GREEN BAY (NBC 26) — The U.S. women’s hockey team is shining in the Olympics so far. After taking down Canada, 5-0, on Tuesday, they’re 4-0 and punched their ticket to the quarterfinal.
The team is looking for redemption after taking home silver in 2022, losing to their rival from the north. The coach trying to lead them to gold is none other than a Neenah native.
“That's the part that's just unbelievably cool — this is the epitome of women’s hockey,” said head coach John Wroblewski.
Hear from Wroblewski about what it means to him to coach the U.S. women’s hockey team!
A 1999 Neenah graduate, Wroblewski has been at the helm of the U.S. women’s hockey team for nearly four years. Now in his first Olympics, he says coaching at the peak of the sport is an honor.
“For the women that are competing, that are representing USA Hockey and that I get to have the honor of working with here, their dream was to wear the flag,” Wroblewski said. “The Olympics is the premier event for women’s hockey, even though they have the pro league now.”
Coming from the Fox Valley, Wroblewski says he’s thankful for the support his family has always given him. After a stint in the NHL minor leagues, they were all-in on his shift into coaching.
“It was always such positive support to chase a dream, and I think that’s, you know, formative and indicative of the people of Wisconsin — just, fantastic folks that want to support, want to believe,” Wroblewski said.
On the ice, he says, since he took over the squad shortly after the last Olympics, the team has grown exponentially, and their play in the 2026 games is showing that.
“Each of the players on this team, I can without a doubt say their game has risen in the last three or four years, and some of their games, just merely because of their age, have skyrocketed in the process,” said the head coach.
The ultimate prize is a gold medal, something the U.S. has done just twice before. Wroblewski says his team’s play will speak for itself.
“I try not to talk too much about it. I’ve already, I think, been a little more open and optimistic than I would like to in an interview, but let’s do it. That’s it,” said Wroblewski.
