Natalie Darwitz - Career Biography

Career Biography

Darwitz began skating at the age of five, and now at 25 is a veteran of ten years on the US National Team. Over the past seven years, she has competed in two Olympics (including leading the ’02 Olympics in goal scoring and the ’06 games with the game-winning assist in the bronze-medal game. In three years of NCAA Hockey at her alma mater, Minnesota, she won back-to-back national championships, scored the championship goal in her final game with 1:08 to go versus Harvard (4-3), won the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Women's Ice Hockey Championship Frozen Four, was named US Women’s Player of the Year) and competed in an additional three IIHF Women's World Championship (gold in 2005 & 2008).

At the ’08 Worlds, Darwitz led the tournament in scoring and was named the Best Forward in the World by the International Ice Hockey Federation. Additionally, Darwitz was awarded the Bob Johnson Award by USA Hockey as the best male or female player representing the United States in international play. The award is named after the late coach "Badger" Bob Johnson.

She helped the USA Women's Team in Vancouver win the Silver medal, while acting as a guiding hand and voice for the sport. At home in Minnesota, Darwitz has coached women’s ice hockey at her alma mater, Eagan High School, where she was an assistant coach with her father (Scott) helping guide Eagan to the Minnesota HSH State Championship Tournament for the first time in 4 years during the 2007-08 campaign in her first year on the job.

In August ‘08, Darwitz was named Assistant Coach of her alma mater, the University of Minnesota, Golden Gopher Women's ice hockey team and has balanced her time as a member of the US National Team. She is based in Blaine, MN (a suburb of Minneapolis-St Paul). At the conclusion of the 08-09 NCAA campaign, Darwitz returned as a full-time member of the US National Team and be strictly devoted to the 2010 Games.

Currently, Darwitz has an equipment deal with Easton Hockey and a jewelry deal with Energy Muse. In 2008, she became a blogger for the Minneapolis StarTribune.

In May 2009, Darwitz was a featured athlete at the NBC/USOC promotional shoot for the Olympics.

Darwitz retired her position as Assistant Coach at the University of Minnesota. On August 2 of 2011, she announced her new position as the Head Coach of the Lakeville South High School Girl's ice hockey team. Head Coach Darwitz and the Lakeville South Cougars finished the 2011/2012 season with an impressive record of 21-1-6. Darwitz returned to the Lakeville South Cougars for the 2012/2013 season with her father, Scott Darwitz, by her side as the new Assistant Coach. The Lakeville South Cougars ended the 2012/2013 season with a record of 16-2-9.