New Hampshire.

Team USA Four Nations Cup Schedule
Nov. 7-11, 2006 • Kitchener, Ont.

Date                        Opponent                      Time (EST)
Tues., Nov. 7          Canada                            7:30 p.m.
Wed., Nov. 8          Finland                             4:30 p.m.
Fri., Nov. 10           Sweden                            4: 00 p.m.
Sat., Nov. 11         Bronze Medal Game      12: 00 p.m.
                               Gold Medal Game           4:00 p.m.