Four Ohio State women’s ice hockey team international student-athletes will represent their respective countries in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy. Seven former players from the ice hockey program were also selected to represent five of the 10 ice hockey teams in the Olympics.
Mira Jungåker, Jenna Raunio and Hilda Svensson will play for Team Sweden and Sanni Vanhanen will play for Finland. Vanhanen played for the 2022 Finnish team that took bronze.
A barrage of former Buckeyes were also selected. Jenn Gardiner, Sophie Jaques, Emma Maltais and Natalie Spooner will play for Team Canada. Andrea Braendli will play for Switzerland. Current Buckeye Joy Dunne will compete for Team USA as will former Buckeyes Cayla Barnes and Hannah Bilka.
Twelve Olympians is a single winter games high for the women’s ice hockey team, which has had a representative every time since women’s ice hockey became an Olympic sport in 1998.
Prior to the 2026 games, 11 Buckeyes have made 21 appearances, claiming 12 medals — five golds, three silvers, four bronzes. An Ohio State player has competed for gold at the last four Olympics.
“It’s surreal,” said Nadine “Muzzy” Muzerall, who coached 11 of Ohio State’s 12 Olympians. “I’m excited, I’m nervous. There’s an immense amount of pride. You feel like a parent because you know how hard they’ve worked. It’s all earned.”
“It’s super exciting, I’m so honored to play for my country,” said Raunio, a freshman defensive player and sport industry major.
Raunio said that as an international student, the Ohio State team has been an important support system. “They’ve been my family here since I came here, that’s very important for me as a player and as a person. Everything is just so amazing here at Ohio State, I really love my teammates and coaches.”
“Muzz has taught us so much,” said Jungåker, a sophomore defender and sport industry major. “Playing for her, you feel prepared for anything. The culture here, it’s an environment where we’re always pushing each other, competing incredibly hard.
“But off the ice as well, the team culture is really the best I’ve been a part of. This place gives you everything you need to become the best version of yourself. Coming here was the best choice I’ve ever made.”
Ohio State’s women’s ice hockey team excels in the classroom as well, winning the Varsity O academic award for a large roster team the past four years. The combined GPA of the five current players headed to the Olympics is 3.8.
“It says a lot about our program and the standards we have,” Jungåker said. “With teammates and coaches, they’re always there to make sure we succeed on the ice and the classroom.”
Portions of this article from ‘Dream’ team by Rosh Bishoff and Twelve Buckeyes to Represent Ohio State at 2026 Winter Olympics published by Ohio State Athletics.