Wisconsin alum Sarah Nurse breaks another barrier for women’s hockey

The first women’s hockey player to be on the cover of the Electronic Arts NHL video game series is from the University of Wisconsin.

Former Badgers star Sarah Nurse is one of the cover athletes for EA NHL 23 along with Trevor Zegras of the Anaheim Ducks.

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Nurse, who played for the Badgers from 2013 to 2017, set an Olympic record with 18 points as Canada won the gold medal in Beijing earlier this year. She’s a two-time Olympian who’s set to appear in her third World Championship starting Thursday.

She was the grand marshal of the Crazylegs Classic at UW-Madison in April, and she talked then about being a role model after becoming the first Black woman to win Olympic hockey gold.

“When you’re told that at 20, 22 years old, you kind of shy away from that a little bit,” Nurse said. “But I realize how impactful that is, especially for young girls and young girls who look like me who are growing up in the sports world and playing hockey, and how important role models and visibility and representation is. And so that’s something that I’ve been able to lean into, my teammates have been able to lean into to help inspire the next generation of women’s hockey players.”

Nurse is the third former Badgers player to appear on an EA Sports hockey cover. Mike Richter was featured on the 1993 game developed with the NHL Players Association, so his image from an NHL game was used without team logos.

And Dany Heatley was the original cover athlete for NHL 2004. EA, however, later replaced his image with that of Joe Sakic after Heatley was the driver in a high-speed car crash in September 2013 that killed Atlanta Thrashers teammate Dan Snyder.

NHL 23 is expected to be released in October. A full announcement of the cover athletes is scheduled for Thursday.

Learn about the 11 Wisconsin players in the Women’s World Championship Kristen Campbell, Canada

Kristen Campbell, a goalie who played at UW from 2017 to 2020, is making her first appearance at a World Championship. She was part of Canada’s gold medal-winning Olympic team in 2022.

KEITH SRAKOCIC, ASSOCIATED PRESS ARCHIVES Emily Clark, Canada

Emily Clark is playing in her sixth World Championship. A forward who played for the Badgers from 2014 to 2017 and 2018 to 2019, she has two Olympic medals — silver in 2018 and gold in 2022.

CHRIS SZAGOLA, ASSOCIATED PRESS ARCHIVES Jesse Compher, U.S.

Forward Jesse Compher, who’s joining the Badgers for the 2022-23 season after playing at Boston University from 2017 to 2021, is on the U.S. roster for the World Championship for the third time. She played in the 2022 Olympics.

PETR DAVID JOSEK, ASSOCIATED PRESS ARCHIVES Ann-Renée Desbiens, Canada

Goalie Ann-Renée Desbiens backed Canada’s run to the 2022 Olympic gold medal and is playing in her third World Championship. She played at UW from 2013 to 2017 and won the Patty Kazmaier Award in her senior season.

JESSICA HILL, ASSOCIATED PRESS ARCHIVES Lacey Eden, U.S.

Forward Lacey Eden is playing in her second World Championship; she earned silver in 2021. She joined the Badgers midway through the 2020-21 season and missed the 2021-22 season while in the USA Hockey Olympic residency program.

JOSHUA BESSEX, ASSOCIATED PRESS Caroline Harvey, U.S.

Caroline Harvey, who’s due to start her Badgers career this fall, is making her second World Championship appearance. The defender has silver medals from the 2021 event as well as the 2022 Olympics.

CHRIS SZAGOLA, ASSOCIATED PRESS ARCHIVES Hilary Knight, U.S.

Four-time Olympian Hilary Knight is on the U.S. roster for a World Championship for the 12th time. She scored the overtime goal that gave the Americans the gold medal in 2017. She played for the Badgers from 2007 to 2009 and 2010 to 2012, finishing as UW’s all-time leading scorer.

JOSHUA BESSEX, ASSOCIATED PRESS Meaghan Mikkelson, Canada

Defender Meaghan Mikkelson is playing in her third World Championship but first since 2017. She was part of Canada’s 2018 Olympic team but wasn’t selected for the 2022 roster while she returned from an injury. She played for the Badgers from 2003 to 2007.

FRANK FRANKLIN II, ASSOCIATED PRESS ARCHIVES Sarah Nurse, Canada

Sarah Nurse set an Olympic tournament record with 18 points as Canada won gold in 2022. A Badgers forward from 2013 to 2017, she is playing in her third World Championship.

PETR DAVID JOSEK, ASSOCIATED PRESS ARCHIVES Abby Roque, U.S.

Forward Abby Roque, a Badgers player from 2016 to 2022, is playing in the World Championship for the second time. She was selected for the 2020 tournament that was canceled because of the pandemic and won silver in 2021. She also was on the U.S. Olympic team that won silver in 2022.

PETR DAVID JOSEK, ASSOCIATED PRESS ARCHIVES Blayre Turnbull, Canada

Forward Blayre Turnbull, who skated for the Badgers from 2011 to 2015, is playing in her fifth World Championship and won gold in 2021. She broke her right leg in the team’s celebration and received her gold medal while on a stretcher. She returned to be part of her second Olympics in 2022.

JEFF ROBERSON, ASSOCIATED PRESS ARCHIVES

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