Twenty players on Team USA's 25-man roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics played NCAA men's ice hockey, a reminder that for many of the sport's biggest names, the path to the world stage still runs through college hockey.
NHL players are back in the Olympics for the first time since 2014, and the U.S. roster headed to Milano-Cortina brings a familiar mix for NCAA fans: blue-blood programs, Frozen Four runs, national award winners and several players who authored their first "big-stage" moments on college ice.
At a glance
- NCAA alums on Team USA: 20 of 25 players.
- NCAA programs represented: 10.
- Olympic group play: Feb. 12 vs. Latvia (3:10 p.m. Eastern time), Feb. 14 vs. Denmark (3:10 p.m. Eastern time), Feb. 15 vs. Germany (3:10 p.m. Eastern time). (Full schedule)
- How to watch: All matches will stream on Peacock.
- Skating for history: The U.S. last won an Olympic men's hockey medal in 2010 (silver).
The NCAA programs represented on Team USA
Here are the NCAA schools that helped shape the roster, with the Olympians who played there:
- Boston U. (5): Jack Eichel, Clayton Keller, Charlie McAvoy, Jake Oettinger, Brady Tkachuk.
- Michigan (4): Kyle Connor, Quinn Hughes, Dylan Larkin, Zach Werenski.
- Boston College (2): Matt Boldy, Noah Hanifin.
- North Dakota (2): Brock Nelson, Jake Sanderson.
- Minnesota (2): Brock Faber, Jackson LaCombe.
- University of Maine: Jeremy Swayman.
- UMass Lowell: Connor Hellebuyck.
- Omaha: Jake Guentzel.
- UConn: Tage Thompson.
- Colorado College: Jaccob Slavin.
Championship programs
While no Team USA players won an NCAA title while in college, the programs they played for are among the most distinguished across the sport's history. Seven of the 10 programs represented have won at least two NCAA men's ice hockey national championships.
Below is a breakdown of the NCAA championships won by the programs that have players competing in the 2026 Olympics.
- Michigan: 9 national titles (most recent: 1998).
- North Dakota: 8 (most recent: 2016).
- Boston College: 5 (most recent: 2012).
- Boston U.: 5 (most recent: 2009).
- Minnesota: 5 (most recent: 2003).
- Maine: 2 (most recent: 1999).
- Colorado College: 2 (most recent: 1957).
Combined total: 36 NCAA national titles across those seven programs.
Frozen Four appearances
- Quinn Hughes (Michigan, 2018): Helped Michigan clinch a 2018 Frozen Four berth.
- Jack Eichel (Boston U., 2015): Powered Boston U.'s run to the national title game in 2015 during one of the most decorated freshman seasons in college hockey history.
- Brock Faber and Jackson LaCombe (Minnesota, 2022 and 2023): Part of Minnesota teams that reached the Frozen Four in 2022 and returned to the title game in 2023.
- Jake Guentzel (Omaha, 2015): Helped Omaha reach the Frozen Four in 2015, a milestone moment for the Mavericks program.
- Connor Hellebuyck (UMass Lowell, 2013): Backstopped the River Hawks' first Frozen Four appearance.
- Brock Nelson (North Dakota, 2011): Propelled his team to the Frozen Four as a freshman.
NCAA award winners and record-style seasons on the roster
National award winners
- Hobey Baker Award (nation's top player): Jack Eichel (2015, Boston U.).
- Tim Taylor Award (nation's top freshman): Clayton Keller (2017, Boston U.) and Eichel (2015).
- Mike Richter Award (nation's top goaltender): Jeremy Swayman (2020, Maine) and Connor Hellebuyck (2014, UMass Lowell).
NCAA record books and standout seasons
- Connor Hellebuyck (UMass Lowell): NCAA career save percentage leader (.946) and third in all-time NCAA single-season save percentage (.952 in 2012-13).
- Led the NCAA in save percentage and goals against average for the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons and goalie winning percentage for the 2012-13 season.
- Jack Eichel (Boston U.): Led the NCAA in points per game (1.78) in the 2014-15 season, scoring 71 points in 40 games as a freshman.
- Kyle Connor (Michigan): NCAA national leader in points per game (1.87) and goals per game (0.92) for the 2015-16 season. Connor notched 71 points in 38 games as a freshman, including a Michigan-record 27-game point streak.
- Tage Thompson (UConn): NCAA national leader in power-play goals (13) in the 2015-16 season.
- Brock Faber (Minnesota): Remains tied for an NCAA tournament record with five assists in a game against Omaha in the 2021 regional.
