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Hilary Knight leads 23-woman US hockey team for 2026 Olympics
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- Hilary Knight leads 23-woman US hockey team for 2026 Olympics
Hilary Knight's last time in a U.S. uniform will be at the Milano Cortina Olympics. And she hopes it will end with a gold medal around her neck.
Knight was named to her fifth Olympic roster Friday, headlining the 23-woman U.S. squad for next month's Milano Cortina Games. She is joined by fellow veteran Kendall Coyne Schofield, who will be playing in her fourth Olympics, as well as young talents Abbey Murphy, Taylor Heise, Caroline Harvey and Laila Edwards.
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Edwards is the first Black woman to make a U.S. Olympic hockey roster. She also was the first Black woman to play for the senior national team and to represent the U.S. at the world championships.
"Whenever we sign up to play for Team USA, it's to win a gold medal, and that mindset hasn't changed," Knight, considered one of the greatest players ever in the women's game, said at the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic media summit in October.
"If you can get to the Olympics first, that's a cherishable moment in itself. If you can get on a podium, that's a huge honor. And then, if you can win a gold medal, it's equal in honor," Knight added. "I think we have such a fantastic team. I want our legacy to be cemented on that world stage and I want people to know the names that are in the room and part of that is winning a gold medal.
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"I think we're capable of doing it."
Though archrival Canada is the reigning Olympic champion, and has won five of the previous seven Olympic tournaments, the U.S. women will be favorites in Italy. They have won two of the last three world championships, including an overtime thriller last spring, and routed Canada in all four games of the Rivalry Series last fall.
The Americans outscored Canada 24-7 in the Rivalry Series, with Knight and Murphy each scoring five goals and Heise finishing with nine points.
While there are only 11 holdovers from the U.S. team that won silver in Beijing, the Milano Cortina roster is an experienced group. Most have been on the squads for the last three world championships, with Heise (2022) and Edwards (2023) winning most valuable player honors and Harvey named best defenseman in 2023 and 2025. All 23 were on the roster for the Rivalry Series.
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"We've put in the work ... over the last three years," Coyne Schofield said. "Whether it's a world championship or a camp, whoever is on that team is going to be ready."
The U.S. team has three goaltenders, seven defenders and 13 forwards. Every line is stacked with both goal-scoring potential and smothering defense.
The influence of the PWHL, now in its third season, can be seen on the U.S. roster. Sixteen of the 23 players are in the PWHL, including six from the reigning champion Minnesota Frost. The remaining seven players, including Harvey, Murphy and Edwards, are still in college.
"It still hasn't really kicked in yet," Edwards said on the TODAY show. "Getting that call is a dream come true."
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USA women's hockey Olympic roster
Here is the full U.S. roster for the Milano Cortina Olympics:
Goaltenders: Ava McNaughton; Aerin Frankel; Gwyneth Phillips.
Defenders: Lee Stecklein; Cayla Barnes; Caroline Harvey; Megan Keller; Rory Guilday; Haley Winn; Laila Edwards.
Forwards: Kirsten Simms; Kelly Pannek; Grace Zumwinkle; Hayley Scamurra; Britta Curl-Salemme; Hilary Knight; Tessa Janecke; Hannah Bilka; Joy Dunne; Alex Carpenter; Kendall Coyne Schofield; Taylor Heise; Abbey Murphy.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: USA women's hockey Olympic roster announced: See the full list
