This past weekend marked the beginning of a challenging stretch for the No. 1 Wisconsin women’s hockey team, as five Badgers moved on to compete in the 2026 Olympic Games in Milan. For the next month, Wisconsin will be without several of its top contributors during a pivotal point in the season, handing head coach Mark Johnson and his squad a unique test to keep their top spot.
Who the Badgers are losing
Four Badgers will represent Team USA, including junior goaltender Ava McNaughton, who’s been Wisconsin’s starting goalie for all but one game. A key piece of the Badgers’ success this season, McNaughton has earned multiple WCHA Goaltender of the Week honors, making her selection to Team USA’s Olympic roster no surprise. She enters the stretch with a .939 save percentage and has been a steady presence in net all season, highlighted by a season-high 35-save performance against Ohio State earlier this season.
Laila Edwards will make history as the first Black women’s hockey player to be named to Team USA’s roster. For Wisconsin, she is a star defenseman using her size to be a dominant factor on the ice, usually screening the goalie to free up players such as her roommate and captain Caroline Harvey to chip in the puck. Edwards has assisted on 28 goals and scored eight herself.
Returning for her second Olympic Games is Caroline Harvey, who is widely regarded as the Badgers’ best all-around player. Harvey combines elite skating speed with exceptional stickwork, allowing her to find lanes and create scoring chances from the blue line. When she’s not contributing offensively, Harvey’s an intimidating presence on defense, using her physicality and hockey IQ to force turnovers.
Harvey is also a key part of Wisconsin’s special teams units. With her goal at the Icebreaker Tournament in early November, she became the all-time leading scorer among defensemen in WCHA history. Harvey earned a silver medal with Team USA at the 2022 Olympics, losing to Canada in the final.
Senior Kirsten Simms will be making her Olympic debut, coming off her best weekend of the season with nine points against Bemidji State, including her second hat trick of the season. Simms leads the team in points scored this season, making her presence crucial to Wisconsin's 22-1-2 record.
“I’m super grateful for the opportunity and just super excited overall,” Simms said. “I mean, it was good to finish out a sweep with the girls this weekend and get to enjoy them the last two days.”
Adéla Šapovalivová is the lone Badger Olympian not playing for Team USA, instead representing Czechia. Šapovalivová will be the first European to represent Wisconsin women’s hockey in an Olympic game. Šapovalivová, a freshman, has proven from the start why she belongs at Wisconsin, scoring two points in the season opener against Bemidji State. Šapovalivová is a starting center who knows when and where to put the puck. She currently has nine goals and 16 assists, making an immediate impact upon her arrival to Madison.
“I mean she’s been unbelievable this year, and it’s going to be super exciting to see what she does [in the Olympics],” Simms said.
Who will be stepping up
Looking at their depth at forward, Wisconsin remains strong up the middle. Lacey Eden, a regular starter, has been a driving force with 19 goals and 30 assists, showing a knack for getting the puck to the net. Her linemate, Kelly Gorbatenko, has added 18 goals and 12 assists, making the duo the team’s go-to scoring threat. Both players were also named alternate captains for the 2025-2026 season and will need to provide leadership on and off the ice while usual captain Harvey competes at the Olympics.
Cassie Hall, meanwhile, has contributed 16 goals and 15 assists this season. Hall consistently pressures the net, forcing shots, creating rebound opportunities and adding another dynamic scoring threat for the Badgers.
To help defend the Badgers’ zone in the absence of Harvey and Edwards, senior Vivian Jungles will anchor the defensive unit. While not a prolific scorer, Jungles has been a key all season, recording 31 blocked shots and providing steady defensive play. Joining her is junior Laney Potter, an asset at both ends of the ice. Potter scored the overtime winner against St. Thomas in November and has contributed 27 blocked shots this season, helping protect the net.
Finally, Johnson and his staff will look to freshman goaltender Rhyah Stewart to defend the net. This will be Stewart’s second career start for the Badgers; her first came at the Smashville Women’s Collegiate Hockey Showcase, where she made 13 saves and only allowed two goals. Stewart has logged 95 minutes of play this season, including 11 minutes against Minnesota, which will be her first opponent during this month-long stretch without McNaughton. Backing her up is senior Chloe Baker, a longtime Badger who has seen limited ice time but demonstrated excellent puck-tracking skills when she has seen action.
“So collectively as a group we have to protect our goaltenders, because, obviously they’re not experienced to the level where you’d like them to be. They haven’t had the minutes that maybe you’d like them to have, but it is not going to change between now and next Friday," Johnson said.
Although the timing of the Olympic Games is not ideal for the Badgers, Johnson has urged his team to embrace the challenge as they continue their push toward the postseason.
“We have to embrace this challenge,” Johnson said. “It’s no different than within a game if somebody gets hurt, you know, somebody stepping up has to accept that challenge.”
