Six Raiders Headed to IIHF Women’s World Championship

When the 2026 IIHF Women’s World Championship kicks off this week in Denmark, six past and present Raiders will be among the players to suit up for their respective nations.

The Colgate group features one member of the current team and five alumni. First-year forward and Prague native Linda Vocetkova ’30 will represent Czechia. 

Her Colgate teammate, Alexia Aubin ’28, nearly made the trip overseas, too. She received a last-minute invite to join Canada to replace an injured player. But she was called off a few days later and will join the Raiders on their upcoming road trip to Princeton and Quinnipiac.

Canada already includes forwards Jessie Eldridge ’19 and Danielle Serdachny ’23, plus goaltender Kayle Osborne ’24.

Eldridge, who was selected to Colgate’s Hall of Honor in October after a record-setting Raiders career, said she’s honored for the opportunity to don Canada’s red-and-white jersey. 

“It’s hard to put into words what it means to wear the maple leaf and represent a country where hockey is so deeply rooted in our culture,” she said. “It’s something I never take for granted.”

Meanwhile, Vocetkova will be playing side-by-side with a few former Raiders as well. Forwards Kristyna Kaltounkova ’24 and Noemi Neubauerova ’22, who have represented their homeland on numerous occasions, will play for Czechia again.

For Colgate, six representatives at the IIHF world tournament is a record. While Raiders have competed in the event before, there have never been more than two or three in the tournament at once.

In addition, the IIHF marks another major tournament where Raiders competed on the world stage. In February, four women’s hockey players (Kaltounkova, Neubauerova, Osborne, and Vocetkova) played in the Winter Olympics.

Such a large cohort at the IIHF is another sign of the strength and success of Colgate Women’s Hockey, said the program’s head coach, Stefan Decosse.

“We’ve always taken pride in being a program that puts development on the forefront of everything we do,” Decosse said. “And that’s not just the hockey player. It’s always about developing the person as a whole. For our program, we devote a lot of energy in providing that individualized development experience for our student-athletes, which we take great pride in.”

For the players, competing on the world stage with some of the best athletes in women’s hockey is a special opportunity, especially given the competition they faced when seeking a spot on the team.

Eldridge, Osborne, and Serdachny made Canada’s 25-member roster after a training camp that began with nearly twice as many players. They are part of a new-look Canadian team that is emphasizing youth as it seeks to take down Team USA, which won gold in the Olympics in Milano Cortina after defeating Canada in a nail-biting contest.

Eldridge said she’s excited about Canada’s new roster.

“There has been a lot of turnover within our roster, which has created an exciting opportunity for players to step into new roles and make their mark,” she said. “We’re a hungry group that is ready to embrace the challenge ahead.

“Although we haven’t had much time together, it’s been exciting to see how quickly this group has come together, both on and off the ice,” she said. “There’s a lot of energy, excitement, and belief within our team, and we’re looking forward to the opportunity to compete together on the world stage.”

Plus, Eldridge said she’s happy to find a few Raiders on the roster.

“It’s pretty special to share this experience with a couple of fellow Raiders,” she said. “I think it speaks volumes about the program Coach Greg Fargo built and the standard Coach Decosse continues to uphold and push forward. I’m incredibly proud to be a part of that program’s history, and I have no doubt there will be many more Raiders representing their countries on the world stage in the years to come.”

When Czechia takes on Austria to kick off the tournament on Friday, 19-year-old Vocetkova will be among the youngest to participate in the event. 

Decosse said he is proud of his young forward, who has two goals and one assist in eight games in her first season at Colgate. Both her goals were game-winners.

“It is an incredible achievement for Linda and one we’re excited about,” Decosse said. “It’s a testament to how she approaches the game on a day-to-day basis. She’s an everyday kid. She gives her best effort. She goes right at it and is an exceptional teammate. I’m so excited to watch her on the big screen.”

The tournament will run from Nov. 6 to Nov. 16 and will be played in Herning and Esbjerg, Denmark. Ten teams will compete. Canada and USA have finished either No. 1 or No. 2 at every tournament.

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