IIHF Hall Of Fame Induction 2024
Natalie DARWITZ
Player
Born Eagan, Minnesota, United States, October 13, 1983
Natalie Darwitz was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2024 as a Player. Since she was unable to attend the ceremony due to scheduling conflicts, she was represented by her former youth coach and teacher Merlin Ravndalen.
photo: © International Ice Hockey Federation / Andrea Cardin
It was a quarter century ago that Natalie Darwitz made her debut with the U.S. women’s national team at the Women’s World Championship. That alone isn’t significant, but when you do the math and realize she was born in 1983, that makes her 15 years old when she stepped onto the ice for the first time in Espoo, Finland, on March 8, 1999.
Playing alongside legends like Cammi Granato, Karen Bye (-Dietz), and Angela Ruggiero, Darwitz was part of a group that at first struggled to beat Canada in the gold-medal games and then overcame disappointment to win WW gold for the first time in 2005. But between her debut and that gold was much success at the NCAA level for Darwitz.
It wasn’t until 2002 that she graduated from high school and joined the Minnesota Golden Gophers, where she immediately elevated the university program and made the team a contender. As a freshman, she led her team with 68 points in only 33 games, and after a second year averaging better than two points a game again, she set an NCAA record with a staggering 114 points in 40 games. Her last two seasons also saw the Gophers win the national championship, and Darwitz herself was the hero in 2005, scoring the winning goal in the Frozen Four finals to give the team a 4-3 win over Harvard. During all three seasons with the Gophers, Darwitz was a finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award.
Through these years, Darwitz continued to play at the Women’s Worlds, and she also played at the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake and again in 2006, in Turin. But the Americans couldn’t reach the top yet, losing to Canada each year. That changed in 2005, however, when the North Americans played one of the most dramatic games in their long and storied rivalry.
The game was scoreless through 60 minutes and another 20 minutes of overtime, sending the teams to a shootout. Canada’s Sarah Vaillancourt scored on the first shot, but Darwitz responded with a goal for the Americans. Chanda Gunn was perfect the rest of the way for the U.S. while Ruggiero and Krissy Wendell added goals to give the Americans their first Women’s Worlds gold.
Playing alongside legends like Cammi Granato, Karen Bye (-Dietz), and Angela Ruggiero, Darwitz was part of a group that at first struggled to beat Canada in the gold-medal games and then overcame disappointment to win WW gold for the first time in 2005. But between her debut and that gold was much success at the NCAA level for Darwitz.
It wasn’t until 2002 that she graduated from high school and joined the Minnesota Golden Gophers, where she immediately elevated the university program and made the team a contender. As a freshman, she led her team with 68 points in only 33 games, and after a second year averaging better than two points a game again, she set an NCAA record with a staggering 114 points in 40 games. Her last two seasons also saw the Gophers win the national championship, and Darwitz herself was the hero in 2005, scoring the winning goal in the Frozen Four finals to give the team a 4-3 win over Harvard. During all three seasons with the Gophers, Darwitz was a finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award.
Through these years, Darwitz continued to play at the Women’s Worlds, and she also played at the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake and again in 2006, in Turin. But the Americans couldn’t reach the top yet, losing to Canada each year. That changed in 2005, however, when the North Americans played one of the most dramatic games in their long and storied rivalry.
The game was scoreless through 60 minutes and another 20 minutes of overtime, sending the teams to a shootout. Canada’s Sarah Vaillancourt scored on the first shot, but Darwitz responded with a goal for the Americans. Chanda Gunn was perfect the rest of the way for the U.S. while Ruggiero and Krissy Wendell added goals to give the Americans their first Women’s Worlds gold.
Natalie Darwitz was named IIHF Directorate Best Forward at the 2008 Women’s World Championship.
photo: © International Ice Hockey Federation
Incredibly, that 2005 U.S. team featured four players who had just won the NCAA championship with Minnesota—Darwitz, Kelly Stephens, Krissy Wendell, and Lyndsay Wall.
Darwitz was still only 22 years old by this time, and she was just getting started. Although the team suffered a heart-breaking loss in Turin in the semi-finals, Darwitz assumed the team’s captaincy to start the 2008 season, which saw her at the very height of her powers. She scored two goals in the gold-medal final against Canada, including the game winner, and was named Best Forward by the IIHF Directorate after leading the tournament in goals (six) and points (ten).
In 2009, Darwitz was again in command as the Americans beat Canada, 4-1, for a third WW gold. Her final tournament wearing U.S. colours came at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, which added another silver medal to her collection.
In addition to her eleven years with the national team, Darwitz also played at ten 3/4 Nations Cup tournaments for the U.S., winning gold in 2003 and 2008. She also played parts of two seasons with the Minnesota Whitecaps (2006-08) and later became active as a coach, first at the high school level and more recently university, including her alma mater, Minnesota. Last year, Darwitz was named general manager of Minnesota’s team in the new PWHL.
Darwitz was still only 22 years old by this time, and she was just getting started. Although the team suffered a heart-breaking loss in Turin in the semi-finals, Darwitz assumed the team’s captaincy to start the 2008 season, which saw her at the very height of her powers. She scored two goals in the gold-medal final against Canada, including the game winner, and was named Best Forward by the IIHF Directorate after leading the tournament in goals (six) and points (ten).
In 2009, Darwitz was again in command as the Americans beat Canada, 4-1, for a third WW gold. Her final tournament wearing U.S. colours came at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, which added another silver medal to her collection.
In addition to her eleven years with the national team, Darwitz also played at ten 3/4 Nations Cup tournaments for the U.S., winning gold in 2003 and 2008. She also played parts of two seasons with the Minnesota Whitecaps (2006-08) and later became active as a coach, first at the high school level and more recently university, including her alma mater, Minnesota. Last year, Darwitz was named general manager of Minnesota’s team in the new PWHL.
