Nicole Hensley

Last updated

Nicole Hensley
Nicole Hensley.jpg
Hensley with PWHL Minnesota in 2024
Born (1994-06-23) June 23, 1994 (age 31)
Littleton, Colorado, U.S.
Height 5 ft 6 in (168 cm)
Weight 165 lb (75 kg; 11 st 11 lb)
Position Goaltender
Catches Left
PWHL team
Former teams		 Minnesota Frost
Lindenwood Lady Lions
National teamFlag of the United States.svg  United States
Playing career 2012–present
Medal record
Olympic Games
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2018 Pyeongchang Team
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2022 Beijing Team
World Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2016 Canada
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2017 United States
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2023 Canada
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2021 Canada
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2022 Denmark
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2024 United States

Nicole Hensley (born June 23, 1994) is an American professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Minnesota Frost of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) and a member of the United States women's national ice hockey team.

Contents

Playing career

Lindenwood University

Hensley debuted with the Lindenwood Lady Lions ice hockey team during the 2012-13 Lindenwood Lady Lions ice hockey season. Hensley won four consecutive CHA Student-Athlete of the Year awards, and landed on the CHA all-Academic team each year. [1]

NWHL

On June 12, 2018, Hensley signed a contract with the Buffalo Beauts of the National Women's Hockey League (NWHL). [2] In her debut for the Beauts, Hensley earned a shutout win over Finnish Olympian Meeri Räisänen of the Connecticut Whale in a 4–0 final on October 7, 2018. [3] In the 2019 NWHL All-Star Weekend, Hensley won the Chipwich Fastest Goalie competition. [4]

PWHPA

Hensley was scheduled to be one of three goaltenders to play in the PWHPA Dream Gap tour stop in Tokyo, Japan, along with Kimberley Sass and Alex Cavalinni. [5]

PWHL

On September 18, 2023, Hensley was selected in the 2nd round, 12th overall by PWHL Minnesota in the 2023 PWHL Draft, the first goaltender selected. Playing in a tandem with Maddie Rooney, she delivered two shutouts in the playoffs and the team won the first-ever Walter Cup to conclude the 2023–24 season.

In 2025, Hensley had the opportunity to play in front of her hometown crowd as part of the PWHL Takeover Tour. She noted it was the first women's game at Denver's Ball Arena since 2001. [6] She delivered a 24-save shutout with one game to go in the season to put the Frost within one point of the fourth-place charge, giving the Frost the opportunity to make the playoffs. [7] She played in three playoff games for the 2024–25 season and the team became back-to-back Walter Cup champions.

International play

Hensley with Team USA in 2017 NicoleHensley.jpg
Hensley with Team USA in 2017

Hensley was named one of three goaltenders to compete for the United States women's national ice hockey team at the 2016 IIHF Women's World Championship in Kamloops, British Columbia. [8] Hensley was also named to the 2017 team, where she was in net for a shutout against Canada in the preliminary rounds, started the quarterfinal against Germany, and played in Team USA's 3–2 OT win against Canada for the championship. [9] [10]

She made the 2018 Olympic team, where the United States won the gold medal, earning a shutout win over the Russian team in her only appearance. [11]

Hensley was one of the goaltenders named to Team USA's rosters for the second half of the rivalry series between Team USA and Team Canada in 2019–2020. [12]

On January 2, 2022, Hensley was named to Team USA's roster to represent the United States at the 2022 Winter Olympics. [13]

Career statistics

Regular season Playoffs
Season TeamLeagueGPWLT/OTMINGA SO GAA SV% GPWLMINGASOGAASV%
2012–13 Lindenwood Lady Lions CHA
27716315979103.42.922————————
2013–14 Lindenwood Lady LionsCHA
335253186410303.31.921————————
2014–15 Lindenwood Lady LionsCHA
301017217507922.71.916————————
2015–16 Lindenwood Lady LionsCHA
32820419048022.52.922————————
2018–19 Buffalo Beauts NWHL
6510360921.50.93510160201.97.935
2019–20 Team Minnesota PWHPA
—————————————————
2020–21 PWHPA MinnesotaPWHPA
3300180401.33.956————————
2022–23 Team SonnetPWHPA
134007713312.57.921————————
2023–24 PWHL Minnesota PWHL
147708493112.19.919532338621.06.945
2024–25 Minnesota Frost PWHL
117316392712.53.900312197802.43.906
NCAA totals123307812711735342.98.921————————
NWHL totals6510360921.50.93510160201.97.935
PWHPA totals134007713312.57.921————————
PWHL totals251410114885822.33.9118445351421.57.928

Source: [14] [15]

Awards and honors

References

  1. ↑ "Nicole Hensley Recognized at NCAA Honors Celebration". Lindenwood Lions. January 19, 2017. Retrieved June 26, 2025.
  2. ↑ Marisa Ingemi (June 13, 2018). "NWHL's Buffalo Beauts land two from gold-medal winning Team USA". ESPN. Archived from the original on August 15, 2018. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
  3. ↑ Dan Rice (October 7, 2018). "Olympians Hensley and Räisänen Battle as Beauts Defeat Whale, 4-0". NWHL.zone. Archived from the original on October 10, 2018. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  4. ↑ Strollo, Leighann (February 7, 2020). "2020 NWHL All-Star Weekend Preview". The Ice Garden. Archived from the original on April 6, 2020. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  5. ↑ Jay, Michelle (February 20, 2020). "PWHPA to play Dream Gap Tour stop in Japan". The Ice Garden. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  6. ↑ Simpson, Kevin (January 10, 2025). "Colorado hockey hero Nicole Hensley returns as PWHL explores expanding its reach". The Colorado Sun. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
  7. ↑ "HENSLEY SHUTS OUT OTTAWA TO KEEP MINNESOTA'S PLAYOFF HOPES ALIVE". www.thepwhl.com. May 1, 2025. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
  8. ↑ "USWNT Roster Announced for 2016 Women's Worlds". USA Hockey. February 24, 2016. Archived from the original on October 17, 2017. Retrieved March 1, 2016.
  9. ↑ "2017 IIHF Women's World Championship". teamusa.usahockey.com. Archived from the original on June 17, 2020. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  10. ↑ Bevis, Hannah (September 18, 2017). "Women's Hockey Top 25 Under 25 | Number 12 - Nicole Hensley". The Ice Garden. Archived from the original on June 17, 2020. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  11. ↑ "USA vs OAR game report" (PDF). IIHF . February 13, 2018. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 15, 2018. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  12. ↑ Hockey, U. S. A. (January 17, 2020). "U.S. Roster Announced for Final Three Contests of 2019-20 Rivalry Series". Team USA Hockey. Archived from the original on August 24, 2022. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  13. ↑ "U.S. women with 13 returnees". IIHF . January 2, 2022. Archived from the original on January 17, 2022. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  14. ↑ "Nicole Hensley Career Stats". USCHO. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved March 2, 2016.
  15. ↑ "Playing profile: Nicole Hensley". EliteProspects.com. Elite Prospects. Retrieved September 21, 2025.
  16. ↑ "Best Of Nicole Hensley #29 | Minnesota Frost 2023-2024 Highlights". www.thepwhl.com. October 12, 2024. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
  17. ↑ "Minnesota Frost capture second Walter Cup title". Sportsnet.ca. May 26, 2025. Retrieved May 26, 2025.
  18. ↑ "PWHL Announces 2025 Award Winners". The PWHL. June 25, 2025. Retrieved June 26, 2025.
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