MANKATO, Minn. – USA Hockey has announced Minnesota State senior defenseman Anna Wilgren as an addition to the residency roster for the U.S. Women's National Team in preparation for the Olympic Winter Games.

The 2021-22 U.S. Women's National Team Residency Program begins October 2021 at the Super Rink in Blaine, Minn. The Residency Program is a key component of USA Hockey's efforts in preparing athletes for the 2022 Olympic Winter Games through centralizing a group of players to train and play together in the months leading up to the Games, which are set for Feb. 4-20, 2022, in Beijing, China.

A total of 28 players have been invited to the U.S. residency program in Blaine where they will train together beginning in October in the lead-up to the 2022 Olympic Winter Games. Of the 28-player resident list, Wilgren is one of 12 players seeking to make their first Olympic Team.

In addition to training, the U.S. will play a number of games and scrimmages to assist in Olympic preparations, including international competitions part of the My Why Tour, presented by Toyota, which kicks off later this month with matchups against Canada in Allentown, Pennsylvania, on Oct. 22, and Hartford, Connecticut, on Oct. 25. Additional games will be announced in the coming weeks. Ultimately, 23 athletes will be selected for the final 2022 Olympic Winter Games roster, which is expected to be announced in late December or early January.

A native of Hudson, Wis., Wilgren suited up for 16 games last season and led Maverick defensive shooting with 40 shots from the blueline. The MSU captain finished the season fourth in conference and eighth in NCAA shot-blocking with 38 blocks. The Maverick captain leads active defenseman in career scoring with 11-30--41 and 256 blocks in 88 games over three seasons. Wilgren used last season to move from fourth to third on MSU's all-time defensive scoring list when she passed Anna Keys (39 points from 2014-18). She now stands nine points behind the leader, Emilia Andersson (50 points from 2008-13), for the most points scored by a Maverick defenseman in program history.

Wilgren attends the residency program in hopes of making Minnesota State women's hockey history as the program's third Olympian, by joining the company of Nina Tikkinen (2007-11) and Emilia Andersson (2008-13). Tikkinen skated with the Finnish National team during the 2010 and 2014 Winter Games while Andersson was a member of the Swedish National Team during the 2010, 2014 and 2018 Winter Olympics.

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