Get to know the US Women’s Ice Hockey team ahead of the 2018 Olympics

The US women’s hockey team has enjoyed its fair share of success since women’s ice hockey teams began competing in the Olympics in 1998. In fact, the team medaled in all five appearances, even winning the inaugural gold. Over the years, the women’s team won one gold, three silvers and a bronze, and the Americans and Canadians have been a constant on the podium, while Finland, Switzerland and Sweden have taken turns joining them.
We’re just about three months away from the opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, and the top-ranked American women seem to have put last spring’s salary saga behind them and look poised to medal once again. The team has been training together in Florida since September, and just wrapped up the 2017 Four Nations Cup, a mini tournament featuring the USA, Canada, Sweden and Finland, four of the top five ranked teams in the world (Russia is ranked fourth ahead of Sweden in the 2017 IIHF world rankings).
The women’s team went 4-0 during the tournament, winning the title. They beat Finland 8-2 in the first game, during which 12 different American women registered a point and Emily Pfalzer scored a hat-trick. The following night they defeated the Canadian women 4-2, took down Sweden by a score of 5-0 on Friday night, and capped it off with a 5-1 win over Canada in the championship game on Saturday.

 
These are the women representing the USA this coming February:
#2 Lee Stecklein
Defense
The 23-year-old from Minnesota played in her first Olympic games in 2014, recording an assist in five games and winning the silver medal. She’s competed in four IIHF World Championships.
 
#3 Cayla Barnes
Defense
The youngest player on the team, 18-year-old Barnes is a freshman playing for Boston College and will be competing in her first Olympics. Barnes was only recently added to the roster and began contributing during the Four Nations Cup, scoring her first goal of the season during the 8-2 win over Finland.
 
#5 Megan Keller
Defense
Another Boston College star. Keller, now a senior at BC, played in three IIHF World Championships, in 2015, ‘16 and ‘17, contributing five points in ‘15.
 
#6 Kali Flanagan
Defense
The 22-year-old from Massachusetts played in her first IIHF World Championship this past spring, winning gold with the USWNT. Flanagan, who plays alongside Keller and Barnes at BC and recorded 19 points in 29 games last season, will be playing in her first ever Olympic games.
 
#7 Monique Lamoureux-Morando
Defense
The 28-year-old from North Dakota is returning for her third Olympic games after winning silver medals in Sochi in 2014 – scoring three goals in five games – and Vancouver in 2010. Lamoureux-Morando played in seven IIHF World Championships and nine Four Nation Cups. Her twin sister, Jocelyne, is also a member of the team.
 
#8 Emily Pfalzer
Defense
Pfalzer has played in two IIHF World Championships as part of the USWNT, in 2015 and 2016, but will make her first Olympic appearance. In 2015 the 24-year-old scored a goal and added an assist in three games. The following year she appeared in five games for the team. This season she started off strong with the hat trick in the win against Finland.
 
#9 Megan Bozek
Defense
Megan Bozek made her first Olympic appearance during the 2014 Olympic games in Sochi, scoring a goal and adding four assists in five games. She was named one of two defensement on the All-Star team. The 26-year-old also played in four IIHF World Championships and five Four Nation Cups.
 
#10 Meghan Duggan
Forward
The 30-year-old from Massachusetts will be playing in her third Olympic games, after winning silver medals in Sochi and Vancouver. Duggan served as as a team captain in Sochi as well as the last three IIHF World Championships. In Sochi she scored a single goal and added an assist in five games.
 
#12 Kelly Pannek
Forward
The 22-year-old Minnesota native is headed to her first Olympic games. Pannek previously played in a single IIHF World Championship, in 2017, when she made her national team debut.
 
#14 Brianna Decker
Forward
The 26-year-old will be playing in her second Olympic games this coming February. As a member of the team in 2014, Decker scored twice and added another four assists during five games. She represented the US at six IIHF World Championships and eight Four Nations Cups. This past spring, Decker tied for the IIHF tournament-high of 12 points, was named the MVP and the Top Forward.
 
#17 Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson
Forward
Jocelyne joins her sister Monique on the USWNT for her third Olympic games. In 2014, she totaled five assists in five games during the Sochi Olympics. Like her sister, Jocelyne has played in seven IIHF World Championships and nine Four Nations Cups, and this past spring scored four goals in five games during the WC.
 
#19 Gigi Marvin
Defense
The veteran, two-time silver medalist from Minnesota is heading to her third Olympic games. Marvin played in five games in 2014, recording a single assist, and in 2010 totalled three assists in five games. She’s represented the USWNT in seven IIHF WC – playing this past spring for the first time since 2013 – and eight Four Nations Cups.
 
#20 Hannah Brandt
Forward
Brandt will be making her first Olympic appearance in February after representing the United States in three IIHF World Championships and two Four Nations Cups. During the 2017 IIHF Championship, Brandt scored the game-winning goal against Finland in the preliminary round. The 24-year-old played four years at the University of Minnesota, helping them win three NCAA titles.
 
#21 Hilary Knight
Forward
Hilary Knight has been around the USWNT for quite some time, having played in two Olympics, nine IIHF World Championships and ten Four Nations Cups. Back in 2010, the 28-year-old totaled seven assists in five games. Four years later she scored three goals and added another three assists during the Sochi Olympics. This past spring, Knight scored the winning goal in overtime against Canada, winning the IIHF World Championship gold.

#22 Kacey Bellamy
Defense
The two-time silver medalist is returning for her third Olympic appearance. Bellamy represented the USA in eight IIHF World Championships and 11 Four Nations Cups. She scored two goals during the 2017 IIHF gold medal game against Canada.
 
#24 Dani Cameranesi
Forward
The 22-year-old will be making her first Olympic appearance in 2018. Cameranesi has played in one IIHF World Championship and one Four Nations Cup.
 
#25 Alex Carpenter
Forward
The Massachusetts native will be making her second Olympic appearance. In Sochi, Carpenter scored a team-high four goals during the Games. She’s also played in four IIHF tournaments – scoring the game-winning goal against Canada to win gold in 2016 – and three Four Nations Cups. During the 2016-17 season she led the National Women’s Hockey League with 20 assists.
 
#26 Kendall Coyne
Forward
Coyne was part of the silver medal team in Sochi four years ago, scoring two goals and adding four assists in five games. The 25-year-old has played in six IIHF tournaments and seven Four Nations Cups and scored two goals in this past weekend’s game against Sweden.
 
#27 Annie Pankowski
Forward
Annie Pankowski will be making her first Olympic appearance for Team USA after representing the red, white and blue in two IIHF World Championships and three Four Nations Cups.
 
#28 Amanda Kessel
Forward
Amanda Kessel made her Olympics debut in 2014 in Russia, totaling six points in give games (3 goals, 3 assists). The 26-year-old has played in three IIHF tournaments and two Four Nations Cups. This year she played in her first IIHF World Championship since 2013, scoring a single goal and adding five assists. Last NWHL season, Kessel served as team captain during the All-Star game and was named the MVP.

#29 Nicole Hensley
Goaltender
23-year-old Hensley will be playing in her first Olympic games. She represented the USA in two IIHF Championships and a single Four Nations Cup.  
 
#33 Alex Rigsby
Goaltender
Alex Rigsby is also headed to her first Olympics in 2018. She was part of the USWNT for four IIHF World Championships, but did not see any playing time in 2013, as well as four Four Nations Cups. During the 2016 IIHF WC, Rigsby was named one of the top-3 American players.
 
#35 Maddie Rooney
Goaltender
The 20-year-old made her USWNT debut this past spring during the IIHF World Championship, earning a shutout during her first game against Russia.
 
#37 Amanda Pelkey
Forward
Amanda Pelkey represented the USA in two IIHF World Championships and three Four Nations Cups. This past season she was selected as an All-Star in the NWHL.