After it took them a lifetime to realize the dream of winning Olympic gold, it took them a little over 24 hours to make the trip home from Milan to Minneapolis.
Most of USA Hockey’s contingent of Minnesotans arrived road-weary and bleary-eyed at MSP Airport late Monday night, completing the journey that saw them earn the United States a third women’s hockey Olympic gold medal.
Click the video box on this page to watch interviews with Lee Stecklein, Taylor Heise, Grace Zumwinkle, Lee Stecklein, Kelly Pannek and Britta Curl-Salemme as they arrived back in Minnesota from Milan
The team beat Canada in an overtime thriller to win the Olympic women’s hockey competition in Milan.
Team USA included five Minnesota natives: Rory Guilday (Chanhassen native / Minnetonka HS / Gophers), Taylor Heise (Lake City native, Red Wing HS / Gophers / Frost) , Kelly Pannek (Plymouth native, Benilde St. Margaret’s HS / Gophers / Frost), Lee Stecklein (Roseville HS / Gophers / Frost) and Grace Zumwinkle (Excelsior native / Breck School / Gophers / Frost).
In addition, current Gopher Abbey Murphy (Evergreen Park, IL native) along with Minnesota Frost players Kendall Coyne-Schofield (Palos Heights, IL) and Britta Curl-Salemme (Bismarck, ND) currently call Minnesota home.
For Related Stories: 2026 Winter Olympics  Gopher Women’s Hockey  Minnesota Frost  USA Hockey  USA Women’s Hockey