Tuesday, December 27, 2005

USA Hockey Announces Roster For 2006 Olympic Women’s Ice Hockey Team

Nine Returning Olympians Among 20 Players Named

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. -- USA Hockey announced the 20-player roster for the 2006 Olympic Women’s Ice Hockey Team at a public event at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn., today. The roster includes 11 forwards, seven defensemen and two goaltenders.

Head Coach Ben Smith (Gloucester, Mass.) will lead his third Olympic Women’s Ice Hockey Team into Torino.

“We have had an arduous four months where we’ve been tested under fire and we’re looking forward to bringing this group of 20 athletes together to make the final push,” said Smith. “As Americans we all know what the objective is and this group of athletes gives us the best chance of accomplishing that goal.”

Among the players named to the team are four two-time Olympians. Forwards Jenny Potter (Edina, Minn.), Katie King (Salem, N.H.) and Tricia Dunn-Luoma (Derry, N.H.) and defenseman Angela Ruggiero (Harper Woods, Mich.) will play in their third Olympic Winter Games in Torino.

Krissy Wendell (Brooklyn Park, Minn.), a 2002 Olympic silver-medalist, will serve as captain of the squad. Wendell is joined up front by 2002 Olympians Julie Chu (Fairfield, Conn.) and Natalie Darwitz (Eagan, Minn.). Forwards Kathleen Kauth (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.), Kristin King (Piqua, Ohio), Kim Insalaco (Rochester, N.Y.), Sarah Parsons (Dover, Mass.) and Kelly Stephens (Seattle, Wash.) will make their Olympic debuts in Torino.

The U.S. blueline includes three returning Olympians with Ruggiero, Courtney Kennedy (Woburn, Mass.) and Lyndsay Wall (Churchville, N.Y.). Defensemen Helen Resor (Greenwich, Conn.), Caitlin Cahow (New Haven, Conn.), Jamie Hagerman (N. Andover, Mass.) and Molly Engstrom (Siren, Wis.) will play in their first Olympic Winter Games in 2006.

Goaltenders Chanda Gunn (Huntington Beach, Calif.) and Pam Dreyer (Eagle River, Alaska) will also make their Olympic debuts in Torino.

Team USA will play Canada in the final game of the Hilton Family Skate to 2006 Tour on Friday, Dec. 30, at the Xcel Energy Center. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. CSTV will broadcast the game on a tape-delayed basis on Dec. 31 at 9 p.m. EST and also stream the game live on its website at cstv.com.

The selection of the U.S. Women’s Olympic Team is subject to the approval of the United States Olympic Committee’s Games Preparation Division.

Notes: Seventeen of the 20 players named to the roster today also represented the gold-medal-winning Team USA at the 2005 Women’s World Championship in April ... Sarah Parsons was the youngest player named to the team at age 18 ... Smith will be assisted behind the bench by Alana Blahoski (St. Paul, Minn.) and Mike Gilligan (Burlington, Vt.).