While rosters have yet to be finalized, a group of NCAA players will soon be making their way overseas to represent their nations at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.
The women’s hockey tournament at the Milano Cortina Games gets underway on Feb. 5, and NCAA players are expected to play crucial roles at almost every position for every nation in competition, aside from Japan, the only nation without a collegiate national team member.
Team USA, in particular, is expected to have some star players who are still in college for one more season before joining the Professional Women’s Hockey League in 2026-27.
10 NCAA women’s hockey players to watch at the 2026 Olympics
Wisconsin defender Caroline Harvey, USA
It will be Harvey’s second Olympics, but her game has moved into a new stratosphere since 2022. She’s unquestionably a top-five blueliner on the planet, a three-time World Championship all-star and the projected first overall pick for the 2026 PWHL Draft. Harvey’s two-way impact and speed are a big reason why the Americans are the gold medal favorites. The defender currently leads the NCAA in scoring with 41 points in 20 games for Wisconsin.
Ohio State forward Hilda Svensson, Sweden
Apart from fellow Buckeyes forward Joy Dunne, who is another Olympic candidate for Team USA, it’s been a while since a rookie had this big of an impact on the powerhouse Ohio State women’s hockey team. Svensson leads the NCAA rookie scoring race by nine points and sits fifth overall in the nation.
Clarkson forward Manon le Scodan, France
France received a spot in the 2026 Olympics when the ban on Russian teams was upheld. This year, they should have several NCAA players on their roster, which bodes well for the future of French hockey. Clarkson rookie Manon le Scodan is expected to have the biggest impact. She’s been in North America for four seasons now, honing her skills in Quebec, which should aid her on the smaller ice surfaces being used in Italy.
Minnesota defender Nelli Laitinen, Finland
Expected to be a first-round pick at the 2026 PWHL Draft, Laitinen has been a key member of Finland’s blueline for nearly a decade. She’s a veteran well beyond her years who, along with pros like Jenni Hiirikoski and Ronja Savolainen, will be expected to shut down Canada, USA and Czechia’s top lines. With a strong performance in Milano Cortina, she could climb even higher in the PWHL draft rankings.
Wisconsin defender Laila Edwards, USA
There’s been plenty of questioning when it comes to moving the 2024 World Championship MVP, one of the best scorers on the planet, from forward to USA’s blueline, but Edwards has acclimatized well. She’s got elite vision and perhaps the best shot in all of women’s hockey. Using her 6-foot-1 frame, Edwards has cleaned up space on the ice as she learns the position. Edwards is a surefire top-five pick for the 2026 PWHL Draft.
Wisconsin forward Adela Sapovalivova, Czechia
Czechia has seen waves of players choose the NCAA, including Tereza Plosova, Andrea Trnkova, Michaela Hesova and Barbora Jurickova, among others. None has had as much of an impact on their roster to date as Sapovalivova. For Czechia to get over the hump, they need to find offensive players, and Sapovalivova is key to that future alongside 2025 PWHL first overall pick Kristyna Kaltounkova.
Minnesota forward Abbey Murphy, USA
Ohio State defender Mira Jungaker, Sweden
A sophomore at Ohio State, Mira Jungaker is already a world-class defender. Not only is she capable of running a power play and providing offense from the Swedish blueline, but she’s got a mean streak as well. Sweden is on the verge of a major leap forward internationally, largely due to the emergence of Svensson, Jungaker, and other Swedish NCAA players such as Jenna Raunio, Josefin Bouveng, Ida Karlsson and Thea Johansson.
Penn State forward Matilde Fantin, Italy
A rare domestically trained Italian standout, Fantine, 18, has 16 points through her first 18 games on a nationally ranked Penn State roster. The teenager has the chance to become a national star on home soil, and once Italy’s dual-passport players move on after the Games, she’ll remain Italy’s leader for the coming decades.
Holy Cross forward Naemi Herzig, Switzerland
One of Switzerland’s youngest national team members, Herzig hit the ice in full stride in the NCAA this season with Holy Cross, scoring 16 points in her first 19 games. On a roster driven almost exclusively by veteran forwards Alina Muller and Lara Stalder, the Swiss need contributions from their youth, and Herzig is a player who must step forward despite being only 18.
