COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Plattsburgh native Kelley Steadman will help the U.S. Women's National Team chase its third straight world championship.
Steadman, 20, has been named to the team for the 2011 International Ice Hockey Federation World Women's Championship in Switzerland. She made it through a selection camp in Ann Arbor, Mich. last week, when the 30-player preliminary roster was whittled to 21.
The World Women's Championship starts Saturday and runs through April 25. Team USA, which is the top seed, opens play Sunday against Slovakia and will also play Russia and Sweden in the preliminary round.
The U.S. beat Canada to win the last two titles, in 2008 and 2009. Canada won the Olympic gold medal last year.
The U.S. and Canada split a pair of pre-tournament games last week in Ann Arbor.
Team USA includes 15 Olympians. Steadman, a junior at Mercyhurst, is one of 11 Division I college players on the squad. This is her first time making the National Team at the senior level. She played on the Under-18 team that won the World Women's U18 Championship in 2008.
Steadman skated for Lake Placid's Northwood School for three years before attending Mercyhurst.
The 5-foot-11 junior was sixth on the Lakers' scoring list with 29 points this season, including a career-high 17 goals. Mercyhurst finished 29-6. The Lakers, who went 16-0 in CHA play, won the conference tournament and then fell to Boston University in the NCAA quarterfinals.
Steadman is the first Mercyhurst player to make the U.S. Women's National Team.
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Championship
April 16-25
U.S.A Schedule
April 17 Slovakia 6 a.m.
April 18 Russia 10 a.m.
April 20 Sweden 2 p.m.
April 22 Quarterfinals TBA
April 23 Semifinals TBA
April 25 Bronze Medal Game 10 a.m.
Gold Medal Game 2 p.m.
