Harvard Trio Makes U.S. Women’s National Hockey Team for Twelve Nations Invitational Tournament Series

Josephine Pucci helped the U.S. to a gold medal at the 2011 IIHF Women's World Championship (Gil Talbot).

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Two current members and one former member of the Harvard women’s hockey team have been named to the U.S. Women’s National Team, USA Hockey announced Friday. Juniors Josephine Pucci and Jillian Dempsey join veteran Julie Chu ’06-07 on the squad that will compete in the 2011 IIHF Twelve Nations Invitational Series Aug. 24-31 in Vierumaki, Finland.

The three players were invited to the U.S. National Festival in Blaine, Minn., which began August 10, with a chance to earn a spot on the national team. Players were divided up into “red,” “white” and “blue” teams for the festival and Pucci and Chu played for the red team while Dempsey was on the blue squad. The announcement of the final roster came following an intrasquad scrimmage Thursday night.

Katey Stone, The Landry Family Head Coach for Harvard Women’s Ice Hockey, is in her second year as head coach of Team USA and will lead the national team at the Twelve Nations event. The United States opens play Aug. 24 against Russia and goes on to play Japan, Switzerland, Canada, Sweden and Finland.

For the full Team USA roster, click here.