Natalie Darwitz

EVENT - HOCKEY, FORWARD

OLYMPIC HIGHLIGHTS

• 2002 Olympic silver medalist
• 2006 Olympic bronze medalist
• 2010 Olympic silver medalist

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

• Three-time World Championships gold medalist (2005, 2008, 2009)
• Five-time World Championships silver medalist (1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2007)

• Team captain since 2007
• Three-time Olympian (silver-2002, bronze-2006, 2010). Tied for the tournament lead with seven goals, including a hat trick, en route to being named to the all-tournament team in 2002
• Eight-time member of the U.S. Women's National Team for the International Ice Hockey Federation World Women's Championship (gold-2005, 2008-09; silver-1999-01, 2004, 2007). Selected to the media all-star team four times (2004, 2007-09). Ranked second in the tournament with 10 points (3-7) in 2009. Led the tournament with 10 points (6-4) and was named the tournament's top forward in 2008. Ranked fourth at the tournament with nine points (4-5) in 2007. Led the team with 10 points (7-3) in 2004. Was the youngest player ever named to the team at the age of 15 in 1999
• Six-time member of the U.S. Women's Select Team for the Four/Three Nations Cup (1^st-2003, 2008; 2^nd-1998, 2004, 2006-07). Led the tournament with nine points (3-6) in 2006
• Member of the U.S. Women's National Team in 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. Tied for the team lead with nine goals in 2005-06
• Four-time member of the U.S. Women's Under-22 Select Team for the Under-22 Series with Canada (1999-00, 2003-04). Captained the team in 2004
• Ten-time USA Hockey Women's National Festival participant (1998-2001, 2003-05, 2007-09).

• Finished her three-season collegiate career as the University of Minnesota's (Western Collegiate Hockey Association) career points (246) and assists (144) leader
• Three-time finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award (Top Three-2005; Top 10-2003-04) and a three-time All-American (First Team-2003, 2005; Second Team-2004). As a Junior (2004-05): Set an NCAA single-season record with 114 points (42-72) in 40 games
• Led the nation in points per game (2.85) and assists (72)
• Set a tournament record with nine points (3-6) in two games at the NCAA Women's Frozen Four
• In the final game, scored the go-ahead goal with under a minute remaining to give Minnesota its second straight national title
• Named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. As a Sophomore (2003-04): First Team All-WCHA selection
• Named to the WCHA All-Academic and All-Big Ten Academic Teams
• Tied for second on the team in points (64), despite missing 10 games with an injury
• Named to the WCHA All-Tournament Team
• Scored her fourth hat trick of the season en route to winning the national title game
• Named to the NCAA Women's Frozen Four All-Tournament Team. As a Freshman (2002-03): WCHA Rookie of the Year
• Team scoring leader (33-35-68)
• First-Team All-WCHA selection and WCHA All-Rookie honoree.

• Played for the Minnesota Whitecaps of the Western Women's Hockey League for parts of two seasons (2006-08)
• Led the team with 26 points (13-13), was named league MVP and earned a spot on the WWHL Tournament All-Star Team in 2006-07.

PERSONAL

Recently completed her first season as an assistant coach for the University of Minnesota women's ice hockey team, which advanced to the NCAA Women's Frozen Four ... Graduated from Minnesota in 2007 with a bachelor's degree in business with emphasis in sport management ... Completed her junior year at Eagan (Minn.) High School while training with the 2000-01 U.S. Women's National Team in Lake Placid, N.Y. ... Tallied 487 points (312-175) in 102 games of high school hockey (1996-2000) ... Began playing on the girls' varsity ice hockey team in seventh grade ... Enjoys waterskiing, wakeboarding and tennis ... Can juggle fire and knives and did so in her town's circus as a first and second grader ... Has a sister, Nikki, and a brother, Ryan ... Daughter of Scott and Nancy Darwitz.

DID YOU KNOW...?

• Averaged nearly five points per game in 102 high school games, joining the varsity team at Eagan High School in seventh grade
• She has been able to juggle fire and knives since first grade
• Began blogging for the Minneapolis Star-Tribune in 2008