Local woman to skate in Olympics

PALMER — Former Palmer High School standout Kerry Weiland made hockey history Thursday, becoming just the second Alaska player to be named to the U.S. Olympic women’s team.

The blueliner will also be the first Mat-Su Valley hockey player to skate for Team USA in the Olympics, when the winter games begin in February in Vancouver.

Goalie Pam Dreyer, of Eagle River, became the first Alaska player to take the Olympic ice for Team USA when she played during the 2006 winter games.

Weiland also made history as a prep player at Palmer. As a member of the PHS boys’ team, Weiland became the first girl in Alaska hockey history to earn first-team all-region honors. Weiland captained the Moose during her senior year and garnered numerous awards during her high school career, including being named Palmer’s most inspirational player after each of her first three seasons at Palmer.

After graduating from Palmer High, Weiland made the move to the University of Wisconsin, where she emerged as a women’s hockey standout at the Division I level.

Weiland led the nation in scoring among defensemen as a sophomore and was named an All-American twice during her stay in Madison, Wisc.

The 29-year-old is a four-time member of the U.S. Women’s National Team for the International Ice Hockey Federation World Women’s Championship, according to her Team USA bio.

She’s won gold once and silver twice.

Weiland has also played in the Canadian Women’s Hockey League, the National Women’s Hockey League and in Switzerland since graduating from college.