The United States women's national ice hockey team represents the United States in women's international ice hockey. The team operates under USA Hockey, the governing body for organized ice hockey in the United States.
Team USA has been one of the most successful women's ice hockey national teams in international play. The team has medaled in every major tournament, most recently winning gold at both the 2026 Winter Olympics and the 2025 IIHF Women's World Championship.
At the Olympic Games, the team has won three gold medals (1998, 2018, 2026), along with four silver medals (2002, 2010, 2014, 2022) and one bronze (2006), and has medaled at every tournament since women's ice hockey was finally included starting in 1998. At the IIHF Women's World Championship, the United States has won eleven gold medals (2005, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2023, 2025) and more than twenty total medals, establishing itself as a top contender and forming one of the sport's most prominent rivalries with Canada, with the two nations dominating international competition for decades.
History
Women's ice hockey became an Olympic sport at the 1998 Winter Olympics, where the US won the gold medal. As of 2026, in five of the last six Winter Olympics the gold medal match was between the United States and Canada, with the United States winning gold in 2026 Winter Olympics. Since their inclusion in the Olympics' the women's team has appeared in all but one gold medal match with each appearance playing against the Canadian women's team.
On March 15, 2017, players for the U.S. women's ice hockey team announced that they would boycott the 2017 World Championship over inequitable support and conditions for women's ice hockey unless concessions were made by USA Hockey. Members of the team including captain Meghan Duggan made public statements regarding poor pay and conditions for female hockey players. The players were publicly supported by the players' associations for the NBA, WNBA, MLB and the NHLPA. On March 28, 2017, the players agreed to play in the World Championship after an agreement was struck with USA Hockey to increase player pay and support for women's development.
In 2023, team member Laila Edwards became the first black woman to play for the US, and became the first black woman to win a gold medal in women's hockey in 2026. In May 2025, Olympic team captain Hilary Knight announced that the 2026 Winter Olympics would be her fifth and final Olympics, Knight is the only United States female player to win five medals at the Olympics.
During the 2026 Winter Olympics the women's team was undefeated with a perfect record allowing for only one point in their opening game against Czechia during the preliminary rounds prior to the gold medal. The team outscored all of their opponents at 33-2 and won all seven of their games. Megan Keller scored a overtime goal to defeat Canada at 2-1, after Hilary Knight tied the game in the final moments of regulation. Of the 23-person team, nine players are 23 or younger, 12 are newcomers and four made their Olympic debut in the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
After the 2026 Winter Olympics men's ice hockey teams gold medal game, during a phone call with President Trump and the men's team Trump joked that he would also need to invite the Women’s Olympic team to the White House and State of the Union—who had also won gold—or risk being impeached. The women's team rejected the invite to the White House with captain Hilary Knight calling the joke distasteful and lamented the overshadowing of the teams connections and highlighted a good learning point about how women in sports are discussed. During the Olympics the women's team met and dined with actor Stanley Tucci in Milan, Italy. The women's team was also invited by Flavor Flav along with other female Olympian and Paralympian athletes to celebrate their achievements in July 2026 through the She Got Game weekend event.
Rivalry with Canada
Team USA has a long-term rivalry with Canada. Since women's ice hockey was introduced to the Winter Olympics in 1998, every Olympic gold medal game except one has featured the United States against Canada, with the U.S. winning multiple titles in those meetings. This rivalry often draws significant media attention and fan interest. The U.S.–Canada rivalry has produced historic moments and elevated women's ice hockey in both countries while raising the bar for excellence in the sport worldwide.
Rivalry Series
Beyond major tournaments, USA Hockey and Hockey Canada have formalized the rivalry through the Rivalry Series, an annual set of exhibition games designed to showcase top international women's hockey and prepare both teams for major championships. It has been played annually since its inception in 2018–19. Team USA players have emphasized that beating Canada is a central focus of many national team cycles, with heightened preparation and intensity leading up to the Olympics.
Tournament record
Olympic Games
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 100%; text-align: center;"
|-
! Year
! Result
! Position
! GP
! W
! L
! T
! GF
! GA
! Coach
! Captain
|-
|data-sort-value="1998" align=left| 1998 Nagano
| style="background:gold;"|Gold medal
|
| 6
| 6
| 0
| 0
| 36
| 8
|
|
|-
|data-sort-value="2002" style="border: 3px solid red" align=left| 2002 Salt Lake City
| style="background:silver;"|Silver medal
|
| 5
| 4
| 1
| 0
| 33
| 4
|
|
|-
|data-sort-value="2006" align=left| 2006 Turin
| style="background:#cc9966;"|Bronze medal
|
| 5
| 4
| 1
| 0
| 24
| 6
|
|
|-
|data-sort-value="2010" align=left| 2010 Vancouver
| style="background:silver;"|Silver medal
|
| 5
| 4
| 1
| —
| 40
| 4
|
|
|-
|data-sort-value="2014" align=left| 2014 Sochi
| style="background:silver;"|Silver medal
|
| 5
| 3
| 2
| —
| 22
| 8
|
|
|-
|data-sort-value="2018" align=left| 2018 Pyeongchang
| style="background:gold;"|Gold medal
|
| 5
| 4
| 1
| —
| 17
| 5
|
|
|-
|data-sort-value="2022" align=left| 2022 Beijing
| style="background:silver;"|Silver medal
|
| 7
| 5
| 2
| —
| 30
| 11
|
|
|-
|data-sort-value="2026" align=left| 2026 Milan
| style="background:gold;"|Gold medal
|
| 7
| 7
| 0
| —
| 33
| 2
|
|
|-
!Total
! 3 titles
! 8/8
! 45
! 37
! 8
! 0
! 235
! 48
! colspan=2
|}
IIHF Women's World Championship
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 100%; text-align: center;"
|-
! Year
! Result
! Position
! GP
! W
! OTW
! OTL
! L
! GF
! GA
|-
| 1990
| style="background:silver;"|Runner-up
|
| 5
| 4
| 0
| 0
| 1
| 50
| 15
|-
| 1992
| style="background:silver;"|Runner-up
|
| 5
| 4
| 0
| 0
| 1
| 37
| 16
|-
| style="border: 3px solid red"| 1994
| style="background:silver;"|Runner-up
|
| 5
| 4
| 0
| 0
| 1
| 41
| 10
|-
| 1997
| style="background:silver;"|Runner-up
|
| 5
| 3
| 0
| 0
| 1
| 29
| 7
|-
| 1998
| colspan=9|Not held during 1998 Winter Olympics
|-
| 1999
| style="background:silver;"|Runner-up
|
| 5
| 4
| 0
| 0
| 1
| 31
| 6
|-
| 2000
| style="background:silver;"|Runner-up
|
| 5
| 4
| 0
| 1
| 0
| 44
| 8
|-
| style="border: 3px solid red"| 2001
| style="background:silver;"|Runner-up
|
| 5
| 4
| 0
| 0
| 1
| 43
| 4
|-
| 2002
| colspan=9|Not held during 2002 Winter Olympics
|-
| 2003
| colspan=9|Cancelled due to SARS outbreak in China
|-
| 2004
| style="background:silver;"|Runner-up
|
| 5
| 4
| 0
| 0
| 1
| 29
| 6
|-
| 2005
| style="background:gold;"|Champions
|
| 5
| 4
| 1
| 0
| 0
| 28
| 4
|-
| 2006
| colspan=9|Not held during 2006 Winter Olympics
|-
| 2007
| style="background:silver;"|Runner-up
|
| 5
| 3
| 0
| 1
| 1
| 27
| 11
|-
| 2008
| style="background:gold;"|Champions
|
| 5
| 4
| 0
| 1
| 0
| 23
| 8
|-
| 2009
| style="background:gold;"|Champions
|
| 5
| 4
| 0
| 0
| 1
| 28
| 3
|-
| 2010
| colspan=9|Not held during 2010 Winter Olympics
|-
| 2011
| style="background:gold;"|Champions
|
| 5
| 4
| 1
| 0
| 0
| 35
| 5
|-
| style="border: 3px solid red"| 2012
| style="background:silver;"|Runner-up
|
| 5
| 4
| 0
| 1
| 0
| 43
| 7
|-
| 2013
| style="background:gold;"|Champions
|
| 5
| 4
| 0
| 1
| 0
| 17
| 7
|-
| 2014
| colspan=9|Not held at top level during 2014 Winter Olympics
|-
| 2015
| style="background:gold;"|Champions
|
| 5
| 5
| 0
| 0
| 0
| 37
| 11
|-
| 2016
| style="background:gold;"|Champions
|
| 5
| 4
| 1
| 0
| 0
| 23
| 2
|-
| style="border: 3px solid red"| 2017
| style="background:gold;"|Champions
|
| 5
| 4
| 1
| 0
| 0
| 28
| 5
|-
| 2018
| colspan=9|Not held at top level during 2018 Winter Olympics
|-
| 2019
| style="background:gold;"|Champions
|
| 7
| 6
| 1
| 0
| 0
| 41
| 5
|-
| 2020
| colspan=9|Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
|-
| 2021
| style="background:silver;"|Runner-up
|
| 7
| 5
| 0
| 1
| 1
| 28
| 10
|-
| 2022
| style="background:silver;"|Runner-up
|
| 7
| 6
| 0
| 0
| 1
| 53
| 7
|-
| 2023
| style="background:gold;"|Champions
|
| 7
| 6
| 0
| 1
| 0
| 43
| 12
|-
| style="border: 3px solid red"| 2024
| style="background:silver;"|Runner-up
|
| 7
| 5
| 1
| 1
| 0
| 36
| 9
|-
| 2025
| style="background:gold;"|Champions
|
| 7
| 6
| 1
| 0
| 0
| 27
| 6
|-
!Total
! 11 Titles
! 24/29
! 132
| style="background:silver;"|Runner-up
|
| 5
| 2
| 1
| 0
| 2
| 12
| 10
|-
| / 1997
| style="background:gold;"|Champions
|
| 5
! 57
! 4
! 3
! 26
! 352
! 174
|}
Team
Current roster
Roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Head coach: John Wroblewski
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 90%; text-align:center;"
!No.
!Pos.
!Name
!Height
!Weight
!Birthdate
!Team
|-
| 2 || D || align="left" ||| || || align="right" | || style="text-align:left;" |Minnesota Frost
|-
| 3 || D || align="left" ||| || || align="right" | || style="text-align:left;" |Seattle Torrent
|-
| 4 || D || align="left" ||| || || align="right" | || style="text-align:left;" |Wisconsin Badgers
|-
| 5 || D || align="left" | – A|| || || align="right" | || style="text-align:left;" |Boston Fleet
|-
| 6 || D || align="left" ||| || || align="right" | || style="text-align:left;" |Ottawa Charge
|-
| 8 || D || align="left" | || || || align="right" | || style="text-align:left;" |Boston Fleet
|-
| 9 || F || align="left" ||| || || align="right" ||| style="text-align:left;" |Wisconsin Badgers
|-
| 10 || D || align="left" ||| || || align="right" | || style="text-align:left;" |Wisconsin Badgers
|-
| 12 || F || align="left" ||| || || align="right" | || style="text-align:left;" |Minnesota Frost
|-
| 13 || F || align="left" ||| || || align="right" | || style="text-align:left;" |Minnesota Frost
|-
| 16 || F || align="left" ||| || || align="right" | || style="text-align:left;" |Montreal Victoire
|-
| 17 || F || align="left" ||| || || align="right" | || style="text-align:left;" |Minnesota Frost
|-
| 21 || F || align="left" | – C|| || || align="right" | || style="text-align:left;" |Seattle Torrent
|-
| 22 || F || align="left" ||| || || align="right" | || style="text-align:left;" |Penn State Nittany Lions
|-
| 23 || F || align="left" ||| || || align="right" | || style="text-align:left;" |Seattle Torrent
|-
| 24 || F || align="left" | || || || align="right" | || style="text-align:left;" | Ohio State Buckeyes
|-
| 25 || F || align="left" | – A|| || || align="right" | || style="text-align:left;" |Seattle Torrent
|-
| 26 || F || align="left" ||| || || align="right" | || style="text-align:left;" |Minnesota Frost
|-
| 27 || F || align="left" ||| || || align="right" | || style="text-align:left;" |Minnesota Frost
|-
| 30 || G || align="left" ||| || || align="right" | || style="text-align:left;" |Wisconsin Badgers
|-
| 31 || G || align="left" | || || || align="right" | || style="text-align:left;" | Boston Fleet
|-
| 33 || G || align="left" ||| || || align="right" | || style="text-align:left;" |Ottawa Charge
|-
| 37 || F || align="left" ||| || || align="right" | || style="text-align:left;" |Minnesota Golden Gophers
|}
Development team roster
Roster for the 2025 Collegiate Series.
Head coach: Molly Engstrom
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:90%; text-align:center"
!No.
!Pos.
!Name
!Height
!Weight
!Birthdate
!Team
|-
| 4 || D || align=left| || || || || align=left|University of Minnesota
|-
| 6 || F || align=left| || || || || align=left|Northeastern University
|-
| 7 || F || align=left | || || || || align=left|University of Wisconsin
|-
| 8 || F || align=left| || || || || align=left|University of Minnesota
|-
| 9 || F || align=left| || || || || align=left|University of Minnesota Duluth
|-
| 10 || F || align=left| || || || | || align=left|University of Minnesota
|-
| 11 || F || align=left| || || || || align=left|University of Wisconsin
|-
| 12 || F || align=left| || || || || align=left|University of Minnesota
|-
| 13 || D || align=left| || || || || align=left|Colgate University
|-
| 15 || F || align=left| – A || || || || align=left|University of Wisconsin
|-
| 17 || F || align=left| || || || || align=left|Ohio State University
|-
| 18 || F || align=left| || || || || align=left|University of Connecticut
|-
| 19 || F || align=left| || || || || align=left|University of Minnesota
|-
| 20 || D || align=left| || || || || align=left|Cornell University
|-
| 22 || D || align=left| || || || || align=left|University of Wisconsin
|-
| 24 || F || align=left| || || || || align=left|Cornell University
|-
| 25 || F || align=left| – C || || || || align=left|Ohio State University
|-
| 28 || D || align=left| || || || || align=left|University of Wisconsin
|-
| 29 || G || align=left| || || || || align=left|University of Minnesota
|-
| 31 || G || align=left| || || || || align=left|Cornell University
|-
| 32 || F || align=left| – A || || || || align=left|Colgate University
|-
| 35 || G || align=left| || || || || align=left|St. Cloud State University
|-
| 36 || D || align=left| || || || || align=left|Cornell University
|-
| 39 || D || align=left| || || || || align=left|Northeastern University
|-
| 43 || D || align=left| – A || || || || align=left|University of Minnesota
|}
IIHF World Championship directorate awards
Since 1990, the IIHF has given awards for each championship tournament to the best goalie, defenseman, and forward, and Most Valuable Player (MVP). The following team members have won awards:
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Year !! Player !! Award
|-
| 1990 || Kelly Dyer || Goalie
|-
| 1992 || Cammi Granato || Forward
|-
| 1994 || Erin Whitten || Goalie
|-
| 1999 || Jenny Potter || Forward
|-
| 2000 || Angela Ruggiero || Defenseman
|-
| 2001 || Karyn Bye || Defenseman
|-
| 2004 || Angela Ruggiero || Defenseman
|-
| 2005 || Chanda Gunn || Goalie
|-
| 2005 || Angela Ruggiero || Defenseman
|-
| 2005 || Krissy Wendell || MVP
|-
| 2007 || Molly Engstrom || Defenseman
|-
| 2008 || Angela Ruggiero || Defenseman
|-
| 2008 || Natalie Darwitz || Forward
|-
| 2011 || Monique Lamoureux-Kolls || Forward
|-
| 2012 || Kelli Stack || Forward
|-
| 2015 || Hilary Knight || Forward
|-
| 2015 || Hilary Knight || MVP
|-
| 2016 || Hilary Knight || Forward
|-
| 2016 || Hilary Knight || MVP
|-
| 2017 || Brianna Decker || Forward
|-
| 2017 || Brianna Decker || MVP
|-
| 2019 || Kendall Coyne Schofield || Forward
|-
| 2021 || Lee Stecklein || Defenseman
|-
| 2022 || Nicole Hensley || Goalie
|-
| 2022 || Taylor Heise || Forward
|-
| 2022 || Taylor Heise || MVP
|-
| 2023 || Caroline Harvey || Defenseman
|-
| 2024 || Alex Carpenter || Forward
|-
| 2024 || Laila Edwards || MVP
|-
| 2025 || Aerin Frankel || Goalie
|-
| 2025 || Caroline Harvey || Defenseman
|}
See also
- List of United States women's national ice hockey team rosters
- List of Olympic women's ice hockey players for the United States
References
Further reading
External links
- IIHF profile