COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The U.S. Women’s National Sled Hockey Team will begin its quest for gold at the inaugural World Para Ice Hockey Women’s Championship tomorrow (Aug. 26) at the Winter Stadium in Dolny Kubin, Slovakia.

Team USA will match up against Australia in its opening preliminary round contest tomorrow (Aug. 26) at 10 a.m. ET, before facing Norway on Thursday (Aug. 28) at 10 a.m. ET. 

Other teams competing are Canada, Great Britain, and Team World, which is comprised of players from several nations. 

Following preliminary round play, semifinal games will take place on Aug. 30, with gold and bronze-medal contests set for the following day (Aug. 31). 

Every game from the tournament will stream live on the World Para Ice Hockey Facebook page. The full U.S. schedule is available here. 

Erica McKee (Chicago, Ill.), who has captained the U.S. Women’s Development Team since it was created 2007, headlines the inaugural 18-player U.S. Women’s National Sled Team roster that will be taking the ice in Dolny Kubin.

She is joined by alternate captains Kelsey DiClaudio (Plum, Pa.) and Catherine Faherty (Norwell, Mass.), who were both members of the U.S. Women’s Development Sled Hockey Team in 2024-25. 

The full Team USA roster is available here.

Dan Brennan, USA Hockey’s director of para national teams, is Team USA’s general manager.

Rose Misiewicz, head coach of the U.S. Women’s Development Sled Hockey Team since 2019, is serving in the same capacity for the U.S. Women’s National Sled Hockey Team.  She is joined by assistant coaches Hannah DeLong and Lauren Roethlisberger, who also previously served as assistants for the U.S. Women’s Development Sled Hockey Team.

Additional members of the staff include team physician Dr. Crystal Hnatko; athletic trainer Heather Giardino;  equipment manager Michael Vaccaro; and Seamus Kelley, communications coordinator. 

NOTES: The 2025 World Para Ice Hockey Women’s Championship marks the debut of the U.S. Women’s National Sled Team and is the first-ever women’s sled hockey world championship … The U.S. Women’s Development Sled Hockey Team previously won three consecutive WPIH Women’s World Challenges, dating back to the inaugural event in Green. Bay in 2022.