By: Ben Hicks
God. Country. Notre Dame. These four words define the responsibilities of every Notre Dame student-athlete. But they are perhaps embodied to the fullest extent by the members of the Fighting Irish hockey program, in a tradition of service, excellence, and patriotism dating back over half a century to 1971.
Starting with Dick Tomasoni, a 1972 graduate of the University of Notre Dame, over 140 Irish hockey players, coaches, and staff have represented Notre Dame internationally. Competing under the flags of the United States, Canada, and Austria, these student-athletes have collected 32 gold medals, 14 silvers, and 19 bronzes while showcasing Notre Dame in 17 countries worldwide.
But before legendary head coach Jeff Jackson could coach the U.S. at Nagano 1998, or alumni John Wroblewski and Josh Sciba could guide the United States’ women’s team this winter in Milan, it was Tomasoni, representing Notre Dame halfway across the globe in March of 1971. A 5-foot-9 goaltender, Tomasoni helped lead the United States national team to 6th place at that year’s World Championships in Switzerland. More importantly, he set into motion the enduring, valiant tradition of Irish skaters donning the stars and stripes, continued today by Nick Kempf, Cole Knuble, and Danny Nelson.
Kempf, a sophomore goaltender from the Northern suburbs of Chicago, possesses depths of international experience. A 2024 draft choice of the Washington Capitals, Kempf was the only American netminder taken that year. His career began with a stop at the United States National Team Development Program (USNTDP) in Plymouth Township, Michigan, where he earned a silver medal for the U.S. at the 2024 U18 World Championships. “When I look back at that time, it really shaped me into not only the player, but also the person I am today,” said Kempf.
Having competed under the American flag both at home and abroad, Kempf recognizes the honor that comes with wearing red, white, and blue. “It’s super special wearing the colors of your country. You can’t take it for granted.”
This past December, Kempf was the primary goaltender for the United States U-20 squad competing at the World Junior Championships in St. Paul, Minnesota. Despite not medaling, Kempf stood out as one of the top netminders on the world stage, finishing the tournament 4th in goals against average and 5th in saves.
After traveling to Finland for that silver medal two years prior, Kempf relished the opportunity to play in front of 14,000 American supporters in the Twin Cities. “The support from the home fans was something I’ll never forget,” he noted. He continued by saying, “At USNTDP, it can kind of go over your head because you get to wear the [colors] everyday. So being able to do it again, especially on home soil, was an honor.”
Danny Nelson, a junior forward from Maple Grove, Minnesota, also came to South Bend a cherished recruit from the USNTDP. Over Notre Dame’s month-long hiatus from competition, Nelson headed abroad to compete internationally for the third straight winter. “It’s helped me know where my game is at and where I want to push it to, and just have a lot of confidence coming into the second half of the year,” he assessed of his consistent international service.
This December, a trip to Davos, Switzerland with the United States Collegiate Selects was on the docket. A career 32-goal scorer for the Irish, Nelson was named to a roster of just 25 collegians who would represent the United States in the Spengler Cup. The annual invitational, organized by a local Swiss professional club, is believed to be the oldest international tournament across the globe.
A captain for Notre Dame, Nelson helped the United States capture gold at last year’s World Juniors, before nearly guiding the country to its first Spengler Cup since 1988 this winter. Although accustomed to international competition, Nelson still understands its unique differences. “The intensity level and the care factor for everyone is extremely high because of what’s at stake,” he said.
There is no difference, however, between the pride he feels when stepping on the ice as an Irish captain, or as an American. “Anytime you represent something bigger than yourself, it’s a big, big honor and it comes with a lot of responsibility. It’s something I take a lot of pride in, no matter what I am representing with the logo on my chest.”
Junior forward Cole Knuble of Grand Rapids, Michigan was also among the select few named to the American Spengler Cup squad. Notre Dame’s leader in points and assists from a year ago, Knuble proved valuable to the high-powered American attack in Davos. Despite falling to the hosts in the gold medal match, Knuble’s playmaking ability landed him the assist on the Americans’ first period game-tying goal.
Similarly to Nelson, Knuble stressed the energy of the environment present in international play, saying, “The crowd is different. On the ice is different. It’s always a great atmosphere. It’s always loud.”
Knuble also expressed his appreciation for the support staff at Notre Dame. “Everyone here is so helpful on the ice and off the ice. The staff wants you to be the best player you can be,” he said. Their efforts don’t go unnoticed, and the international pride and tradition of Notre Dame hockey isn’t a responsibility solely reserved for the student-athletes. Both director of hockey operations Jessica Thibault and equipment manager Patrick Dooley joined Kempf on Team USA in the Gopher State last month.
Turning the page to Milan Cortina 2026, the Fighting Irish have two distinguished alumni scheming their way to Olympic immortality. The top-ranked United States women’s national team is led by 2003 graduate John Wroblewski, a 29-goal scorer who racked up over 60 points across his four years in the Blue and Gold. Josh Sciba, a 2007 graduate and teammate of current Irish head coach Brock Sheahan, is one of Wroblewski’s lead assistants. The pair have already claimed two golds and a pair of silvers since taking their posts in the spring of 2022.
The American women, who have medaled in every major tournament in their history, opened their Olympic campaign with a convincing 5-1 defeat of the Czech Republic on February 5, before authoring a 5-0 shutout of Finland on February 7. The Stars and Stripes take on Switzerland today at 2:40pm ET before battling Canada on Tuesday (2:10 pm ET) in the final match of the preliminary stage.
Although it would not be its first success on the global stage, bringing home an Olympic gold to shine bright under the Golden Dome would validate the impact Notre Dame has had on international hockey for more than 50 years. From Tomasoni to Wroblewski to Kempf, Irish skaters have enduringly handled the responsibility of representing both Country and Notre Dame.
Kempf’s final remarks assess it best. “It’s special to represent this school. The University means a lot to me. When you’re there, you’re representing USA Hockey, but you’re representing this place too.”
*photos courtesy of USA Hockey and US Collegiate Selects