Four Former Big Red Women’s Hockey Stars Take Olympic Ice

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Editor’s note: This story was adapted from a feature in the Cornell Chronicle.

By Steve Gattine

Four players familiar to Cornell women’s hockey fans will take the ice when the puck drops at the 2026 Winter Olympics this week in Milan, Italy. Brianne Jenner ’13, BA ’15, and Kristin O’Neill ’20 will represent traditional powerhouse Canada. Laura Fortino ’13, who played for Canada in two previous Games, will skate for the host nation.

And Rory Guilday ’25 will become the first Big Red alumna to represent the U.S. in women’s hockey at the Olympics.

A total of 10 alumni of Cornell’s program have gone to the Games, all since 2010.

Rory Guilday ’25 will become the first Big Red alumna to represent the U.S. in women’s hockey at the Olympics.

Former Big Red stars have won a total of nine gold and five silver medals—and nine of the 10 Olympians played on the Hill under current head coach Doug Derraugh ’91.

“I’m excited that all of these players are achieving their lifelong goals of playing in the Olympics,” Derraugh says. “Obviously, we’re very proud that we attract players and people of this caliber.”

For Jenner, an Arts & Sciences alum, Milan marks her fourth appearance for Canada.

She already has two gold and one silver medal to her name. She is second in career points for the Big Red and finished as the top goal-scorer at the 2022 Olympics in Beijing with nine.

“Brianne is the total package as a hockey player,” Derraugh says. “And she’s a great ambassador for the game of hockey, Cornell, and Team Canada.”

O’Neill, also an Arts & Sciences alum, will be making her Olympic debut.

I’m excited that all of these players are achieving their lifelong goals of playing in the Olympics. Obviously, we’re very proud that we attract players and people of this caliber.

Head coach Doug Derraugh ’91

She traveled to Beijing in 2022 as part of Canada’s “taxi squad”—players who were available in case of a COVID outbreak on a team—but she never saw the ice.

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O’Neill is no stranger to the Team Canada setup, however, having won three world championships. She finished her Cornell career as the program’s all-time leader in game-winning goals with 21.

“If I were going into battle with anybody and needed to bring someone I know had my back, I would pick Kristin O’Neill,” Derraugh says. “She’s one of the toughest players I’ve ever coached.”

Fortino (seen in photo at top of page), a CALS alum, qualified via family lineage to play for Italy after winning silver in 2014 and gold in 2018 with Team Canada. She scored 133 points in 133 career games for the Big Red. She has been living and playing in Italy the past two years.

“Laura was a huge part of the turnaround for the women’s hockey program at Cornell,” Derraugh says. “At one point, she was the best defenseman in the world, and it means so much to her family that she now has the opportunity to represent Italy.”

Laura Fortino ’13 qualified via family lineage to play for Italy; she has been living and playing there the past two years.

Guilday, another CALS grad, will help anchor the defense for the U.S. She won gold at the 2023 World Championships, along with silver in 2022 and 2024. Guilday made the All-Ivy First Team as both a junior and senior.

“I talked with Rory when she arrived at Cornell, and I’m not sure at that point she believed she was capable of this,” Derraugh says. “But she is a dominating physical presence, and women’s hockey has become much more physical in recent years. She is also a powerful skater and has one of the hardest shots I’ve ever seen.”

All four former Big Red stars will be in action on the first day of the tournament (Thursday, February 5) in Milan.

Fortino and Italy will face France at 8:40 a.m. (Eastern Standard Time); the U.S. follows at 10:40 a.m. when they take on Czechia; and Canada plays Finland at 3:10 p.m.

The highly anticipated game between the U.S. and Canada will take place at 1:40 p.m. on Tuesday, February 10, the final day of the group stage. The quarterfinals are scheduled for February 13–14; the semifinals will be on the 16th; and the gold-medal game is set for the 19th.

The complete schedule for Olympic ice hockey (men's and women's) can be found here.

(Top: Laura Fortino ’13 on the ice for the Big Red. All photos courtesy of Cornell Athletics.)

Published February 4, 2026

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