Italian women’s national team: the call-ups for the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympics

The Olympic dream of the Italian women’s national team is about to become reality: the Azzurri, for the second time after Turin 2006, will participate in the Winter Games, in the Milan Cortina 2026 edition. An edition to which the Italian girls arrive with the ambition, fortified by results, to take several satisfactions.

The technical staff, led by head coach Eric Bouchard, has announced the roster of the 23 summoned, a roster that closely follows the choices made in the past months full of official friendlies (four in August, two in November) before the long trips to Canada, between training and tests against university selections from the Montréal area. In the city of Québec, the Italian women’s national team worked long and hard over seven weeks (four in November and three in January) to arrive in the best possible condition to compete in this long-awaited home Olympics.

The list of summoned players follows almost completely the list of players selected for the last part of the gathering in Canada, and saw at the last the exclusions of defender Maddalena Bedont, committed with the National Under 18 team in the World Cup, and forward Samantha Gius.

In charge since October, the Azzurri’s technical commissioner Eric Bouchard takes stock ahead of the closing of the Montréal gathering and the return to Italy for the Games: “I am very satisfied, the last friendlies played left very good signs against teams that were ready to face us at their best. For us the challenge of the Olympics is encapsulated above all in being able to maintain our structure and offer a solid defensive game, so as to keep the quality of our ideas high even under pressure. The path has been positive and the group is continuing to raise the bar.”

The 34-year-old Canadian’s concepts of what kind of team Italy can and should be are also clear: “A team that reflects identity and can dominate the details. No one sees us as favorites? That’s fine, we don’t care. Playing full track, winning one-on-one battles, managing the puck: we start from here and the focus on every single change. I reiterate the importance of defensive structure, games of the Olympic level are won first and foremost in your own third, and that’s exactly what we are preparing for. We have always kept up the intensity of work to be physically ready, now I can say that this national team knows how to defend, knows how to suffer and also how to hit at the right time.”

Positive his indications on the aspect of pressure and mental load that the girls will have to handle in a unique context: “In this point of view I have noticed the most clear and important growth, the seven weeks in Canada have served. Today I can say that this team has overcome its challenge by showing maturity, resilience and great ability to help each other among female athletes. Surely there will be moments of distraction, but we should not forget that great results are achieved one step at a time. The pressure at the Olympics is real, but the pressure is also a privilege. The way this group has handled the mental aspect tells us that they understand what lies ahead and, more importantly, they are ready to face it together.”

Convocation

PORTERS
Gabriella Frances Durante (Real Torino)
Martina Fedel (University of Guelph/Canada)
Margherita Ostoni (Pinerolo Ghiaccio)

DEFENDERS
Laura Fortino (Real Torino)
Kristen Guerriero (EV Bozen 84 Eagles)
Laura Lobis (SV Kaltern-HC Caldaro)
Nadia Mattivi (Lulea HF/Sweden)
Jacqueline Pierri (EV Bozen 84 Eagles)
Franziska Stocker (Sodertalje/Sweden)
Amie Fielding Varano (Malmo Redhawks/Sweden)

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ATTACKERS
Aurora Enrica Abatangelo (Davos/Switzerland)
Eleonora Bonafini (EV Bozen 84 Eagles)
Anna Caumo (HC Pustertal Junior)
Kristin Della Rovere
Matilde Fantin (Penn State University/United States of America)
Manuela Heidenberger (HPK/Finland)
Sara Kaneppele (EV Bozen 84 Eagles)
Marta Mazzocchi (ASD Aosta Gladiators)
Greta Niccolai (Ambrì Piotta/Switzerland)
Justine Reyes (MoDo Hockey/Sweden)
Rebecca Roccella (Davos/Switzerland)
Carola Saletta (Fribourg/Switzerland)
Kayla Tutino (Real Torino)

RESERVE AT HOME
Defender: Maddalena Bedont (TPS/Finland). Striker: Samantha Gius (Langenthal Damen/Switzerland)