MOUNT GREENWOOD — Mother McAuley alumna Abbey Murphy took home a gold medal with the United States women’s hockey team in Italy Thursday after Team USA beat Canada 2-1 in overtime.
Murphy, an Evergreen Park native who graduated from Mother McAuley in 2020, has been a game changer on the ice for the United States throughout the 2026 Winter Olympics, registering two goals and seven points.
This is Murphy’s first gold medal, achieved while competing in her second Winter Olympics. She took home a silver medal in 2022 as a teenager.
Speaking with Block Club Chicago last month, Murphy, a forward for Team USA, expressed her excitement about making her second Olympic roster.
“It takes a lot of weight off you knowing that you’ve made another Olympic roster, just another shot at your dreams,” Murphy said. “It’s the best feeling being able to tell my family, my friends, the people who have supported me to accomplish this dream.”
Murphy, who is a captain with the University of Minnesota’s women’s hockey team, said her goal was to bring a high level of competition to the ice every shift at the Olympics. Before going overseas, she spoke of the type of skill she was planning to bring to the ice.
“It’s playing fast, just kind of being that pest on the ice that’s always in your face and annoying to play against. Always gonna grind and leave everything out there, for sure, but it’s gonna be annoying to play against me,” Murphy said.
Murphy started playing hockey at a young age with the St. Jude Knights Hockey Club in south suburban Crestwood. She later joined the Chicago Mission.
“I played for the Chicago Mission for eight years for some wonderful coaches, had some of the best memories over there. They built me a lot, I had a lot of support and guidance both as a person and a player with that club team,” she said.
The South Side has been cheering Murphy on throughout the past few weeks. Multiple businesses have held watch parties in Beverly as well as Evergreen Park.
“I love being a South Sider. I carry a lot of pride with it,” Murphy said in January. “I got a crowd of people behind me that are cheering us on. There is no place I would rather live.”
Team USA’s victory in the women’s hockey final was the country’s eight gold medal at the Winter Olympics and its 26th medal overall as of late Thursday afternoon.
Abbey Murphy celebrates after scoring a second period goal against St. Cloud State on Oct. 10, 2025. Credit: The University of Minnesota
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