U.S. Women’s Hockey Team gets send-off in Blaine, heads to Beijing for Olympics

The U.S. Women's Hockey Team got a full send-off at Schwan Super Rink in Blaine on Monday as the team departed for the Winter Olympics in Beijing.

MINNEAPOLIS - The U.S. Women’s Hockey team has been in training camp for the last few weeks at Schwan Super Rink in Blaine.

On Monday, the team got a full send-off as it heads to Beijing for the Winter Olympics. Familes and friends of players lined up outside the Schwan Super Rink as the team got on the bus and got a full escort to head to the airport.

The roster for the U.S. Women’s National Team was unveiled on New Year’s Day, led by St. Thomas women’s hockey coach Joel Johnson. This year’s roster features eight first-time Olympians, eight players with University of Minnesota ties and six Minnesota natives. They are goaltender Maddie Rooney, defender Lee Stecklein and forwards Hannah Brandt, Dani Cameranesi, Kelly Pannek and Grace Zumwinkle.

Team USA is seeking its second straight gold medal after winning gold in Pyeongchang in 2018. The Americans took home silver in 2014 in Sochi, and in 2010 in Vancouver.

"It’s exciting, it’s just awesome to get to this point. We’ll be there, just in spirit and cheering them on at home. This is what they all live for, the Olympics. It’s a dream come true," said Jayne Rooney, the mother of Maddie Rooney.

The Americans will face Finland, the Russian Olympic Committee, Switzerland and Canada in group play. Since Team USA started playing women’s hockey in the Olympics in 1998, all but one gold medal game has featured the U.S. and Canada.

Hockey action starts Feb. 3, with the playoff rounds starting Feb. 10.