USA named their 25 player roster for three Rivalry Series games in February. All 25 players named are currently competing in the PWHL.
USA named their 25 player roster for three Rivalry Series games in February. All 25 players named are currently competing in the PWHL.
USA Hockey released their 25 player roster for the three February stops on the Rivalry Series. February rosters for the Rivalry Series have traditionally been low on NCAA talent, and this year, USA's entire roster will come from the PWHL.
From November's roster 15 players return including Hilary Knight, Alex Carpenter, Aerin Frankel, Megan Keller, Abby Roque, Gabbie Hughes, Taylor Heise, Natalie Buchbinder, Savannah Harmon, Nicole Hensley, Abbey Levy, Becca Gilmore, Hayley Scamurra, Kelly Pannek, and Grace Zumwinkle.
Kendall Coyne Schofield also returns to Team USA after missing the 2023 World Championships. She is currently the captain of PWHL Minnesota.
The released roster will also include the return of former Team USA members Kali Flanagan and Jesse Compher, who are both playing for PWHL Toronto this season. Members of last season's Rivalry Series, Maureen Murphy, Emily Brown, and Clair DeGeorge are also back in the mix.
Along with this group, four players will make their USA national team debut, a group which includes defenders Maggie Flaherty and Madison Bizal, and forwards Taylor Girard and Brittyn Fleming.
The large influx of PWHL talent comes as past Rivalry Series rostered players from the NCAA, a list that includes Hannah Bilka, Caroline Harvey, Abbey Murphy, Haley Winn, Rory Guilday, Cayla Barnes, Tessa Janecke, Lacey Eden, Britta Curl, Kirsten Simms, Laila Edwards and others will all be in the stretch run with their college teams.
One notable omission from Team USA remains assistant captain Lee Stecklein who decided to step away from Team USA this year. Other recent members of Team USA who are in the PWHL this season but were not invited include Jincy Roese, Hannah Brandt, Maddie Rooney.
USA currently leads Canada 3-1 in the seven game series, which will wrap up with three games this month February 7 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, February 9 in Regina, Saskatchewan, and February 11 in St. Paul, Minnesota.