Switzerland was the first nation to name their roster for the Lidl Hockey Games, a stop on the Women's Euro Hockey Tour. Their roster features plenty of newcomers, as Switzerland chose to leave behind their top players giving chances to others to earn an Olympic roster spot.
Switzerland continues to fine tune their women's hockey national team roster ahead of the 2026 Olympics with the next stage of that preparation coming at the Lidl Hockey Games, a stop on the Women's Euro Hockey Tour.
The four team tournament featuring national teams from Sweden, Switzerland, Czechia, and Finland is scheduled to take place from November 5-8 in Ängelholm, Sweden.
Switzerland was first out of the gate to announce their national team roster for the event which will omit a few of the nation's biggest names giving a new opportunity for bubble players to win a spot ahead of the Milano Cortina Olympics.
In net, Talina Benderer (Hockey Grischun Sud) and Monja Wagner (Union College) will handle duties with Andrea Brandli, the nation's top goaltender, not attending.
Switzerland will field a relatively new blueline without Lara Christen, Nicole Vallario, or Alessia Baechler, playing, removing the bulk of Switzerland's top four. Veterans Stefanie Wetli, Shannon Sigrist, Elena Gaberell, and Laure Mériguet who were all part of Switzerland's national team at the 2025 World Championships will play. They'll be joined by Lucie Tenenbaum, a rookie in the NCAA with Minnesota State, Annic Büchi (EV Zug) and Janine Hauser (ZSC Lions) who have national team experience, as well as Nina Harju (EV Zug).
Up front Switzerland is also without their top scoring threats in Alina Muller (Boston Fleet), Rahel Enzler (EV Zug), and Lara Stalder (EV Zug), as well as other veteran forwards including Sinja Leeman (SC Bern), Laura Zimmerman (St. Cloud State), and Vanessa Schaefer (University of British Columbia).
Switzerland will return several players with international experience up front including teenagers Ivana Wey (EV Zug), Naemi Herzig (Holy Cross), Norina Müller (HC Fribourg-Gottéron), Leoni Balzer (HC Davos) and Jael Manetsch (EV Zug). Other players with national team experience returning to the roster include Lena-Marie Lutz (HC Ambri-Piotta), Alina Marti (EV Zug), Kaleigh Quennec (SC Bern), Alena Lynn Rossel (SC Bern), Noemi Ryhner (EV Zug), and Lisa Rüedi (ZSC Lions). Newcomer Jade Surdez (HC Fribourg-Gottéron) will also be in the mix.