Meet the 30 U.S. Olympians with Minnesota ties competing in Beijing
The contingent with Minnesota connections on Team USA is the largest since Turin in 2006 and includes nine gold medalists from four years ago.
ALPINE SKIING
PAULA MOLTZAN
Minnesota connection: Prior Lake
Olympic experience: First
When Moltzan lost her place on the U.S. ski team in 2017, she didn't give up. She went to the University of Vermont, won an NCAA slalom title and worked her way back onto the national team. That tenacity made her a first-time Olympian at age 27 in the slalom and giant slalom. After learning to race at Buck Hill, Moltzan moved to Colorado and won a world junior championship in slalom in 2015. She has had strong results during her second stint on the U.S. ski team, winning her first World Cup medal — a silver in parallel slalom — last season. A biology major at Vermont, Moltzan plans to become a doctor specializing in orthopedic medicine.
Results: Feb. 6, finished 12th in giant slalom, was top American finisher. Feb 8, finished eighth in the slalom, the top American finisher. Feb. 19, finished fourth in team slalom.
BIATHLON
JAKE BROWN
Minnesota connection: St. Paul
Olympic experience: First
The U.S. has never won an Olympic medal in biathlon, which combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting. Brown, 29, is among three Winter Games rookies on a team hoping to capture some historic hardware. A graduate of Minnehaha Academy, Brown earned all-America honors in cross-country, track and field and Nordic skiing at St. Olaf College. He excelled as a cross-country runner, finishing eighth at the 2013 NCAA Division III championships and helping the Oles to the team title. Brown added biathlon to his sports menu in 2014 and has competed at three world championships, placing 12th in the men's sprint in 2021.
Results: Feb. 8, was the top American finisher in the men's 20k individual, at 28th. Feb. 12, was top American finisher in the men's 10k sprint, at 36th. Feb. 13, was the top U.S. finisher in the 12.5km pursuit at 40th. Feb. 15, finished 13th in the men's 4x7.5k relay.
LEIF NORDGREN
Minnesota connection: Marine on St. Croix
Olympic experience: 2014, 2018
The youngest men's biathlete on the 2014 U.S. Olympic team, Nordgren, now 32, will enter the Beijing Games as the oldest on the four-man roster. He brings a wealth of experience, with two Olympics and nine world championships to his credit. A graduate of Forest Lake High School, Nordgren was introduced to biathlon by his sister, Sonne, and quickly rose through the junior ranks. At the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics, he helped the Americans to a sixth-place finish in the men's relay, tying the highest U.S. finish in the event's history. In 2019, Nordgren began training with the Vermont National Guard's biathlon program; an aviation operations specialist, he plans to become a pilot. His wife, Caitlin, gave birth to their first child, a girl named Astrid, the day before his first race in Beijing.
Results: Feb. 8, finished 87th in the men's 20k individual. Feb. 12, finished 83rd in the men's 10k sprint. Feb. 15, finished 13th in the men's 4x7.5k relay.
PAUL SCHOMMER
Minnesota connection: College of St. Scholastica
Olympic experience: First
A latecomer to cross-country skiing, Schommer, 29, didn't pick up the sport until his sophomore year of high school. From Appleton, Wis., he hit his stride at St. Scholastica in Duluth, finishing eighth in the 20k freestyle at the 2014 NCAA championships to become the school's first all-America athlete in Nordic skiing. At the urging of Saints coach Chad Salmela, Schommer attended a talent identification camp for U.S. Biathlon in 2014, which soon led to a place on the national team. He became one of the first men to qualify for the Olympic biathlon team in November, when he finished 22nd in the 20k individual race at a World Cup event, and he also has a ninth-place World Cup finish in the 20k.
Results: Feb. 5, was seventh in the 4x6km mixed relay with Susan Dunklee, Clare Egan and Sean Doherty, the best American finish in the history of the event. Feb. 8, finished 35th in nthe men's 20k individual. Feb. 12, finished 74th in the men's 10k sprint. Feb. 15, finished 13th in the men's 4x7.5k relay.
CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING
JESSIE DIGGINS
Minnesota connection: Afton
Olympic experience: 2014, 2018
Diggins won't be carrying the weight of history on her back in Beijing, as she did in the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics. In those Games, she and teammate Kikkan Randall delivered a breakthrough gold in the team sprint, bringing the U.S. women's cross-country program its first Olympic medal. She will face a different kind of pressure this time, but it won't be any less heavy. Diggins enters the Beijing Games as a defending gold medalist and the reigning World Cup overall champion, and she sits third in the current World Cup overall standings after a strong start to this season. A contender for multiple medals in Beijing, she's expected to race in several events.
Results: Feb. 5, finished sixth in the 15km skiathlon. Feb. 10, won the bronze medal in the freestyle sprint becoming the first American woman to medal in an Olympic individual event. Feb. 10, finished eighth in the 10km classic. Feb. 12, was the anchor for the 4x5k relay that finished sixth. Feb. 16, finished fifth in the team sprint. Feb. 20, won silver in the 30km freestyle, becoming the first non-European to win a medal in that event.
CURLING
TABITHA PETERSON
Minnesota connection: Eagan
Olympic experience: 2018
Though Peterson, 32, isn't an Olympic rookie, she will be seeing the Games from a fresh perspective in Beijing. The vice-skip for Team Nina Roth at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, Peterson became the team's skip in 2020 when Roth stepped away for maternity leave. Peterson kept that position when Roth returned, with great success. A U.S. champion in 2012, she skipped her team to the bronze medal at last spring's world championships, and Team Peterson is ranked sixth in the world going into Beijing. When she's not curling, Peterson works as a pharmacist.
Results: Feb. 9, beat Russia 9-3. Feb. 10, beat Denmark 7-5. Feb. 11, beat China 8-4. Feb. 12, lost to Great Britain 10-5. Feb. 13, lost to Sweden 10-4 and beat South Korea 8-6. Feb. 15, lost to Switzerland 9-6 and lost to Canada 7-6. Feb. 16, lost to Japan 10-7. Failed to advance to semifinals.
TARA PETERSON
Minnesota connection: Eagan
Olympic experience: First
During their teenage years, the Peterson sisters played together in the junior ranks, winning a pair of U.S. titles. Tara, 30, and her older sister, Tabitha, reunited in 2018 and picked up where they left off. When Aileen Geving took time off to have a baby following the 2018 Olympics, Tara stepped in to play lead, helping the team to the 2020 U.S. title. The foursome won bronze at the 2021 world championships, the first U.S. medal at the women's worlds since 2006. While Peterson, a dentist, describes herself as the "wild, fun'' member of the team, Tabitha said her sister has worked tirelessly throughout her career to earn her place at the Olympics.
Results: Feb. 9, beat Russia 9-3. Feb. 10, beat Denmark 7-5. Feb. 11, beat China 8-4. Feb. 12, lost to Great Britain 10-5. Feb. 13, lost to Sweden 10-4 and beat South Korea 8-6. Feb. 15, lost to Switzerland 9-6 and lost to Canada 7-6. Feb. 16, lost to Japan 10-7. Failed to advance to semifinals.
AILEEN GEVING
Minnesota connection: Duluth
Olympic experience: 2018
A member of Roth's team at the Pyeongchang Olympics, Geving will return to the Games as alternate for the same group. Her new role came after she took a leave to have her first child, Sienna, born in late 2018. Geving grew up in a curling family, learning the game at age 10 from her father, Seppo Sormunen, a successful curler at the club and senior levels. A former skip, she competed in three Olympic trials before reaching the Winter Games. Geving is known for her analytical mind — she graduated from Minnesota Duluth with a degree in organizational management — and her steady, calm demeanor.
Results: An alternate, she did not play.
JOHN SHUSTER
Minnesota connection: Chisholm
Olympic experience: 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018
In 2018, Shuster delivered the most famous shot in American curling history, a massive five-point throw that brought the U.S. its first Olympic gold medal in curling. The Minnesota Duluth graduate has kept his team at the top of the U.S. men's standings ever since. Shuster was a relative youngster when he helped Pete Fenson's team win Olympic bronze in 2006; he became skip of his own team shortly after, persevering through disappointing Olympic results in 2010 and 2014 before capturing the gold. He has become an unflappable leader whose team tends to shine brightest when the stakes are highest. In addition to the Olympics, Shuster has played in 10 world championships. He was one of the flag bearers for the U.S. at the Opening Ceremony in Beijing.
Results: Feb. 9, beat Russia 6-5. Feb. 10, lost to Sweden 7-4, beat Great Britain 9-7. Feb. 12, lost to Norway, 7-6, and lost to Canada 10-5. Feb. 13, beat China 8-6. Feb. 14, beat Switzerland, 7-4. Feb. 15, lost to Italy 10-4. Feb. 16, beat Denmark 7-5. Feb. 17, semifinals, lost to Great Britain 8-4. Feb. 18, lost the bronze medal game to Canada 8-5.
JOHN LANDSTEINER
Minnesota connection: Duluth
Olympic experience: 2014, 2018
The Mapleton native is the quietest member of Team Shuster, which might be why he's been described as the most underrated. As the team's lead, Landsteiner throws the first stones of each end, something he does with remarkable consistency and accuracy. He's been part of Shuster's foursome since 2011, winning Olympic gold in 2018 and a world championships bronze medal in 2016. That continued a record of success that started long ago, with multiple U.S. medals in the junior ranks and three Minnesota high school curling titles. Landsteiner was USA Curling's athlete of the year in 2014 and works as an integrity engineer.
Results: Feb. 9, beat Russia 6-5. Feb. 10, lost to Sweden 7-4, beat Great Britain 9-7. Feb. 12, lost to Norway, 7-6, and lost to Canada 10-5. Feb. 13, beat China 8-6. Feb. 14, beat Switzerland, 7-4. Feb. 15, lost to Italy 10-4. Feb. 16, beat Denmark 7-5. Feb. 17, semifinals, lost to Great Britain 8-4. Feb. 18, lost the bronze medal game to Canada 8-5.
CHRIS PLYS
Minnesota connection: Duluth
Olympic experience: 2010, alternate
Plys, 34, will be pulling double duty in Beijing, competing with Vicky Persinger in mixed doubles and Team Shuster in the men's tournament. It's a daunting schedule that could keep him on the ice for as many as 18 days. As an alternate at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, Plys was inserted into the lineup when skip John Shuster struggled; though he was only 22, he performed with a steady hand under difficult circumstances. He made it to the Olympic trials finals in 2018 with Team Heath McCormick, then joined Shuster's team when vice-skip Tyler George stepped away after the Pyeongchang Games.
Results: Mixed doubles: Feb. 2, beat Australia 6-5, lost to Italy 8-4; Feb. 3, lost to Norway 11-6, beat Sweden 8-7; Feb. 5, beat China 7-5, lost to Canada 7-2, lost to Czech Republic, 10-8. Feb. 6, lost to Switzerland 6-5, eliminated from medal contention. Men's tournament: Feb. 9, beat Russia 6-5; Feb. 10, lost to Sweden 7-4, beat Great Britain 9-7; Feb. 12, lost to Norway, 7-6, and lost to Canada 10-5; Feb. 13, beat China 8-6; Feb. 14, beat Switzerland, 7-4; Feb. 15, lost to Italy 10-4; Feb. 16, beat Denmark 7-5; Feb. 17, semifinals, lost to Great Britain 8-4; Feb. 18, lost the bronze medal game to Canada 8-5.
MEN'S HOCKEY
NOAH CATES
Minnesota connection: Stillwater, Minnesota Duluth
Olympic experience: First
A two-year captain and senior forward for the Bulldogs, Cates, 23, helped UMD win its second consecutive NCAA championship as a freshman in 2019 by contributing nine goals and 14 assists. He followed that up with a 14-goal, 19-assist campaign in the COVID-shortened 2019-20 season during which he earned second-team All-America honors. Last season, the Bulldogs returned to the Frozen Four, and the 6-2, 190-pound Cates had five goals and 14 assists. Cates, a fifth-round draft pick of the Philadelphia Flyers in 2017, helped the United States win a silver medal in the 2019 World Junior Championship. He was named an associate captain of the Olympic team.
Results: Feb. 10, scored a goal in an 8-0 win over China. Feb. 11, beat Canada 4-2. Feb. 13, beat Germany 3-2. Feb. 15, quarterfinals, lost to Slovakia 3-2 (SO)
BROCK FABER
Minnesota connection: Maple Grove, Gophers
Olympic experience: First
Faber, a smooth-skating defenseman, has extensive experience with USA Hockey, spending two years at the National Team Development Program in Plymouth, Mich., and skating with several national teams, including the gold medal-winning national junior team in 2021. He was skating for Team USA in the World Junior Championship this winter, but that tournament was canceled after only one game for the United States. With the Gophers, the 6-1, 200-pound Faber, 19, has two goals and nine assists this season. A 2020 second-round draft pick by the Los Angeles Kings, Faber had one goal and 11 assists as a freshman in 2020-21.
Results: Feb. 10, had an assist in an 8-0 win over China. Feb. 11, beat Canada 4-2. Feb. 13, beat Germany 3-2. Feb. 15, quarterfinals, lost to Slovakia 3-2 (SO)
DREW HELLESON
Minnesota connection: Farmington
Olympic experience: First
A junior defenseman at Boston College, Helleson, 20, earned second-team All-America honors last season after collecting 15 points on four goals and 11 assists. This season, he has two goals and 16 assists in 23 games. The 2019 second-round draft pick of the Colorado Avalanche is a veteran of several U.S. national teams, including the 2021 World Juniors gold medalists. Helleson, 6-3 and 204 pounds, spent two years at Shattuck-St. Mary's in Faribault, amassing 12 goals and 59 assists.
Results: Feb. 10, had an assist in an 8-0 win over China. Feb. 11, beat Canada 4-2. Feb. 13, beat Germany 3-2. Feb. 15, quarterfinals, lost to Slovakia 3-2 (SO)
SAM HENTGES
Minnesota connection: New Brighton, St. Cloud State
Olympic experience: First
The versatile Hentges, 22, excelled in second- and third-line roles in 2020-21 for St. Cloud State, contributing eight goals and nine assists as the Huskies advanced to the NCAA championship game for the first time. This season, he has been limited to 10 games but had six goals and seven assists entering Saturday. A seventh-round draft pick of the Wild in 2018, Hentges had 10 goals and 10 assists as a freshman in 2018-19. He will be joined in Beijing by St. Cloud State coach Brett Larson, who is serving as an assistant coach for Team USA.
Results: Feb. 10, beat China 8-0. Feb. 11, beat Canada 4-2. Feb. 13, beat Germany 3-2. Feb. 13, beat Germany 3-2. Feb. 15, quarterfinals, had a goal in a 3-2 shootout loss to Slovakia.
MATTHEW KNIES
Minnesota connection: Gophers
Olympic experience: First
The Gophers' loss will be Team USA's gain as Knies, 19, and linemate Ben Meyers are off to Beijing and will miss three February series. A freshman from Phoenix, Knies has shown few growing pains for Minnesota, contributing nine goals and 15 assists in 25 games entering Saturday. Knies is a 2021 second-round draft pick by the Toronto Maple Leafs, and he honed his skills during two years with the Tri-City Storm of the USHL, amassing 31 goals and 56 assists. He also won a bronze medal with the U.S. Junior Select Team in 2019.
Results: Feb. 10, had an assist in an 8-0 win over China. Feb. 11, beat Canada 4-2. Feb. 13, scored a goal in a 3-2 in over Germany. Feb. 15, quarterfinals, lost to Slovakia 3-2 (SO)
BEN MEYERS
Minnesota connection: Delano, Gophers
Olympic experience: First
If there has been an Most Valuable Player for the Gophers this season, it's Meyers, who entered Saturday as the team's scoring leader with 10 goals and 15 assists, along with three game-winning goals. Meyers, 23, came up clutch against Michigan on Jan. 22, scoring the winning goal in overtime. He went undrafted by NHL teams but is sure to receive attention as a college free agent. Meyers ranks eighth in Minnesota state history with 278 career points. He led the Fargo Force to the 2018 Clark Cup as USHL champions.
Results: Feb. 10, had a goal and two assists in an 8-0 win over China. Feb. 11, scored a goal in a 4-2 win over Canada. Feb. 13, beat Germany 3-2. Feb. 15, quarterfinals, lost to Slovakia 3-2 (SO)
AARON NESS
Minnesota connection: Roseau, Gophers
Olympic experience: First
More than a decade removed from his time as a Gophers defenseman, Ness, 31, has kept his pro career going in the AHL. He's in his first season with the Providence Bruins and had nine assists in 31 games through Jan. 26. The 5-10, 184-pound Ness was a second-round draft pick of the New York Islanders in 2008 and has one goal and six assists in 72 career NHL games with the Isles, Washington and Arizona. Most of his pro career has been in the AHL, where he has 45 goals and 224 assists in 516 games. He was chosen as an associate captain of the Olympic team.
Results: Feb. 10, beat China 8-0. Feb. 11, beat Canada 4-2. Feb. 13, had an assist in a 3-2 win over Germany. Feb. 15, quarterfinals, lost to Slovakia 3-2 (SO)
NICK PERBIX
Minnesota connection: Elk River, St. Cloud State
Olympic experience: First
A senior defenseman, the 6-4, 200-pound Perbix helped the Huskies reach their first NCAA championship game in 2021 by collecting seven goals and 16 assists last season. Perbix had two goals and 18 assists entering Saturday, including a series with a goal and seven assists against Miami (Ohio) and a four-assist game against North Dakota. The 23-year-old is a sixth-round pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2017 and will be making his first appearance on a U.S. national team.
Results: Feb. 10, beat China 8-0. Feb. 11, beat Canada 4-2. Feb. 13 beat Germany 3-2. Feb. 15, quarterfinals, had an assist in a 3-2 shootout loss to Slovakia.
NATHAN SMITH
Minnesota connection: Minnesota State Mankato
Olympic experience: First
Smith entered Saturday as the nation's leading scorer for the top-ranked Mavericks, with 15 goals and 25 assists for 40 points. The junior from Hudson, Fla., helped Minnesota State reach its first Frozen Four in 2021, compiling nine goals and 16 assists. Smith, 23, was a third-round draft pick of the Winnipeg Jets in 2018. He spent two seasons with Cedar Rapids of the USHL, collecting 35 goals and 65 assists in 104 games. He will be joined in Beijing by Minnesota State coach Mike Hastings, an assistant coach for Team USA.
Results: Feb. 10, beat China 8-0. Feb. 11, beat Canada 4-2. Feb. 13, scored a goal in a 3-2 win over Germany. Feb. 15, quarterfinals, had an assist in a 3-2 shootout loss to Slovakia.
WOMEN'S HOCKEY
MEGAN BOZEK
Minnesota connection: Gophers
Olympic experience: 2014
The Illinois native won back-to-back national titles with the Gophers in 2012 and 2013, captaining the team in the latter victory as a senior. The 30-year-old defenseman went on to play in the CWHL and NWHL before heading overseas to play in a Russian/Chinese professional league, where she won that trophy in 2020. She won a silver medal in the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi but was one of the last two cuts from the 2018 roster. But she has won gold at the world championships four times (2013, 2016, 2017 and 2019). "I just knew I wasn't done," Bozek told Chicago's WGN9 in November. "I felt like I had something to really prove to myself. I didn't feel like I had played myself out of a spot or position."
Results: Won silver medal. Feb. 3, beat Finland 5-2. Feb. 5, had an assist in a 5-0 win over Russia. Feb. 6, had two assists in an 8-0 win over Switzerland. Feb. 7, lost to Canada 4-2. Feb. 10, beat the Czech Republic 4-1 in the quarterfinals. Feb. 14, beat Finland 4-1 in the semifinals. Feb. 16, lost to Canada in the gold medal game 3-2.
HANNAH BRANDT
Minnesota connection: Vadnais Heights, Gophers
Olympic experience: 2018
The 28-year-old is a veteran of the U.S. women's team at this point, having claimed gold in the 2018 Winter Games as well as world championships in 2015, 2017 and 2019. Brandt was the 2012 Minnesota Ms. Hockey after a standout career at Hill-Murray before going on to win national championships with the Gophers in 2013, 2015 and 2016. The center played professionally in the NWHL for the Minnesota Whitecaps but has focused on opportunities with the Professional Women's Hockey Players Association the past two seasons. Four years ago at the Pyeongchang Olympics, Brandt skated on a line with former Gophers teammates Dani Cameranesi and Amanda Kessel. Both are also on this year's team, meaning this could be another exhibition for their long-developed chemistry.
Results: Won silver medal. Feb. 3, beat Finland 5-2. Feb. 5, had an assist in a 5-0 win over Russia. Feb. 6, had an assist in an 8-0 win over Switzerland. Feb. 7, lost to Canada 4-2. Feb. 10, had two assists in a 4-1 win over the Czech Republic in the quarterfinals. Feb. 14, had an assist in a 4-1 win over Finland in the semifinals. Feb. 16, had an assist in a 3-2 loss to Canada in the gold medal game.
DANI CAMERANESI
Minnesota connection: Plymouth, Gophers
Olympic experience: 2018
Cameranesi was the 2013 Ms. Hockey after playing at Blake and spun that right into becoming the national rookie of the year with the Gophers the next season. She won two NCAA titles there as a sophomore and junior. After graduating, she played one season with the NWHL's Buffalo Beauts before also joining the PWHPA. The 26-year-old forward was part of that 2018 Olympic squad that won gold and also won world championships with Team USA in 2015 and 2019. Cameranesi, like the rest of her Olympic team, has been training at the Super Rink in Blaine for the past several months.
Results: Won silver medal. Feb. 3, beat Finland 5-2. Feb. 5, had an assist in a 5-0 win over Russia. Feb. 6, scored a goal in an 8-0 win over Switzerland. Feb. 7, scored a goal in a 4-2 loss to Canada. Feb. 10, beat the Czech Republic 4-1 in the quarterfinals. Feb. 14, beat Finland 4-1 in the semifinals. Feb. 16, lost to Canada in the gold medal game 3-2.
AMANDA KESSEL
Minnesota connection: Shattuck-St. Mary's, Gophers
Olympic experience: 2014, 2018
Kessel won an Olympic silver medal in 2014 and the Olympic gold in 2018 with Team USA. She won three national titles with the Gophers (2012, 2013 and 2016). The Wisconsin native earned the 2013 Patty Kazmaier Award as the top women's collegiate player but then sat out the entire next season while battling lingering concussion symptoms. She was able to make a comeback late in the 2015-16 campaign and scored the winning goal in that national championship game. She played two seasons in the NWHL and also worked as a girls' hockey ambassador with the NHL's New York Rangers. The 30-year-old forward's older brother is Phil Kessel, a winger on the Arizona Coyotes.
Results: Won silver medal. Feb. 3, scored first goal in a 5-2 win over Finland. Feb. 5, had an assist in a 5-0 win over Russia. Feb. 6, had a goal and an assist in an 8-0 win over Switzerland. Feb. 7, had an assist in a 4-2 loss to Canada. Feb. 10, beat the Czech Republic 4-1 in the quarterfinals. Feb. 14, had an assist in a 4-1 win over Finland in the semifinals. Feb. 16, had a goal in a 3-2 loss to Canada in the gold medal game.
ABBEY MURPHY
Minnesota connection: Gophers
Olympic experience: First
At 19 years old, Murphy is one of the youngest players on this Olympic team. She should be in her second year with the Gophers, but she took the season off to focus on the Games. In her freshman year, she made the WCHA All-Rookie team and was second on the team with 18 points (eight goals, 10 assists) while appearing in all 20 games. The Illinois native has international experience, including winning silver at the 2021 world championships as well as a half-dozen appearances for the Under-18 team. Team USA coach Joel Johnson said the forward "brings a tremendous amount of speed and skill to the game," and is a dynamic, deceptive player.
Results: Won silver medal. Feb. 3, beat Finland 5-2. Feb. 5, had an assist in a 5-0 win over Russia. Feb. 6, beat Switzerland 8-0. Feb. 7, lost to Canada 4-2. Feb. 10, beat the Czech Republic 4-1 in the quarterfinals. Feb. 14, beat Finland 4-1 in the semifinals. Feb. 16, lost to Canada in the gold medal game 3-2.
KELLY PANNEK
Minnesota connection: Plymouth, Gophers
Olympic experience: 2018
The Benilde-St. Margaret's product spent four seasons with the Gophers from 2014 to 2019, taking the 2017-18 season off to win gold in Pyeongchang. She won the national title as a sophomore, after leading all freshmen a season prior with 44 points (14 goals, 30 assists). She topped the nation in scoring as a junior with 62 points in 39 games. While hockey became the 26-year-old's primary sport, she was the 2013 Ms. Soccer in Minnesota. In her prep hockey career, she famously scored a natural hat trick in 22 seconds, which set a state record back in 2012.
Results: Won silver medal. Feb. 3, beat Finland 5-2. Feb. 5, beat Russia 5-0. Feb. 6, had two goals and an assist in an 8-0 win over Switzerland. Feb. 7, had an assist in a 4-2 loss to Canada Feb. 10, had an assist in a 4-1 win over the Czech Republic in the quarterfinals. Feb. 14, beat Finland 4-1 in the semifinals. Feb. 16, lost to Canada in the gold medal game 3-2.
MADDIE ROONEY
Minnesota connection: Andover, Minnesota Duluth
Olympic experience: 2018
The 24-year-old was a breakout star of the 2018 Winter Games, acting as the starting goaltender as the U.S. went on to win gold. She stopped the last-round shot in the shootout against Canada to win Team USA's first gold since 1998 and end Canada's four-Games streak. She endured a lower-body injury this past August that knocked her out of 2021's world championships, but still made this year's roster. She played for Andover's girls' and boys' teams in high school before going on to feature for Minnesota Duluth collegiately. She finished her career there as the school's all-time leader in saves as well as games and minutes played.
Results: Won silver medal. Feb. 3, started and made 10 saves to beat Finland 5-2. Feb. 7, started and made 23 saves in a 4-2 loss to Canada.
LEE STECKLEIN
Minnesota connection: Roseville, Gophers
Olympic experience: 2014, 2018
Along with her two Olympic medals (silver in 2014 and gold in 2018), the defenseman also has six world championship medals, including five golds. The 27-year-old product of Roseville High School won an NCAA title in 2013 as a freshman with the Gophers before taking the next season off for the Olympics, where she was the youngest member of Team USA in Sochi. She returned for her final three seasons, becoming a team captain and first-team All-America her senior year and winning two more national championships. At an even 6 feet, Stecklein is the tallest member of this year's Olympic squad.
Results: Won silver medal. Feb. 3, beat Finland 5-2. Feb. 5, beat Russia 5-0. Feb. 6, beat Switzerland 8-0. Feb. 7, lost to Canada 4-2. Feb. 10, scored the game-winning goal in a 4-1 win over the Czech Republic in the quarterfinals. Feb. 14, beat Finland 4-1 in the semifinals. Feb. 16, lost to Canada in the gold medal game 3-2.
GRACE ZUMWINKLE
Minnesota connection: Excelsior, Gophers
Olympic experience: First
The Olympic debutante was the 2017 Ms. Hockey playing for Breck School and also earned USA Today's Girls Hockey Player of the Year award that year. She also won two state doubles titles and a team championship as a preps tennis player. The forward was one of the Gophers' most prolific scorers from 2017-21. While Zumwinkle has already completed four years with the Gophers, she could still return after the Olympics thanks to the extra year of eligibility from the COVID-19 pandemic. The 22-year-old's sister Emily is a Gophers freshman.
Results: Won silver medal. Feb. 3, beat Finland 5-2. Feb. 5, scored first Olympic goal on an assist from her Gophers teammate Dani Cameranesi in a 5-0 win over Russia. Feb. 6, beat Switzerland 8-0. Feb. 7, lost to Canada 4-2. Feb. 10, beat the Czech Republic 4-1 in the quarterfinals. Feb. 14, beat Finland 4-1 in the semifinals. Feb. 16, lost to Canada in the gold medal game 3-2.
SPEEDSKATING
GIORGIA BIRKELAND
Minnesota connection: White Bear Lake
Olympic experience: First
After Birkeland, 19, won the women's mass start at the long track Olympic trials, second-place finisher Mia Manganello Kilburg called the teen "a huge star to come.'' Birkeland was added to the Olympic roster as a coaches' discretionary selection, perhaps signaling her time has arrived. In only her second season on the national team, Birkeland is by far the youngest member of the women's Olympic team, with an eight-year gap between her and the next-youngest. A speed skater since the age of 8, she honed her racing skills with St. Paul's Midway Speedskating Club and was 11th overall at the 2020 world junior championships. Birkeland, a Mahtomedi High School graduate, now lives and trains in Park City, Utah.
Result: Finished 12th
