Tessa Janecke Olympic review

Tessa Janecke, captain of the Penn State women’s hockey team, is an Olympic gold medalist. She was a part of Team USA’s third gold medal in its eighth Winter Olympics.

She adds to her IIHF world championship medal collection, which includes two golds from 2023 and 2025 and a silver from 2024. She was also a part of the US Rivalry Series team that swept Canada this year, outscoring them 24-7.

Janecke recorded five assists through her seven games. She ranked fourth on Team USA in assists and sixth among all players.

Her first two assists came in Team USA’s first game, a 5-1 win against Czechia. She had the only assist on Joy Dunne’s goal in the second period, helping the USA take the 2-0 lead. Just over a minute later, she picked up her second, once again the sole helper on Hayley Scamurra’s goal.

Next up was the 5-0 stomping of Team Canada. Already experienced against the Canadian team, Janecke recorded her third point of the tournament with a primary assist on Kirsten Simms’ goal in the second period.

The fourth assist came in the second period once again, this time against host Team Italy. She, along with eventual golden goal scorer Megan Keller, set Laila Edwards up for the score to put the USA up 4-0. They went on to win 6-0, advancing to the semifinals.

Janecke’s fifth and final point of her first Olympic Games was in the semifinal 5-0 win over Sweden, and fellow Penn Stater Nicole Hall. She helped seal the victory and send Team USA to the gold medal game, assisting Scamurra once again on the fifth US goal.

She returns to State College with a gold medal around her neck, preparing to help the Nittany Lions as they begin the AHA playoffs.

Janecke is no stranger to Team USA rosters, with the Winter Olympics being her 12th appearance representing the US.

She was first named to a Team USA roster in 2022, breaking through with the Collegiae Series. That same year, she participated in the IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship, racking up six points in three games. She also played in two games of the 2022-23 Rivalry Series.

In 2023, she competed for the US in the IIHF Women’s World Championship, recording six points in seven games. She returned to the Rivalry Series once again, competing in four games in the 4-3 series loss.

She participated in the World Championship and Collegiate Series again in 2024. Janecke also participated in the 2024-2025 and 2025 Rivalry Series, making it four straight.

Rounding out her Team USA career so far, she played in the 2024 Six Nations Tournament and returned to the World Championships for her third tournament in 2025. She scored the gold-medal goal in overtime against Canada at her second World Championship.

Janecke has 46 points for Team USA in her four-year stint so far. She will likely continue her representation in the years to come, predicted to be a top-five pick in the upcoming PWHL draft.

Jenny Karamus is a first-year student majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact her, email jrk6308@psu.edu.