Caitlin’s Olympic journey began in figure skates. The only hockey player in her immediate family, Caitlin became acquainted with the ice when her mother Barbara, a formerly Nationally ranked figure skater from Ohio, brought her to learn to skate lessons at the Yale University rink. Though she quickly moved to the head of the class, her progress stopped short one afternoon when the Yale women’s hockey team had a game against Dartmouth College immediately after her lesson. One glance at girls like her in hockey gear and Caitlin was sold. The next morning she had her mother sign her up for in-house hockey, and she never looked back. She played on a boys hockey team through her freshman year of high school for Yale Youth Hockey and joined her first girls team, The Southern CT Stars in the fall of 1998. Though the Stars had never won a State Title, they won the State, Regional and National Championships in 1999, the last spurred on by Caitlin’s game-winning goal on a breakaway in the third period. She continued to play with the Stars while at The Hotchkiss School, and won numerous All-New England awards. From Hotchkiss she went on to Harvard University where she shared the ice with current U.S. National teammates Angela Ruggiero and Julie Chu. Her senior year Caitlin captained the Crimson to a 32-2 record, winning the Beanpot, Ivy League, ECAC Regular Season and ECAC Tournament titles, the last, again sealed by her game winning goal in sudden death overtime. She was named an NCAA All-American as well as Academic All-American, a testament to her abilities both on and off the ice. In addition, she was awarded the Radcliffe Prize as Harvard’s Top Female Athlete of the class of 2008. In four years, she competed in 4 NCAA tournaments including 3 trips to the Frozen Four and graduated 14th on the Harvard Women’s Hockey all time scoring charts, a significant accomplishment for a defenseman. A member of the US Women’s Hockey Team since 2005, Caitlin has contributed both offensively and defensively for the squad. She is a two-time world champion, leading the tournament in defensive scoring both times. In 2008, she scored the go-ahead goal in the must-win semi-final against Canada, which spring-boarded the USA to its second World Championship. Following her return home, she awarded the Bob Allen award given by USA Hockey as the top American-born Player of the Year. The next year in 2009, she scored two goals in the Gold Medal game, the first coming 21 seconds into the first period, the fastest goal scored in the history of IIHF World Championship game. Her second goal in the third period solidified the first back-to-back World Championships for the US Women’s National Team. She was awarded the Player of the Game award for her efforts. Most recently she was received the media award as the Top Defenseman of the Hockey Canada Cup, the pre-Olympic test event held in Vancouver in August. Team USA won the Gold Medal at this event. With all this momentum in her favor, Caitlin is primed for Olympic glory. Her dream is to win a Gold Medal for her country and return a hero and model stateswoman, continuing her extensive work in community service. She is the Hockey ambassador to the US Olympic Committee’s “Team for Tomorrow” program, helping to lead the charge in spreading the Olympic spirit through volunteerism. She has her own annual breast cancer fundraiser that has raised over $16,000 for research and awareness to date. Additionally, Caitlin is a guest blogger for USA Today & ESPN.com and has an endorsement deal with Easton Hockey.

2008-09 Women’s Western Hockey League Champions - Minnesota Whitecaps 2008-09 Canadian Women’s Hockey League Championship - Top Defenseman 2008 Bob Allen Women’s Player of the Year Award 2008 Patty Kazmaier Finalist 2007-08 RBK Hockey First-Team All-American 2006-07 First Team All-ECAC & All Ivy League Selection 2005 All -Tournament Team NCAA Frozen Four 2004-05 ECAC All-Tournament Team 2004-05 Academic ECAC Selection 2003-04 ECAC All-Tournament Team

Team USA

Defense

Left

5'4

150

USA

5/20/85

Caitlin has not added this section yet...

Minnesota Whitecaps