Three Former Harvard Skaters Named to U.S. National Team
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- USA Hockey Thursday announced the 21-player roster for the U.S. Women's National Team, which will seek to defend its world title at the 2009 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Women's Championship, scheduled from April 4-12 in Hämeenlinna, Finland. Former Crimson All-Americans Caitlin Cahow '07-08, Julie Chu '06-07 and Angela Ruggiero '02-04 will represent Team USA at the IIHF Championship.
The U.S. squad was selected following a 32-player tryout camp held at the Olympic Center in Lake Placid, N.Y. Team USA will train in Lake Placid until departing March 30 for Finland.
At last year's IIHF Championship in Harbin, China, the U.S. beat Canada, which carried a 29-game unbeaten streak in the tournament, two times, including 4-3 in the gold-medal game.
Team USA will spend March 31-April 2 in Vierumaki, Finland, and will play a pre-tournament game against Sweden April 2. The team will then travel to Hameenlinna to open the IIHF tournament against Japan April 4.
Cahow, Chu and Ruggiero won the bronze medal with Team USA at the 2006 Torino Olympics, and Ruggiero also earned the silver in 2002 in Salt Lake City. Ruggiero was the 2004 recipient of the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, given to the nation's top colelgiate player, while Chu earned that distinction in 2007.
The trio also helped Team USA to the gold medal at the Four Nations Cup in November 2008, and the three were all members of last season's IIHF championship team. During the Four Nations Cup, Ruggiero established a new games played record for Team USA, surpassing Cammi Granato.
