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Wisconsin Badgers take on Day 1 of women’s hockey Olympics

A record number of former Wisconsin women's hockey players begin their quest for Olympic glory
Kedrick Stumbris|
USA's Laila Edwards celebrates after scoring against Czechia at the Adirondack Bank Center in Utica, NY on Friday, April 5, 2024.
USA's Laila Edwards celebrates after scoring against Czechia at the Adirondack Bank Center in Utica, NY on Friday, April 5, 2024. | Daniel DeLoach/Utica Observer-Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Twelve Wisconsin Badgers are competing for gold in women’s ice hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games. Seven Badger alums will participate, as well as five current Wisconsin women’s hockey players. 

Team USA’s very first matchup of the tournament pits those current Wisconsin Badgers head-to-head.

The current and former UW athletes represent three different national teams, all competing in the top preliminary group. Canada, Czechia, and the US will all face each other in the group stage. Those three teams, along with Finland and Switzerland, automatically qualify for the knockout rounds. The top three teams in Group B (Sweden, Germany, Italy, France, Japan) also advance to the quarterfinals.

USA Women’s Hockey opens Olympics against Czechia

Four current Wisconsin women’s hockey teammates suit up for Team USA to face their teammate in Madison. Adéla Šapovalivová makes her Olympic debut for Czechia. 

UW forward Kirsten Simms praised Šapovalivová’s performance in Madison, scoring nine goals and adding nine assists in 24 games as a rookie, but there is no love lost in Milan between the two Badgers linemates.

“It’ll be nice to have a friendly face on the other side, but at the same time she’s our competition now,” Simms said through a bit of laughter. “So, there’s an in between there where it’ll be nice to get to chat with her probably a little bit before, a little bit after the game, but then on the ice, we’re not Badgers any more at that point.”

When: Thursday, February 5th, 9:40 a.m. Central

Watch/TV/Streaming: USA Network, Peacock

USA Badgers: Laila Edwards (current), Caroline Harvey (current), Ava McNaughton (current), Kirsten Simms (current), Hilary Knight (2007-2012), Britta Curl-Salemme (2018-2024)

Czechia Badgers: Adéla Šapovalivová (current)

Five former Badgers take ice for Team Canada

Former Wisconsin women's hockey forward Daryl Watts makes her Olympic debut for Canada, joining four other former Badgers. Canada opens play on Thursday against Finland.

With a total of 12 current and former UW standouts in Milan, UW sets a program record by having 12 players participate in a single Olympic Games, surpassing its 2022 total of 11.

When: Thursday, February 5th, 11:10 a.m. CT

Watch/Streaming: Peacock

Canada Badgers: Emily Clark (2014-2019), Ann-Renée Desbiens (2013-2017), Sarah Nurse (2013-2017), Blayre Turnbull (2011-2015), Daryl Watts (2019-2022)

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Kedrick Stumbris
KEDRICK STUMBRIS

Kedrick Stumbris has covered the Wisconsin Badgers since 2022 with a focus on the Badgers football, men's basketball, and women's hockey programs. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2018 with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Political Science.

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