Wisconsin women’s hockey: six former Badgers named to Canada’s Olympic Centralization Roster

The 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, China are eight months away but preparations have been in the works for years for many athletes. Things are a bit different for hockey players as, while they are preparing for the Olympics in a way by playing in college or professionally, they don’t really get down to national team business until closer to the main event.

Six former Wisconsin Badgers will be trying to make Team Canada this summer in Calgary, Alberta while preparing for the 2021 IIHF Women’s World Hockey Championship at the end of August. The players are goalies Kristen Campbell and Ann-Renee Desbiens; forwards Emily Clark, Sarah Nurse and Blayre Turnbull; and defensemen Meaghan Mikkelson.

Here is the official press release from UW:

MADISON, Wis. – Six former Wisconsin women’s hockey players were named to Hockey Canada’s roster for centralization for the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, China.

Kristen Campbell, Emily Clark, Ann-Renee Desbiens, Meaghan Mikkelson, Sarah Nurse and Blayre Turnbull were all named to the 28-player roster that will gather in Calgary, Alberta, Canada at the end of July to prepare for the 2021 IIHF Women’s World Hockey Championship at the end of August.

Clark, Desbiens, Mikkelson, Nurse and Turnbull were all a part of Hockey Canada’s roster at the 2018 Winter Olympics that captured silver in PyeongChang, South Korea.

Campbell, Clark and Mikkelson helped UW win NCAA titles during their time with the Badgers while Desbiens won the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, the highest individual honor in women’s college hockey, in 2017.

Wisconsin is tied with Cornell for the most players on the Canadian centralization roster as both programs boast six players.

Canada will trim its roster to 23 players in late December in preparation for the 2022 Winter Olympics, which will run Friday, Feb. 4 to Sunday, Feb. 20.