Former Lindenwood goalie battles for playing time for Team USA in the #PyeongChang2018 Olympics

Nicole Hensley, photo/Lindenwood athletics

23-year old Nicole Hensley is Lindenwood University’s first winter Olympian.  She finished her college career during the 2015-16 season.  Since then she has had a successful run with USA hockey, but her future role on the team during the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea is up in the air.

Hensley was the USA’s starting goalie in the spring of 2017, when the Americans won the World Championships.  Since then her numbers were not as good as 20-year old Maddie Rooney and 26-year old Alex Rigsby.  Rooney, who started Team USA’s tournament opener against Finland (a 3-1 victory), sported a 1.95 goals-against average, and .921 save percentage during the team’s pre-Olympic tour.

Team USA coach Robb Stauber has not publicly committed to a starting goaltender.  Stauber’s telling goalies is to be ready.

After winning the gold medal during the inaugural year when women’s hockey debuted in the Olympics in 1998, the Americans have finished with three silvers and one bronze since then.  Canada has won every gold medal since.

If and when Hensley gets the call, she should be ready.  Her international credentials are impressive.

She’s earned two gold medals at the 2016 and 2017 IIHF Women’s World Championship.  Made 16 saves during a shutout of Team Russia during the 2016 tournament and registered three wins, including two shutouts during the 2017 tournament.  She’s also participated in the 2016 and 2017 Four Nations Cup, helping the U.S. to first-place finishes in both events.

As a senior during the 2015-16 season, Hensley established a new single-season program record with her 2.52 goals against average.  She is also the NCAA all-time leader in saves with 4,094 and Lindenwood’s all-time program leader in saves (4,094), wins (30), save percentage (.921), and shutouts (four).

Below is Team USA’s schedule on NBC and read more about Nicole