Wisconsin Women’s Hockey achieved a new level of dominance within college athletics by having five players taken in the first round of the PWHL draft.
The Badgers continue to cap off a historic year after having six gold medal Olympians, an NCAA title, and now a record-breaking draft day.
Caroline “KK” Harvey highlighted the star-studded group of UW players drafted. The defender went first overall to the Vancouver Goldeneyes.
Harvey is undoubtedly the best American-born player of her generation and possibly in the world. In Milan, she was named the Tournament MVP and Best Defender at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games.
New Hampshire came back to college hockey after Milan and won the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, which goes to the top player in women’s college hockey.
“KK” is a rare mix of athleticism, elite decision-making, and generational talent that helped make her the number-one overall pick.
Her best friend and fellow defender, Laila Edwards, went fourth overall to expansion franchise San Jose. The Ohioan was another key contributor for the Badgers and Team USA.
Edwards is a true dual threat; she played forward in her junior season and led the nation with 35 goals. However, she transitioned to play defense this past season and proved to be a lockdown defender with a threat to score anytime she’s on the ice.
Edwards has also become a trailblazer for the sport of hockey, making history as the first Black woman to play for the U.S. women’s senior national team, score an Olympic goal, and win an Olympic gold medal.
With the fifth overall pick, Las Vegas took Forward Lacey Eden. The Annapolis native became a part of the illustrious NCAA 100 career goal this past year. Eden also led the nation in points with 77, tallying 29 goals and 44 assists.
She is one of the craftiest skaters and most elusive players college hockey has ever seen. Vegas hopes she will continue to do the same in the pros.
Forward Kirsten Simms fell to the Toronto Sceptres at pick eight. Simms had a stellar sophomore campaign where she led the NCAA in points with 75, but she became a true household name with her heroic 2025 national championship game.
The Michigan native tied the game with 18 seconds left on an iconic penalty shot and scored the winner in overtime to win the Badgers the title.
Simms’ clutch factor cemented herself in Wisconsin history, and she looks poised to bring that same energy to Toronto.
Vivian Jungels became the fifth and final Badger taken in the first round. The defender was taken by the Ottawa Charge with the 11th overall pick.
The Edina, Minnesota, product was the definition of reliable and consistent in the badger back line. Jungels tallied more than 108 starts in her time with the Badgers and led the team with 56 blocks in her Junior year.
Ottawa is getting a true professional and a stout defenseman for the foreseeable future.
This new class of draftees brings a wave of enthusiasm to the sport of hockey that resembles the hype women’s college basketball brought to the WNBA. Players such as Caitlian Clark, Angel Reese, Paige Beckers, and other college stars built hype for women’s basketball in the NCAA and carried it to the pros.
This energy feels reminiscent of the ‘showtime era’ in the NBA, where Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy, and others brought a new wave of fans to the NBA from their collegiate careers, and with that came commercials, shoe deals, and endorsements galore.
The PWHL’s inaugural season began in 2024, but players like Harvey and Edwards ensure that the league is now in its version of the ‘showtime era.’
The difference between these Badgers and the aforementioned basketball stars is their resumes on the global level. Harvey, Edwards, and Simms have already scored goals for Team USA and worn the Olympic logo across their jersey before they inked a pro contract.
The future for women’s hockey has never been brighter. These five Badgers look poised to continue making history in the pros and inspiring the next generation of hockey players in the Madison area and beyond.
