Ava McNaughton felt she made the right decision in eighth grade to play hockey at Bishop Kearney in Irondequoit, N.Y. The Seven Fields native also felt the strain it put on her parents.
McNaughton, who was recently selected as a goaltender for the U.S. women’s hockey team, would be fully dedicated to pursuing her hockey dreams.
“My sister also went off to college the same year I went off to high school,” McNaughton said. “My parents became empty nesters. It was a tough decision. I was in eighth grade and I was still in Pine-Richland, it was a whirlwind of a year. It was hard at the beginning.”
Team USA will open up its Olympic campaign when it plays Czechia at 10:40 a.m. Feb. 5 at Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena.
The American team won the silver medal, losing 3-2 to Canada in the gold medal game at the 2022 Beijing games. Team USA and Canada have met in the last four gold medal games. The Canadians won in 2010 and 2014, while the Americans won their second goal medal in a shootout in 2018.
McNaughton’s decision to leave home put her on a path to playing collegiately at Wisconsin. Last season, McNaughton helped the Badgers win an NCAA championship as a sophomore. She was 36-1-2 with a .944 save percentage.
As a freshman, McNaughton appeared in 23 games, went 20-3 and recorded five shutouts. Wisconsin also reached the national championship game in 2024, but lost to Ohio State.
McNaughton said she isn’t a goalie who leans on flashy saves to build her resume. She prefers being in good spots to make saves.
“Consistency and calm,” said McNaughton on how she plays. “I’m a big goaltender compared to other goaltenders. I’m not going to get myself in a position where I have to make a flashy save. I prefer to be smooth and clean. I’m an athletic goaltender and can bail myself out if I have to.”
McNaughton won a gold medal with Team USA at the 2025 World Championships in Czechia. The Americans beat Team Canada, 4-3, in overtime to win the gold medal.
“Getting named to the senior team was the best surprise ever,” McNaughton said. “When I got the call to be on the team for the 2025 World Championships, I was in the academic center studying, the only reason I knew the team was picked was my (Wisconsin) teammate Kirsten Simms was talking about it. She ended up getting an email and when we were celebrating with her, I decided to check my email. I checked and it was in my inbox. It was the craziest day of my life.”
McNaughton is looking forward to her trip to Italy.
She’s hoping to soak in the experience.
“I’m looking forward to taking in the experience from the athletes’ perspective,” McNaughton said. “I grew up watching the Olympics with my family. It’s fun to see it from the other point of view.”
