Kellar Concludes International Playing Career

CALGARY, Alta. – Hockey Canada announced Tuesday that four members of its 2010 Olympic gold medal-winning National Women’s Team, including former Brown standout Becky Kellar and former St. Lawrence standout Gina Kingsbury, have announced their retirements from international hockey.

All four players played their final international game on February 25 in Canada’s 2-0 victory over the United States in the gold medal game of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, B.C. The Olympic gold medal was the third for Kellar and Colleen Sostorics, and second for Kingsbury and Carla MacLeod. Kellar also won a silver medal at the 1998 Olympic Winter Games in Nagano, Japan.

“On behalf of Hockey Canada and Canadian hockey fans everywhere, I want to thank Becky, Gina, Carla and Colleen for their dedication to the national team program,” said Hockey Canada president & CEO Bob Nicholson. “While the success that they have all achieved on the ice will stand the test of time, we must also recognize the role that they have played and will continue to play in growing women’s hockey in Canada and around the world, as great role models and ambassadors of the female game.”  

Kellar is one of only four Canadian women’s players, along with former Harvard standout Jennifer Botterill, Jayna Hefford and Hayley Wickenheiser, to play in all four Olympics that have included women’s hockey (1998, 2002, 2006, 2010). A member of Canada’s National Women’s Team since 1997, Kellar also owns four IIHF World Women’s Championship gold medals (1999, 2000, 2001, 2004) and two world championship silver medals (2008, 2009). The defenceman concludes her international career with 52 points (13 goals, 39 assists) in 173 games, finishing as the fourth-highest scoring blue liner in Canadian history.

Although she is retiring from the international game, Kellar will continue to play club team hockey, taking to the ice in the 2010-11 season with Burlington of the Canadian Women’s Hockey League. The Hagersville, Ont. native has played for Burlington since 1997. Kellar, along with former National teammate Cheryl Pounder, is also involved in running a number of hockey schools in Ontario.

Kingsbury joined Canada’s National Women’s Team for the 2000-01 season, winning three IIHF World Women’s Championship gold medals (2001, 2004, 2007) and three world championship silver medals (2005, 2008, 2009), in addition to her two Olympic gold medals. A native of Rouyn-Noranda, Que., Kingsbury recorded 75 points (30 goals, 45 assists) in 116 international games, good for 13th all-time statistics among Canadian women.

While her playing career is done, Kingsbury has remained involved in the game. She is now serving as an assistant coach with the female hockey program at the Okanagan Hockey Academy in Penticton, B.C.