Youth Movement Fuels USA Women's Hockey Dynasty

Nine players 23 or younger help USA women's hockey team maintain gold medal standard at Winter Olympics

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The USA women's hockey team is led by a new generation of young stars, with nine players 23 or younger on the 23-person roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina. This infusion of youth has helped the Americans continue their dominance, having won gold or silver at every world championships since 1990 and all but one Olympics since women's hockey debuted in 1998.

Why it matters

The USA women's hockey team has established itself as a global powerhouse, and the emergence of this young core ensures the program's sustained success. By integrating the next generation while veteran stars like Hilary Knight and Kendall Coyne Schofield are still playing, the Americans are positioning themselves to remain atop the women's hockey world for years to come.

The details

Of the 23 players on the USA Olympic hockey team, 12 are newcomers and four made their Olympic debut in Beijing. Seven are still in college and nine are 23 or younger. This includes Caroline Harvey, a senior at the University of Wisconsin-Madison who is playing in her second Olympics and leads all scorers with nine points through the first five games. The infusion of youth has helped the Americans outclass rival Canada, beating them 5-0 in the preliminary round after outscoring them 29-7 since winning the world title last April.

  • The USA women's hockey team has won gold or silver at every world championships since they began in 1990.
  • The USA women's hockey team has won gold or silver at all but one Olympics since women's hockey made its debut in 1998.
  • The USA beat Canada 5-0 in the preliminary round of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina.
  • The USA beat Canada in overtime to win the 2025 world championship title last April.

The players

Hilary Knight

A veteran of the USA women's hockey team who is playing in her fifth and final Olympic Games.

Kendall Coyne Schofield

A 30-year-old player on the USA women's hockey team who is one of the veteran leaders.

Caroline Harvey

A senior at the University of Wisconsin-Madison who is playing in her second Olympics and leads all scorers with nine points through the first five games.

Laila Edwards

An Olympic rookie who is poised to be one of the next generation's big stars for the USA women's hockey team.

Alex Carpenter

A veteran player on the USA women's hockey team who is still in her prime.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“There is definitely some pressure, of course, because we care and we want to keep that standard alive and be playing great USA hockey.”

— Caroline Harvey (usatoday.com)

“It's fun to see a younger version of yourself in them and kind of remind you where you were when you were their age. But also just taking a step back and realizing how incredible they are. They're leaders in their own way. They (are) young in age only. They've won. They've scored big goals. They've carried a team on their back. They've won national championships. They've done it all.”

— Kendall Coyne Schofield (usatoday.com)

“I just made sure to take in something every day, whether that was from my teammates, the captains, the coaches. I think that's what the U.S. is about. We're never content with where we're at. We're always wanting to get better.”

— Laila Edwards (usatoday.com)

What’s next

The USA women's hockey team will face the winner of the semifinal matchup between Canada and Finland in the gold medal game on February 22.

The takeaway

The infusion of young talent onto the USA women's hockey team has helped maintain the program's dominance on the global stage, ensuring the Americans will remain a force to be reckoned with for years to come as they continue to integrate the next generation of stars.