Joy Dunne looks ahead to competing in Winter Olympics

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Joy Dunne looks ahead to competing in Winter Olympics

Women's ice hockey player represents Team USA in Milan

Joy Dunne has scored countless goals in her lifetime. Yet no goal matches the one she's just accomplished: representing the United States as a member of the women's ice hockey team at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics.

"It's hard to put into words what it's like to achieve something I've been working towards for 16 years," said Dunne, a junior on The Ohio State University women's hockey team. "Even when I was 4, I was competitive, and if someone had told me what the Olympics were, I would have wanted it."

Dunne is one of five current women's hockey players heading to Milan in February, where they will join seven Ohio State alumni. A forward for Team USA, Dunne could face off against her teammates as they represent their home countries of Sweden and Finland.

"I can't wait to play against my teammates," Dunne said. "We already compete enough in practice that it will be very normal for us."

She also looks forward to some friendly banter with her teammates, or "throwing chirps" as it's known on the ice. "I know some of the girls are going to throw some chirps around, and it's going to be fun. That's what we want - we want to play hockey. We know we'll leave it all on the ice, and then we'll be friends again."

Dunne has established herself as a powerful athlete for the Buckeyes, scoring the winning goal in the 2024 NCAA National Collegiate Women's Ice Hockey Championship and setting program records for single-season points and game-winning goals. She also serves as an assistant team captain and is pursuing a degree in social work.

"My commitments as an Olympian and a student-athlete go hand in hand. As much as I want to prepare for the Olympics, I want to continue to be better as a Buckeye," Dunne said. "Ohio State has some of the best staff in the world, and having those resources makes my life so much easier to help train and focus."

As a first-time Olympian, Dunne hopes to take full advantage of every aspect of the experience.

"I'm just really excited to enjoy all the Olympics have to offer," Dunne said. "I want to soak it all in, do what's asked of me to win gold, and enjoy every moment that's given to me."

What she is most looking forward to, however, is connecting with athletes from around the world.

"I am so excited to meet people from all walks of life and to learn how they became an Olympian and what their goals are in life," Dunne said.

Fortunately, she was able to get a few tips from someone who's done it before. Dunne's older sister, Jincy, was also an Ohio State women's hockey player from 2015 to 2020, and she represented Team USA at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

"Her best advice is one of the most cliché: Have fun and play free," Dunne said. "Her biggest hope for me is just to enjoy it because that is something that's challenging when there's so much pressure."

Dunne has taken that message to heart. While she'd love to bring home a medal, her main goal is to bring her namesake spirit of fun and happiness to the ice.

"It really is an honor to represent your country, and I don't take that for granted," Dunne said. "What an opportunity to play on the big stage and play some of the best hockey. I'm choosing to look at it with a lot of joy."

In her Olympic debut on Feb. 5, Dunne scored a goal to contribute to Team USA's 5-1 win over Czechia.

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