Princeton University Athletics
Keady Named to U.S. National Team Roster
February 11, 2005 | Women's Ice Hockey
Feb. 11, 2005
Princeton, N.J. - Princeton sophomore Liz Keady was one of the 17 players named to the roster of the U.S. Women's National Team that will represent the United States at the 2005 International Ice Hockey Federation Women's World Championship in Linköping and Norrköping, Sweden. The tournament features teams from eight nations and will begin on April 2, 2005, with the medal games set for April 9.
Keady was named to the team following her strong performance, two goals and an assist, as Team USA went 2-1-1 and claimed silver at the 2004 Four Nations Cup in Lake Placid, N.Y. and Burlington, Vt. The tournament was Keady's first experience playing for the U.S.
Keady will become the fourth Princetonian to compete in an IIHF sanctioned tournament. The group includes: Kathy Issel, a member of the 1992 World Championship team, Annamarie Holmes, a member of the 2001 World Championship team, and Andrea Kilbourne, who competed in the 2004 World Championships and was a member of the 2002 Olympic Team. Kilbourne, and a fifth Tiger, Gretchen Anderson, were named to the 2003 World Championship team, but the tournament, which was to be played in Beijing, was cancelled at the last minute due to the Sars outbreak. Highlighting the preliminary roster are 11 U.S. Olympians, including six gold medalists. Two-time Olympian Cammi Granato brings the most World Championship experience, having competed in the event every year since its inception in 1990. Granato is joined by five other two-time Olympians in Tricia Dunn, Katie King, Shelley Looney, Jenny Potter and Angela Ruggiero.
"In selecting this team, we have brought an awful lot of international experience together," said U.S. Women's National Team Head Coach Ben Smith. "We're optimistic about our chances, having come so close in the past, and we think this might be a combination that gets the job done the way we want."
The preliminary roster boasts an experienced blue line with five of the six defenders having played in at least one IIHF event. Joining Ruggiero on defense, collegiate stand-outs Julie Chu and Lyndsay Wall both competed for the 2002 Olympic team, as did Courtney Kennedy. Molly Engstrom returns for her second IIHF event, after competing in the 2004 Women's World Championship.
At the forward position are 2004 World Championship silver medalists Kathleen Kauth, Kelly Stephens, Natalie Darwitz and Krissy Wendell.
Three players will make their first IIHF appearance in this event. Seventeen-year-old Sarah Parsons joins Jamie Hagerman and Liz Keady as first-time competitors. Keady and Hagerman competed in the 2004 Women's Four Nations Cup, while Parsons will don the USA jersey for the first time. The remaining three roster spots, including two goaltenders, will be named in March.
Twelve of the 17 players named today are returnees from the 2004 U.S. Women's National Team. That team claimed its eighth-consecutive silver medal at the Women's World Championship in Halifax, Nova Scotia, last year. The United States and Canada have met in the gold medal game at every IIHF Women's World Championship to date.
IIHF Women's World Championship Schedule
Sun., April 3 4: 00 p.m.USA-China Himmelstalundshallen, Norrköping
Tue., April 5 8:00 p.m. Germany-USA Cloetta Center, Linköping
Wed., April 6 8:00 p.m. USA-Finland Himmelstalundshallen, Norrköping
Fri., April 8 3:00 p.m. B3-A4 Himmelstalundshallen, Norrköping
4:00 p.m. A1-B2 (Semi-final) Cloetta Center, Linköping
7:00 p.m. A3-B4 Himmelstalundshallen, Norrköping
8:00 p.m. B1-A2 (Semi-final) Cloetta Center, Linköping
Sat., April 9 3:00 p.m. Loser 13-Loser 15 Himmelstalundshallen, Norrköping
7:00 p.m. Winner 13-Winner 15 Himmelstalundshallen, Norrköping
4:00 p.m. Bronze Medal Game
Loser 14-Loser 15 Cloetta Center, Linköping
8:00 p.m. Gold Medal Game
Winner 14-Winner 16 Cloetta Center, Linköping
*All Times Local