Angela Ruggiero

 Ice Hockey - Defenseman1998 Olympic gold medalist
2002 Olympic silver medalist
2006 Olympic bronze medalist
2010 Olympic silver medalist

USA HOCKEY: Four-time Olympian (gold-1998, silver-2002, bronze-2006). Named the tournament's top defensemen twice (2002, 2006). Tied for the lead among tournament defensemen with six points (2-4) in 2006. Youngest member (18) of the team in 1998 ... Nine-time member of the U.S. Women's National Team at the International Ice Hockey Federation World Women's Championship (gold-2005, 2008-09; silver-1997, 1999-01, 2004, 2007). Named the tournament's top defenseman four times (2001, 2004-05, 2008). Selected to the media-all star team four times (2004-05, 2007, 2009). Named to the team in 2003, but the event was canceled ... Member of the U.S. Women's National Team for the 1996 Pacific Women's Championship (2^nd) ...  Seven-time member of the U.S. Women's Select Team for the Four/Three Nations Cup (1^st-1997, 2003, 2008; 2^nd-2000, 2004-06). Led team with four assists in 2003 ... Member of the U.S. Women's National Team in 1997-98, 2000-01, 2001-02 (Visa Skate to Salt Lake Tour) and 2005-06 (Hilton Family Skate to 2006 Tour); and the U.S. Women's Select Team in 2008-09. Led team defensemen with 35 points (12-23) in 2001-02 ... Two-time member of the U.S. Women's Under-22 Select Team (1999-00) ... Eleven-time USA Hockey Women's National Festival participant (1997-05, 2008-09).

COLLEGE: Played four years at Harvard University of ECAC Hockey ... Four-time finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award (Winner-2004, Top Three-2003, Top 10-1999-00) and four-time All-America selection (First Team-199-00, 2003-04) ... Finished with 253 points (96-157) to rank sixth all-time at Harvard and first among defensemen. As a Senior (2003-04): ECACH and Ivy League Player of the Year ... Led team to the ECACH championship and a berth in the NCAA championship game for the second straight year. As a Junior (2002-03): Top-scoring defenseman in the country (29-54-83) and ranked second in assists per game (1.59) ... Helped team to the ECACH championship. As a Sophomore (1999-2000): Tied for 12th in the nation and led all defensemen with 54 points (21-33). As a Freshman (1998-99): Finished fifth in the ECACH with 51 points (16-35) ... Led Harvard to the national championship.

OTHER: Helped the Minnesota Whitecaps to the Western Women's Hockey League championship in 2008-09 ... Skated part-time for the Whitecaps in 2007-08 and ranked second on the team with 18 points (8-10) in 15 games ... Made history on Jan. 28, 2005, when she and her brother, Bill, competed for the Central Hockey League's Tulsa Oilers, becoming the first-ever brother-sister tandem to play in a professional hockey game in North America ... Was the first female skater to play in a North American professional hockey game, where she recorded an assist ... Joined the National Women's Hockey League's Montreal Axion part way through the 2004-05 season.

PERSONAL: Currently pursuing a master's degree in sport management from the University of Minnesota ... Spent two weeks in Afghanistan in January 2008 as part of the ProSports MVP Olympic Heroes Tour ... Served as the director of the Charles B. Wang Ice Hockey "Project Hope," a New York Islanders program aimed at providing young Chinese athletes with access to higher education during the 2006-07 season ... Appeared in the sixth season of "The Apprentice" on NBC ... Wrote an autobiography called "Breaking the Ice" in the summer of 2005 ... Named one of the top-16 female athletes in the world by ESPN.com in 2004 ... Graduated cum laude from Harvard University with a bachelor's degree in government in 2004 ... One of eight U.S. Olympic athletes honored to carry the World Trade Center Flag during the Opening Ceremonies at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games ... Founder and head instructor of the All American Girls Hockey School ... Active in Right to Play, an organization which aims to enrich the lives of children across the country through sport ... Helped launch the websites and raise funds for Teams of Angels and momsteam.com, charities that focus on creating a safer youth sports experience ... Has her own website: angelaruggiero.com ... Graduated from Choate Rosemary Hall (Conn.) in 1998 ... Has one sister, Pam, and one brother, Bill, who plays in the CHL ... Daughter of Bill and Karen Ruggiero.

 Short List Performance

• 1998 Olympic Winter Games gold medalist
• 2002 Olympic Winter Games silver medalist
• 2006 Olympic Winter Games bronze medalist
• Three-time World Championships gold medalist
• Five-time World Championships silver medalist

 Did You Know...?

• Spent two weeks in Afghanistan in January 2008 as part of the ProSports MVP Olympic Heroes Tour
• Worked with the NHL's New York Islanders on "Project Hope," aimed at providing young Chinese athletes with access to higher education in 2006-07
• Made an appearance on NBC's "The Apprentice"
• Active in "Right to Play," "momsteam.com," the Women's Sports Foundation and 350.org
• 2004 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award winner, which is given annually to the women's intercollegiate varsity hockey player who displays the highest standards of personal and team excellence during the season
• In 2004, Ivy League player of the year, ECAC player of the year, five-time NCAA All-American, four-time All-ECAC first team and four time All-Ivy first team
• 2003 USA Hockey Player of the Year
• In 2003, founded hockey school for girls ages 7-17 designed to include lectures on goals, visualization, self-esteem and college advice
• One of eight athletes who carried the World Trade Center Flag during the Opening Ceremonies at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games
• Completed her sophomore season at Harvard in 1999-2000, leading all defenseman in the country in scoring

Related Links

Photo Gallery: Angela Ruggiero breaking barriers
Related Article: An A-to-Z look at the Winter Olympics
Video: Angela Ruggiero
Wallpaper: 640x468 | 800x600 | 1024x768

Quote
On being the first female defenseman in Central Hockey League: "It was all that I could ask for. After the first period, we thought that was the end of it. But I was happy to be able to get back out there again in the third period and just be one of the boys again. On that last shift, the guys were telling me to jump into the play. Luckily, I was able to get my stick on the puck and set up that goal."

Image by Harry How/Getty Images

Olympic Experience

• 4-time Olympian; 4-time Olympic medalist (1 gold, 2 silver, 1 bronze)
• Olympic Games Vancouver 2010, silver (Team - Women)
• Olympic Games Turin 2006, bronze (Team - Women)
• Olympic Games Salt Lake City 2002, silver (Team - Women)
• Olympic Games Nagano 1998, gold (Team - Women)

World Championships Experience

• Most recent: 2011 – gold (Team - Women)
• Years of participation: Team - Women 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011
• Medals: 10 (4 gold, 6 silver)
• Gold – 2011 (Team - Women); 2009 (Team - Women); 2008 (Team - Women); 2005 (Team - Women)
• Silver – 2007 (Team - Women); 2004 (Team - Women); 2001 (Team - Women); 2000 (Team - Women); 1999 (Team - Women); 1997 (Team - Women)