The Michigan Daily
One hundred and thirty-four years of editorial freedom
Out of the 23 women on this year’s Team USA ice hockey roster for the World University Games, 15 play for Division I hockey programs across the country. The remaining eight are on club teams, but still compete with their counterparts at the Division I level. Seven of those skaters are from Michigan — the largest individual group, Division I or club, on Team USA’s roster.
The 32nd edition of the World University Games will take place from Jan. 13 to 23 in Torino, Italy. The World University Games are the largest international winter multi-sport event for student-athletes, aiming to highlight the accomplishments of student-athletes globally. This year, more than 50 countries will send teams to Torino and compete in a myriad of winter sports, including women’s ice hockey.
Women’s ice hockey was a late addition to the event and didn’t premier until 2009, with the United States joining the competition two years later. This year, Team USA is looking to make a statement on the world stage and put up its best finish to date — with a large portion of the group hailing from Michigan. Not only did the Wolverines send seven members of their team to compete, but coach Jenna Trubiano will also be a key part of the team as the assistant coach.
“It’s a tremendous honor to be part of the World University Games,” Trubiano told The Michigan Daily. “(American Collegiate Hockey Association) players were selected when I played at Michigan, so it’s really cool to be on the other end as a staff member and see how our program has progressed, both on and off the ice. To have this recognition and to represent the university on an international level is a tremendous honor.”
***
The process for athletes to be selected to the World University Games roster is an extensive one. Beginning in mid-June, head coaches from around the country nominate their players for consideration, Trubiano included. Before it was confirmed that she would join the Team USA staff, Trubiano was already considering the possibility of her players joining the roster. And when she was officially named a part of the coaching staff, she found herself on the other side of the consideration process, now as a member of the roster selection committee.
After receiving hundreds of nominations, the committee slowly pieced together its ideal team. In the end, 10 universities are represented, with the majority of the team consisting of upperclassmen. The sole freshmen skater is from Arizona State, where Team USA coach Lindsey Ellis leads the Sun Devils women’s hockey program. For all members of the roster, this will be their first time competing at the World University Games, as well as Ellis’s first time serving as head coach. Just 10 days before their first game, the entirety of Team USA had met only once. Starting from game one, defining individual roles and team dynamics will be of paramount importance.
“Obviously we’re taking the best of the best,” Trubiano said. “And some players may be the goal scorer on their team, but on this roster, they may not have that same role. So (in game one) we’re really going to try and solidify what our third and fourth lines look like.”
While each skater may not provide the same role that they do with their collegiate teams, it’s clear that each player’s skillsets are necessary for Team USA’s success. But for the Wolverines, they are hoping to make a statement on each part of the ice. And beyond playing just for Team USA’s success, they’re playing for representation of Michigan women’s hockey.
***
Having founded the women’s ice hockey program at Arizona State in 2016, Ellis is no stranger to setting the tone and defining a team. Pioneering the development of women’s ice hockey nationally, Ellis’s track record speaks for itself. In just nine seasons with the Sun Devils, Ellis has taken home two Western Women’s Collegiate Hockey League Championships, made two appearances at ACHA Division I National Championships and has been named WWCHL Coach of the Year for the past three seasons.
Seven years after Ellis, Trubiano is following in her footsteps as she continues to advocate for the varsity status of women’s ice hockey at Michigan. The pair have known one another since their college years and have developed a deep respect for each other’s careers. Now working together, the duo will have the opportunity to uplift women’s ice hockey in the United States on one of the highest levels possible. And it seems they have the perfect tools to do so.
More than half of the rostered skaters play under either Trubiano or Ellis during their collegiate season. The rest of the group is made up of one or two athletes from other programs. Where some may assume that the unequal group sizes could create division among the team, Trubiano is enthused by having so many athletes with pre-existing relationships. Due to the swift turnaround of this tournament, it will be key for the skaters to rely on their gut instincts and years of experience — so having teammates who they are comfortable with will be an extra advantage.
“I know everyone’s going to be really nervous,” senior forward Lucy Hanson told The Daily. “Everyone’s going to be really excited. Me personally, I just want to turn those nerves and excitement into success. But everyone knows what to do, we worked hard to get here, we know how to play the game, we just need to work together to really make it happen.”
***
Team USA will begin competition Jan. 12 when it takes on Czech in the group stage of the tournament. Over the following four days, Team USA will have matchups with the remaining members of their group — Japan and Kazakhstan. On the other side of the bracket, Canada, Chinese Taipei, Great Britain and Slovakia will compete in their own round robin. In order to ensure that it advances in the tournament, Team USA will need to win at least two of its three matchups.
While Team USA is favored against Czech and Kazakhstan, its game against Japan looks to be its biggest test. Japan is the reigning silver medalist of the tournament after falling to traditional favorites, Canada, 5-0 ,in the gold medal game. But if Team USA sweeps the group stage, they will receive a much easier path to the gold medal game by likely avoiding taking on Canada until the final matchup.
Canada is by far the favorite of its group, and will compete against the second seed in Team USA’s group in a semifinal matchup. It would be much more favorable for Team USA to avoid the Canadians for another game and instead take on the second seed of their group, which is favored to be Slovakia.
But Team USA is far from thinking about semifinal and final matchups. Instead, their energy is focused solely on their first opponent. Czech finished the 2023 World University Games as the bronze medalists and should by no means be overlooked. This first game will likely be a good opportunity for Team USA to define itself as a unit. Having such little runway before the tournament, this group is untested. And while that may be intimidating to some, for Trubiano and the rest of Team USA, it instead signals unlimited potential. With no direct comparison, the possibilities for this group are seemingly endless.
“Our (Michigan) team has consistently been performing and staying in the top 10 for rankings,” Hanson said. “We made nationals the past two seasons. So it’s really an honor to have so much representation for our team, both players and coach. We just want to keep the momentum going and get the gold medal.”
Team USA has never finished better than bronze in its history at the World University Games. And for most of the skaters and staff on the program, their top ambition ends with bringing home the first gold medal for Team USA. But the women from Michigan are playing for much more. In all of World University Games history, there have been seven Wolverines selected to play for Team USA. But in only one season, Trubiano and her players have matched that number, playing to define and uplift the Wolverines women’s hockey program on an international stage.
Please consider donating to The Michigan Daily
Stanford Lipsey Student Publications Building
420 Maynard St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Edited and managed by the students at the University of Michigan since 1890
[ditty id=484978]
