The UW–Madison women’s hockey dynasty topped the podium at the 2026 Winter Olympics as the gold medal game between the United States and Canada featured a remarkable collection of current and former Wisconsin players.
When the puck dropped in Milano Cortina, 11 athletes with UW hockey ties took to the ice in a rivalry game that resulted in a 2-1 overtime win for Team USA.
Here are some highlights from the Badgers’ time at the Olympics:
- Team USA captain Hilary Knight ’12 broke the record for most all-time Olympic points and goals by an American hockey player during her fifth and final Olympic Games. She finishes her Olympic career with 33 points and 15 goals, further cementing her legacy as one of the greatest players in women’s hockey history.
- Laila Edwards x’26 made history as the first Black woman to play for Team USA in Olympic women’s hockey, and with the Americans’ gold-medal performance, became the second Black woman to win Olympic hockey gold, following Canadian Sarah Nurse ’18, who has now medaled three times: silver in 2018, gold in 2022, and silver again this year.
- In a preliminary-round victory over Canada, all three current Badger players — Edwards, Kirsten Simms x’26, and Caroline Harvey x’26 — scored goals.
- Fresh off her heroics in Wisconsin’s 2025 NCAA championship run, Simms netted her first Olympic goal, while Harvey, Wisconsin’s all-time defensive point leader with 191 career points, tied for the most points of anyone in the Olympics with nine — and won tournament MVP.
- Two-time Olympic gold medalist Ann‑Renée Desbiens ’17, MAcc’19 broke the Canadian women's hockey record for most wins at the Olympics as the team’s primary goaltender. She is one of the most decorated goalies in international women’s hockey.
- Team Czechia’s Adéla Šapovalivová x’29 became the first Badger to represent a country other than the USA or Canada in ice hockey. She is also the first European to play for the UW. Bonus Badger: the Czech national ice hockey team is coached by Carla MacLeod ’06!
