Three-time USA Hockey Olympian Brianna Decker, who won gold in 2018, announces her retirement 13 months after breaking her leg and tearing ligaments in scary on-ice collision on the Beijing Games
Three-time Olympian Brianna Decker introduced her retirement from the United States nationwide hockey staff on Thursday.
Decker brings the curtain down on an completed profession in which she ranks 3rd amongst American ladies gamers in global championship match issues.
The ahead from Wisconsin was once a core member of USA Hockey´s subsequent era of feminine gamers, who constructed at the luck in their trail-blazing predecessors.
She was once a member of the gold medal-winning staff on the 2018 Winter Games in South Korea – the U.S.`s 2nd to win a name after the 1998 Nagano Games, when ladies’s hockey made its Olympic debut.
The 31-year-old Decker additionally won Olympic silver medals in 2014 and 2022, in conjunction with six global championship titles. She made her nationwide staff debut with the Under-18 squad in 2008, and competed in her first global championship in 2011.
Brianna Decker introduced her retirement from the United States nationwide hockey staff
The three-time Olympian member of the gold medal-winning staff on the 2018 Winter Games
The 31-yar-old ahs additionally won six global championship titles (pictured with teammates Meghan Duggan, left defender Monique Lamoureux, heart, after their win in 2017)
‘Representing USA Hockey as a member of Team USA has been the honour of a life-time,’ Decker mentioned in a USA Hockey free up saying her retirement.
‘Hockey has given me alternatives I may just most effective dream of as a tender child simply studying to skate. Playing hockey first began so that you can stay alongside of my brother´s, however become my lifestyles´s hobby,’ she added.
‘I´m proud to have taken the ice with such a lot of improbable teammates, and thank them, my friends and family for his or her unwavering fortify all the way through the years.’
Decker´s announcement comes 13 months after her ultimate Olympic look ended swiftly when she broke her left fibula and tore ligaments in her ankle in a initial round-opening 5-2 win over Finland on the Beijing Games.
Her damage was once thought to be a possible difference-maker in the U.S. failing to protect its Olympic name in dropping the gold-medal recreation 3-2 to arch-rival Canada.
Decker finishes her nationwide staff profession with 81 objectives and 89 assists for 170 issues in 147 profession video games. Her 68 profession issues in global championship play rank 3rd at the U.S. checklist – one forward of staff captain Coyne Schofield, Kendall – and fourth with 40 assists.
‘Brianna was once a distinction maker each time she stepped at the ice,’ USA Hockey government director Pat Kelleher mentioned. ‘While we´ll leave out staring at her play, we sit up for her persevered involvement in the game, and need her the perfect in the following bankruptcy of lifestyles.’
She collided with Ronja Savolainen (L) in a 5-2 win over Finland on the Beijing Games in 2022
Her retirement comes 13 months after she broke her left fibula and tore ligaments in her ankle
Decker has already transitioned into training. She is recently the affiliate head trainer and particular marketing consultant for the Shattuck-St. Mary´s women prep college hockey program in Minnesota. Last 12 months, she broke ranks from the Professional Women´s Hockey Players´ Association to function a staff and participant construction marketing consultant for the rival Premier Hockey Federation.
Decker has additionally helped develop women hockey across the nation by way of investment systems thru an endowment she introduced in 2019.
‘Over the process my profession, numerous coaches made an immeasurable have an effect on on my lifestyles each off and on the ice,’ Decker mentioned. ‘I sit up for serving to form the following era of vivid younger hockey stars in the United States.’
Decker performed school hockey at Wisconsin, the place she helped the Badgers win the nationwide championship in 2011 and, a 12 months later, won the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award as ladies´s school hockey´s best participant. She was once additionally a two-time MVP in the National Women´s Hockey League, which has since turn into the PHF.