Italy has officially announced its women's ice hockey roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics, which will be held in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo from February 6th to 22nd. The announcement, made by the Italian Ice Sports Federation on January 20, 2026, marks a historic return to the Olympic stage for the Italian women's team after 20 years, since the 2006 Winter Games in Turin.
The 23-player squad, composed primarily of European-based players, includes a mix of seasoned veterans and promising young talents. The team has been training at the Verdun Auditorium outside Montreal in preparation for the upcoming tournament.
The roster is as follows:
- Goaltenders: Gabriella Francesca Durante (Real Torino), Martina Fedel (University of Guelph, CAN), Margherita Ostoni (Pinerolo Ghiaccio).
- Defenders: Laura Fortino (Real Torino), Kristen Guerriero (EV Bozen 84 Eagles), Laura Lobis (SV Kaltern-HC Caldaro), Nadia Mattivi (Luleå HF, SDHL), Jacqueline Pierri (EV Bozen 84 Eagles), Franziska Stocker (Sodertalje, SDHL), Amie Fielding Varano (Malmo Redhawks, SDHL).
- Forwards: Aurora Enrica Abatangelo (Davos, SUI), Eleonora Bonafini (EV Bozen 84 Eagles), Anna Caumo (HC Pustertal Junior), Kristin Della Rovere (EV Bozen 84 Eagles), Matilde Fantin (Penn State University, USA), Manuela Heidenberger (HPK, FIN), Sara Kaneppele (EV Bozen 84 Eagles), Marta Mazzocchi (ASD Aosta Gladiators), Greta Niccolai (Ambrì Piotta, SUI), Justine Reyes (MoDo Hockey, SDHL), Rebecca Roccella (Davos, SUI), Carola Saletta (Friborgo, SUI), Kayla Tutino (Real Torino).
A few names on the roster may be familiar to North American hockey fans. Defender Laura Fortino previously played for Canada in the 2014 and 2018 Olympics, winning a gold and silver medal, respectively. Kristin Della Rovere played for the Ottawa Charge in the PWHL's inaugural season. She then joined Bozen in the European Women's Hockey League to pursue her Olympic dream, following her family's Italian heritage. Kayla Tutino, originally from Montreal, was an All-Star in the Canadian Women's Hockey League before moving to Italy.
Nadia Mattivi will captain the team and is considered one of the top defenders in Europe. She played five years at Boston University before joining Luleå HF of the SDHL. In the 2024-25 season, Mattivi was named the league's best defender.
Italy is placed in Group B for the tournament, along with France, Germany, Japan, and Sweden. They will face France in their first game on February 5. The team's schedule includes games against Germany on February 7th, Japan on February 8th and Sweden on February 10th. The top three teams from Group B, along with the top five teams from Group A, will advance to the quarterfinals, which begin on February 13th.
The Italian team will be coached by Danièle Sauvageau, with Mikael Nahabedian as the team's director of analytics, and Alex Tremblay as skills coach.
Freshman forward Matilde Fantin from Penn State University will also represent Italy.
This year's Olympic Winter Games mark a significant moment for Italian hockey as the nation showcases its talent on home ice.
