University of Minnesota Athletics
Duo Named to Finland Olympic Team
1/22/2018 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
MINNEAPOLIS - University of Minnesota alumnae Mira Jalosuo and Noora Raty have been chosen to represent their native Finland at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea next month.
Noora Raty is making her fourth Olympics appearance after representing Finland in 2006, 2010, and 2014. Meanwhile, Jalosuo is making her second appearance after joining Raty on Finland's 2014 team.
Raty earned a bronze medal with Finland in Vancouver in 2010, and most recently the duo finished fifth with Finland at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. Finland fell to Sweden, 4-2, in the quarterfinals and went on to defeat Russia, 4-0, for fifth place.
In total, eight current and former Gopher women's hockey players will take the ice in PyeongChang as six players with Gopher ties were named to the 2018 U.S. Women's Olympic Team. Senior Kelly Pannek and Gopher alumnae Hannah Brandt ('16), Dani Cameranesi ('17), Amanda Kessel ('16), Gigi Marvin ('09), and Lee Stecklein ('17) will represent the Red, White, and Blue while Jalosuo and Raty represent Finland.
Before this year, 12 Gophers have competed in the Winter Olympic Games, making 20 Olympic appearances for two different countries. Ten Gophers have represented the U.S. in the Olympics, and two Finnish Gophers, Noora Räty and Mira Jalosuo, have competed for their native Finland. Most recently, seven Gophers participated in the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia, and five Gophers earned silver with Team USA.
Twelve countries fielding women's ice hockey teams will compete in the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games from Feb. 11-22, 2018. Finland and Team USA are competing in Group A alongside Canada and Russia, and all eight Gophers will open the competition on Sunday, Feb. 11 when Finland and the U.S. meet in the first game for both teams.
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