2011 U.S. Women's National Under-18 Team Named for 2011 IIHF World Women's U18 Championship

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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - USA Hockey today announced the 20-player U.S. Women's National Under-18 Team roster that will compete in the 2011 International Ice Hockey Federation World Women's U18 Championship, set for Jan. 1-8 in Stockholm, Sweden.

Highlighting the U.S. roster are five returning members from the silver medal-winning 2010 U.S. Women's National Under-18 Team, including forward Amanda Pelkey (Montpelier, Vt.), who will be playing in her third IIHF World Women's U18 Championship. Joining her from the 2010 team will be defensemen Emily Pfalzer (Getzville, N.Y.) and Michelle Picard (Taunton, Mass.), as well as forwards Alex Carpenter (North Reading, Mass.) and Haley Skarupa (Rockville, Md.).

The U.S. team includes 18 members of the U.S. Women's Under-18 Select Team that competed in the 2010 Under-18 Series, a three-game stint against Canada last August in Lake Placid, N.Y. There, the U.S. swept Canada for the first time in the four-year history of the event.

Those who competed in the 2010 Under-18 Series include goaltenders Megan Miller (Long Grove, Ill.) and Shenae Lundberg (Peterborough, N.H.); defensemen Amanda Boulier (Watertown, Conn.), Courtney Burke (Albany, N.Y.), Milica McMillen (St. Paul, Minn.), Pfalzer, Picard and Lee Stecklein (Roseville, Minn.); and forwards Hannah Brandt (Vadnais Heights, Minn.), Carpenter, Shiann Darkangelo (Brighton, Mich.), Emily Field (Littleton, Mass.), Layla Marvin (Warroad, Minn.), Abby Ness (Roseau, Minn.), Pelkey, Paige Savage (Carrollton, Texas), Skarupa and Karley Sylvester (Warroad, Minn.).

Forwards Sydney Daniels (Southwick, Mass.) and Dana Trivigno (Setauket, N.Y.) will be joining Team USA for the first time.

The U.S. Women's National Under-18 Team will gather in Blaine, Minn., on Dec. 26, prior to the squad's Dec. 27 departure for Stockholm. Team USA opens play against the Czech Republic on Jan. 1.

Team USA 2011 IIHF World Women's Under-18 Championship Schedule
Jan. 1-8 • Stockholm, Sweden