Team USA's Hilary Knight Celebrates Going for Gold with Engagement

Team USA women's ice hockey forward and captain Hilary Knight got down on one knee to propose to her girlfriend, speed skater Brittany Bowe, who said yes, as revealed to the public on Feb. 18.

Per ESPN, Knight and Bowe originally became close during the 2022 Olympics in Beijing, taking long walks in the evening to get a break from the stress of the Olympic Games. The proposal occurred while both were dressed in Team USA gear. This latest development comes ahead of Knight and the rest of Team USA's women's ice hockey squad taking on Team Canada for the gold medal on Feb. 19 at 1:10 p.m. EST.

"Olympics brought us together," Knight wrote on her Instagram announcing the engagement. "This one made us forever."

Bowe is a two-time Olympic bronze medalist, while Knight is a four-time medalist herself and is guaranteed a fifth (either a silver or gold) in tomorrow's matchup against the Canadians. If Team USA wins, Knight will have secured her second gold medal. If the Americans lose, she'll go home with her fourth silver medal.

Bowe — a Florida native — fell short of the podium with fourth-place finishes in both the women's 1,000 meters and the women's team pursuit. She will have another chance to medal on Feb. 20 in the women's 1500m, a distance of which she previously held the world record.

Love is in the Air in 2026 Winter Olympics

Skier Breezy Johnson's boyfriend also proposed to her at the bottom of her super-G run in Cortina D’Ampezzo just last week.

"Knowing her as a hockey player, it’s like this big, strong, powerful female,” Bowe said via NBC News. “But then, when we got to know each other, she was soft, genuine, kind, almost shy. That really sparked my interest.”

Knight also plays for the Seattle Torrent of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL). The Torrent share the same home venue of Climate Pledge Arena with the NHL's Seattle Kraken.

This now marks the eighth-straight Olympics that the U.S. women's ice hockey team will play for a medal. The Americans have, due to their talent, earned a medal at every Olympics where women's hockey was staged. They have won two golds, four silvers and one bronze.

Knight is currently tied with Natalie Darwitz and Katie King with 14 career Olympic goals, with "Captain America" being in the midst of her fifth Olympic games for the most appearances from a U.S. hockey player in the Olympics (male or female). She only needs to score one goal against Canada to secure the all-time record.

Should the U.S. win over Canada, not only will Knight have secured the ring, but she will also have secured the gold.

Make sure you bookmark Breakaway On SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage, and more!