The U.S. Women's Hockey Team was announced (several days ago, actually) for the 2010 Olympics, and I have one thing to say...

YAY!!!

Here's a really great article about the team, which features two four-time Olympians in Jenny Potter and Angela Ruggiero. 

Team USA is the defending champion from last year's IIHF World Women's Championship, beating Canada 4-1 in Finland.

G - Brianne McLaughlin (Robert Morris University, CHA) -- SV% above .900 all four years; best GAA was .297 in 2007-08, but I can't see Robert Morris University being a powerhouse team in front of her... which might account for the really horrible win percentage (31-79-8)...

G - Molly Schaus (Boston College, HEA) -- 101 GP (56-31-14)  GAA of 1.69 and a .938 SV% last year.  SV% above .925 all three years so far...

G - Jessie Vetter (University of Wisconsin, WCHA) -- 115 GP (91-13-10) -- GAA of 1.26 and a .942 SV% last year.  SV% above .924 all four years (best .962 over 13 games in 2005-06).

Jessie Vetter is an incredibly good goaltender, and currently holds the record for longest shutout streak (448 minutes, 32 seconds) not only for collegiate women's hockey, but for men's as well.  She recorded 13 shutouts in the 2008-09 season, and also holds the NCAA single season GAA record, with a GAA of 0.83 - yes, below 1 goal against per game.  They US Women's team will be hard-pressed to find a better netminder than Vetter.  (Her GAA in 2005-06 was actually 0.78, but as she didn't play the full season, that doesn't count as a record, I'd suspect.)

*****

D -  Kacey Bellamy (University of New Hampshire, HEA)  -- 143 GP -- 27 G -- 80 A

D - Caitlin Cahow (Harvard University, ECACH) -- 133 GP -- 30 G -- 82 A

D - Lisa Chesson (Ohio State University, WCHA) -- 145 GP -- 27 G -- 62 A

D - Molly Engstrom (University of Wisconsin, WCHA) -- 140 GP -- 28 G -- 57 A

D - Angela Ruggiero (Harvard University, ECACH) -- 66 GP -- 54 G -- 84 A (are they serious, she's a D?!  She's Mike Green!)

D - Kerry Weiland (University of Wisconsin, WCHA) -- 100 GP -- 24 G -- 65 A

*****

F - Julie Chu (Harvard University, ECACH) -- 129 GP -- 88 G -- 196 A

F - Natalie Darwitz (University of Minnesota, WCHA) -- 99 GP -- 102 G -- 144 A

F - Meghan Duggan (University of Wisconsin, WCHA) -- 118 GP -- 69 G -- 82 A

F - Hilary Knight (University of Wisconsin, WCHA) -- 80 GP -- 65 G -- 56 A

F - Jocelyne Lamoureux (University of North Dakota, WCHA) -- 40 GP -- 28 G -- 37 A

F - Monique Lamoureux (University of North Dakota, WCHA) -- 40 GP -- 39 G -- 36 A

F - Erika Lawler (University of Wisconsin, WCHA) -- 163 GP -- 55 G -- 119 A

F - Gigi Marvin (University of Minnesota, WCHA) -- 152 GP -- 87 G -- 108 A

F - Jenny Potter (University of Minnesota Duluth, WCHA) -- 70 GP -- 67 G -- 96 A

F - Kelli Stack (Boston College, HEA) -- 105 GP -- 62 G -- 89 A

F - Karen Thatcher (Providence College, HEA) -- 32 GP -- 12 G -- 23 A

F - Jinelle Zaugg-Siergiej (University of Wisconsin, WCHA) -- 160 GP -- 89 G -- 67 A

I am not surprised to see the University of Wisconsin well-represented on the women's ice hockey team; in the last four seasons, they have appeared in the Frozen Four all four times, and won three of the four.  They're a fantastic team.