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Julie Chu
- Two-time U.S. Olympian in ice hockey
- Earned a silver medal in 2002 and a bronze medal in 2006
- Won a gold at the Four Nations Cup in Sweden, 2005
- First woman of Asian descent to play for the U.S. National Hockey Team
- Chu deferred her enrollment to Harvard until the fall of 2002 (after Salt Lake Games)
- Won silver at the IIHF Women's World Championships in Halifax, Novia Scotia, 2005
- At age 8, Chu begged her father to let her switch from figure skating to hockey lessons to be like her older brother, Richard. He let her and she quickly proceeded up the youth hockey ladder, playing for various boys teams in doing so
- Attended Choate Rosemary Hall in Wallingford, Connecticut - a private boarding high school whose alumni include President John F. Kennedy, actress Glenn Close and playwright Edward Albee. She played softball and soccer there also
- Chu took two terms off from Choate to train with the U.S. National Team for the 2000-01 season. In doing so, Chu had to concede the class presidency that she was elected to for the year
- Nicknamed "Saint Chuey" by her U.S. teammates because of her kind nature. They also appreciate her enthusiasm at the 6:30 a.m. workouts when everyone else is tired and grumpy. Chu is always smiling and thrilled to be on the ice no matter what time it is
- In July 2001, Chu emerged unscathed from a horrible automobile accident outside of Boston, in which her vehicle flipped over several times
Her grandmother, Lai Fong, immigrated into the U.S. from Hong Kong over 30 years ago as a single mother with three children. She now is a regular at Chu's games. "She's my lucky charm. She doesn't speak much English, but after games she goes, 'thumbs up' a lot," Chu said.
Related Links
Feature: Olympic hockey star Julie Chu on her life as a woman in sports
Audio: Love on Ice
About joining he Team USA squad:
"This is an incredible experience that takes my breath way. It's like a 24-hour dream. You wake up with your idols and then you play hockey."
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Height: 5'8
Born: 13-March-1982
Hometown: Fairfield, Conn.
Sport: Ice Hockey
Event: Hockey - Forward
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