KACEY BELLAMY
WESTFIELD – It’s official! Westfield native Kacey Bellamy will make a return trip to the Olympics as a defenseman for the United States women’s hockey team.
Bellamy is one of 11 returning Olympians on the roster that will represent the U.S. at Sochi in Russia. The roster was announced during the break between periods of the NHL’s Winter Classic Wednesday.
“It is an incredible honor being named to the Olympic team for a second time,” Bellamy told The Westfield News early Thursday morning.
Bellamy helped anchor the defense as a rookie at the 21st Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in 2010.
“The last four years have flown by, and it has been an amazing journey hopefully with the best yet to come,” she said.
Bellamy and Team USA garnered a third-place finish four years ago after being ousted by their chief rival, Canada, the 3-time defending champ.
“We’ve been working hard all year in Boston preparing for Sochi, and the team is excited,” Bellamy explained.
In addition to working out with Team USA in Bedford, Bellamy has served as a defenseman for the Boston Blades, of the Canadian Women’s Hockey League, alongside other fellow teammates, routinely facing stiff competition from teams out of Montreal, Toronto, Alberta, and Brampton.
Julie Chu is heading to her fourth Olympics. She’ll be looking for a gold medal to go with the two silvers and a bronze she’s already got. Also making the team was Amanda Kessel, whose brother Phil was playing in the Winter Classic for Toronto and named to the U.S. men’s team that was introduced after the game.
“Today is an important day for our team and we’re thrilled to continue our journey toward Sochi,” Katey Stone told the Associated Press. Stone is on leave from her coaching job at Harvard to head Team USA. “We have a good blend of veterans and first-time Olympians and we’re excited about what lies ahead. We’re enthusiastic about our team and focused on getting better every day.”
The U.S. women’s team has seven defensemen, 11 forwards and three goaltenders – Jesse Vetter, Molly Schaus and Brianne McLaughlin-Bittle – all of whom have Olympic experience. The other players with Olympic experience other than Bellamy, are Meghan Duggan, Hilary Knight, Jocelyne Lamoureux, Monique Lamoureux, Gigi Marvin and Kelli Stack.
All 21 players have appeared in the World Championships, including 18 who played for the American team that beat Canada for the gold medal in Ottawa in April. The team will depart for Sochi on Feb. 1, play its Olympic opener on Feb. 8 against Finland and meet archrival Canada in the preliminary round on Feb. 12.
“It’s an incredible rivalry,” said Duggan, who was wearing the captain’s “C’’ on her jersey when she was interviewed on TV during the NHL game. “We’re doing everything we can to prepare ourselves to get a great game over there.”
The Americans and Canadians are the favorites to meet again in the gold medal game on Feb. 20. The two North American hockey powers have won every world championship and every Olympic gold medal since the sport was added to the Winter Games in Nagano in 1998.
Chu, a Harvard graduate, is the oldest player at 31 and Lee Steckline the youngest at 19.
Bellamy was a four-year player at the University of New Hampshire, where she scored 107 points (27 goals, 80 assists), just one point shy of the school record. She played ice hockey, field hockey, and softball at Berkshire School, a prep school in Sheffield, Mass., prior to attending UNH.
Bellamy plans to run a hockey camp with her brothers, Rob and Corey, at Amelia Park Ice Arena shortly after returning from the Olympics. But the entire journey would not be possible without the help of those around her, she noted.
“Thank you to everyone who has supported myself and family along the way,” Bellamy said. “I wouldn’t be where I am without them.” – Associated Press material was also used in this report
