Team USA’s Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 gold-medal-winning roster didn’t just reflect the present strength of the program, it offered a glimpse into the future of the Professional Women’s Hockey League. Seven players on that roster were still college players at the time of the The Winter Olympics, and each has the résumé, experience, and competitive edge to become a cornerstone at the professional level.
Collegiate success runs through every player in this group, which is comprised of Wisconsin standouts Laila Edwards, Caroline Harvey, Ava McNaughton and Kirsten Simms, along with Minnesota’s Abbey Murphy, Ohio State’s Joy Dunne and Penn State’s Tessa Janecke. Between them are national championships, Frozen Four heroics, international medals, and major individual honors—a collection of achievements that suggests they won’t just arrive in the PWHL, they’ll elevate it. As “Jocks Next Gen” hosts Florence Schelling and Emma Buckles have noted, this group carries undeniable “championship pedigree.”
Here’s a closer look at each of these special players.
Caroline Harvey, Wisconsin
The Wisconsin defender (shown above at right, alongside teammate Laila Edwards) just captured her third NCAA title (2023, 2025 and 2026) last month and showcased her offensive instincts on the international stage, co-leading the Olympic tournament in scoring with Boston Fleet defender Megan Kellar. For her elite play with Team USA, Harvey was named Olympic MVP, Best Defender and voted to the tournament all-star team. The TikTok superstar was also the first-ever guest on “Jocks Next Gen.”
On the show, Harvey reflected on her approach. “I honestly just love to have fun,” she said. “The most important thing for me is having fun and not putting pressure on myself. I try to slow things down in my brain because it is a game out there. The more fun you’re having, the more loose you play.”
Harvey’s blend of composure, skill and elite hockey IQ, which is typically delivered with loads of personality, positions Harvey as a future star on and off the ice. The freshly named winner of the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award is graduating this spring and expected to be one of the top picks in the 2026 PWHL Draft.
Kirsten Simms, Wisconsin
Simms has built her reputation on delivering when it matters most. She scored the lone goal in Wisconsin’s 2023 national championship victory and followed it with an overtime winner in the 2025 title game—defining moments in two championship runs. She had a key role again on this year’s title-winning Badgers team. Simms’ ability to produce in pressure situations has translated internationally as well, where she has contributed key points for Team USA at the IIHF Women’s World Championships and scored a goal in the Americans’ 5-0 group play victory over Canada in Milano Cortina.
Simms’ consistency in high-stakes moments suggests she’ll bring immediate reliability and offensive punch to the pro level when she joins the PWHL next season.
Laila Edwards, Wisconsin
The Badger pipeline runs even deeper with Edwards. A top scorer on Wisconsin’s 2023, 2025 and 2026 championship teams, Edwards even found the net in the 2025 title game. Her two-play highlights an elite hockey IQ and rare adaptability—a career forward, she made to move to the blue line on Team USA—which was on display as she finished second on Team USA in points with eight (2G, 6A). Edwards also made history as the first Black player named to a USA Hockey women’s Olympic team, a milestone that underscores her growing impact on and off the ice.
With her speed, vision and creativity, Edwards, who has completed her college career, projects as a transformative presence in the PWHL who will be capable of shifting momentum in any game.
Abbey Murphy, Minnesota
Murphy brings a different kind of edge to the ice. A consistent offensive catalyst throughout her collegiate career, Murphy pairs scoring ability with fearlessness. On “Jocks Next Gen” Episode 2, Murphy spoke about the competitive fire that shapes her identity: “I’ll take being the villain any day... playing for my country and when it comes down to that, I’ll do whatever it takes,” she said.
That mentality surfaces in her willingness to battle in high-traffic areas and refine details of her game. “Something that I love to work on is tipping, get in front of the net,” she said, emphasizing the small-area habits that translate well to professional hockey.
Murphy’s combination of skill, physicality and relentless compete level should make the University of Minnesota standout an instant impact player in the PWHL.
Tessa Janecke, Penn State
Janecke, the 2023 NCAA Rookie of the Year and one of the top seniors in this year’s class, played a key role in her program’s growing success and continues to define herself as a multi-dimensional threat. On “Jocks Next Gen” Episode 6, Janecke described her approach succinctly: “I’m trying to give us the best chance to win, no matter the cost,” she said. “I just want to be dominant, not just known as a scorer... but just in all areas, a complete player.”
Janecke’s commitment to two-way excellence and competitiveness mirrors the demands of the game in the PWHL.
Joy Dunne, Ohio State
Dunne has already proven she thrives on the biggest stages. With Ohio State in 2023-2024, she scored the championship-winning goal in the national title game and earned College Rookie of the Year honors. The junior forward’s speed and finishing touch make her dangerous in transition, and her ability to deliver in decisive moments reflects a maturity beyond her years. Those traits, clutch scoring and offensive explosiveness, are exactly what PWHL teams covet in emerging talent.
As Dunne is the lone non-senior skater in this group, PWHL teams and fans will have to wait an extra year for this incredible forward to do her thing at the pro level as she will spend next season in Columbus with the Buckeyes.
Ava McNaughton, Wisconsin
In net, McNaughton stands as the backbone of Wisconsin’s championship success. She backstopped the Badgers to the 2025 and 2026 NCAA titles and was named the Most Outstanding Player in this year’s tournament.
McNaughton, who appeared on “Jocks Next Gen” just days after winning this year's title, is a picture of composure on the ice. She tracks pucks cleanly through traffic, controls rebounds efficiently and rarely looks rattled in elimination scenarios. Her technical polish and calm presence give her the profile of a goaltender capable of anchoring a team at the next level—which she should be ready to do in the PWHL in 2027 after she completes her college career in Madison.
Whether it’s Harvey’s vision from the blue line, Simms’ timely scoring, Edwards’ versatility, Murphy’s edge, Dunne’s finishing ability, Janecke’s completeness, or McNaughton’s steadiness in net, each brings a distinct strength that projects seamlessly to the PWHL.
If the Olympic stage revealed anything, it’s that the league’s future is already competing at the highest level. And after another spring defined by deep NCAA tournament runs, high-pressure moments, and championship-caliber performances, that future looks even closer. When these seven collegians make the jump, they won’t simply be arriving—they’ll be ready to shape the next era of professional women’s hockey.
