(UW COMMUNICATIONS) MADISON – After a distinguished career for the Badgers, Team USA and in women’s professional hockey, Brianna Decker added another historic honor to her list on Thursday as she will become the first Wisconsin women’s hockey alum to be inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame, as announced by USA Hockey on Thursday.
Decker was a force at the forward position, dominating the ice for the Badgers from 2009-13. She won the 2012 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, the highest individual honor in women’s collegiate honor. Professionally, she played in the National Women’s Hockey League, the Canadian Women’s Hockey League and was a part of the Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association while also contributing to the success of USA Hockey.
The 2023 UW Athletic Hall of Fame honoree represented Team USA three separate times at the Winter Olympics. Decker was a gold medal recipient in 2018, garnering silver medal honors in both 2014 and 2022.
Her decorated career didn’t end there, as Decker was a six-time IIHF champion, too. She represented the team on nine different occasions.
As a member of Team USA, Decker played in 147 games, tallying 81 goals and 89 assists in that time, good for 170 total points from 2007 to her final appearance in the Winter Olympics in 2022.
While splitting time between the CWHL and the NWHL, Decker made a name for herself with a major impact on the offensive side of the puck. She was a two-time NWHL Most Valuable Player in 2016 and 2017, in addition to being recognized as the Bob Allen Women’s Player of the Year in 2015 and 2017.
Decker began her career under the helm of head coach Mark Johnson, leading the Badgers to a NCAA Championship back in 2011 in her sophomore campaign.
Her time in Madison was well spent in four seasons of action, as Decker led the nation in goals (37) in her junior season before going on to be named the Western College Hockey Association Player of the Year and the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award Winner.
After a strong senior season, Decker departed from Madison as the current No. 2 all-time scorer in the program’s history with 115 goals, placed behind her former teammate in Hilary Knight (2008-2012), who finished with 143.
A native of Dousman, Wisconsin, Decker now serves as an associate head coach at Shattuck St. Mary’s, where she played her prep hockey. She’s also coached at the international level with the U.S. under-18 team, helping the Americans win gold at the 2020 IIHF Under-18 Women’s World Championship and silver at the 2019 and 2023 IIHF Under-18 Women’s World Championships.
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