Pictured (from left to right:) Angela Ruggiero '02-04, Caitlin Cahow '07-08 and Julie Chu '06-07
Photo courtesy: USA Hockey

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BLOOMINGTON, Minn.  -- Former Crimson standout skaters and All-Americans Caitlin Cahow '07-08, Julie Chu '06-07 and Angela Ruggiero '02-04 are among 21 players named to the 2010 U.S. Olympic Women's Hockey Team, according to an announcement made by USA Hockey at the Mall of America Thursday evening.

The U.S. team, which includes three goaltenders, six defensemen and 12 forwards, will continue competing in the Qwest Tour until departing for the Vancouver Olympics on Feb. 7. The opening ceremonies are slated for Feb. 12, with Team USA's first game taking place on Feb. 14 against China.

The team was selected from the 23 players who made up the 2009-10 U.S. Women's National Team. The group has been training in Blaine, Minn., at the National Sports Center's Schwan Super Rink since early September, in addition to competing on the Qwest Tour and in two international tournaments.

Ruggiero, who is making her fourth Olympic appearance with Team USA, captured the gold medal in 1998 at Nagano, the silver in 2002 at Salt Lake City and the bronze in 2006 at Torino. Ruggiero, a defender, was a four-time All-American and the winner of the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, presented to the nation's top Division I women's college hockey player, in 2004.

Chu, a forward, will compete in her third Olympics with Team USA, having won the silver in 2002 and the bronze in 2006. The NCAA's all-time leading scorer with 284 points on 196 assists and 88 goals, Chu took home the Patty Kazmaier trophy in 2007 and garnered three All-America selections during her stellar career with the Crimson.

An All-American defender with Harvard during the 2007-08 season, Cahow earned the bronze medal with the U.S. squad at the 2006 Olympics.  This will be Cahow's second appearance in the Olympics.

After a holiday break, the U.S. squad will play in five more Qwest Tour games, including in St. Paul, Minn., on Dec. 30; Hamden, Conn., on Jan. 3; Madison, Wis., on Jan. 5; and Colorado Springs, Colo., on Feb. 4. The Dec. 30 game at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn., marks the first time the U.S. will play after the team announcement. It will also be the last time the U.S. and Canada face off in the United States before the Olympics.