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US women’s hockey trailblazer Abby Roque gives back to her roots

Abby Roque. (Bri Lewerke)

It’s an afternoon in June right around two months before her next competition. Abby Roque is back at her home following a trip to her hometown a month prior where she spent a few days visiting family and friends while also doing an event or two. She’s been on an incredible path that her hockey ability has set for her since she first put stick to ice, and there is plenty of cause for celebration right now.

She’s almost like the prodigal daughter when she returns, and the town is alive when she does. There’s always a new feat, a new plateau that she’s come to, and a heap of stories and adulation to accompany them. She’s coming home with a silver medal from the 2022 Beijing Olympic Games earned a few months back.

Abby (Ojibwe of the Wahnapitae First Nation) is the first Indigenous player to be named to the USA Women’s Hockey Team. Ever. Whatever she does now will be a first at this level. The story for this trip is that she broke through a glass ceiling.

Coming back with the medal makes Roque the most famous person from Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., at the moment. So famous that she was given the key to the city, which put her in some lofty company.

“I’m the third person to get the key to the city,” Roque says when asked about the key. “We did an event where kids could see me and talk to me, and I didn’t understand there was going to be a whole ceremony before. The two other people that got the key to the city were a guy from KISS and Jeff Blashill, the former coach of the Detroit Red Wings.

“I don’t know if I quite fit in here, but I’ll take it.”

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Abby Roque. (Bri Lewerke)

As much as she may think she’s not important enough to warrant a key, there’s plenty to suggest she’s the most inspiring of the three. She’s now in the very rarified space of trailblazer. That’s something most athletes never even think about.

Quite frankly, Abby didn’t either.

Growing up in the oldest city in Michigan, a small town directly south of the border from its Canadian twin city with the same name, Roque was immersed in her Indigenous culture from birth. She, like many of her friends, is Ojibwe of the Wahnapitae First Nation. With a large Native American population in the town, her culture could be seen and heard everywhere and was celebrated daily.

“My tribe is from outside of Sudbury, Ont., so there were two tribes 30 minutes from where my house was. And I always thought it was a common thing,” Roque says. “I’d go to school and every assembly we’d have a drum circle to start it off. I’d go to the rink that was owned by the reservation, and you’d go to pow wows there. It was such a common thing to be surrounded by other Indigenous people there that I didn’t think twice about my own roots. It was a great way to grow up.”

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Abby Roque. (Bri Lewerke)

Roque lived around the ice before she lived to be on it. From the time she was 2 years old, her family played on a backyard rink as soon as it was cold enough every year. That’s where she and her sister learned to skate.

“Both our girls started in figure skates. (Me and my wife) both wanted our girls to skate,” says Abby’s father, Jim. “We lived in Sault Ste. Marie and everyone skated and played hockey. Just like every other kid, she wanted to be a part of the group and skate. It was actually my sister that bought her the first pair of hockey skates for Christmas a couple of years after she got into skating.”

From that point on, it was, in Abby’s words, “game over.” The older she got, the more she wanted to play.

Without many local opportunities for girls’ hockey, Abby wound up playing on boys’ teams. Playing with the guys, she quickly learned to outwit her opponents in a way that mirrored her selfless personality. She learned to score, but she took particular pride in her passing and playmaking, skills that made her stand out.

Abby’s dad was the coach of the Lake Superior State men’s hockey team until Abby finished at Sault Area High School, which meant she was always around the rink. After school, and sometimes during school, the rink served as her second home. Just like the community she grew up in off the ice, the one she found on it welcomed her like family.

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Abby Roque. (Bri Lewerke)

After high school, Abby moved onto Wisconsin in 2016, and her world quickly turned upside down. After being around Indigenous people for most of her life, she suddenly found herself to be the only Indigenous person in the crowd.

“When I got to college, it was sad to see how little my teammates were exposed to Indigenous people or culture, but they were awesome about it,” she says. “They asked a million questions, and they were just interested. They were always really supportive.”

The transition to college life was relatively easy for Abby in just about every area except one: staying connected to her Indigenous roots. Adding to the challenge was her realization that she may not know as much of the culture as she wished she did. Being surrounded by it made it easier, but away at school, she needed to find a way to stay connected. Abby found solace in learning about her own Native American background and a new way to honor her culture.

“Obviously, I grew up around the culture a lot,” Abby says. “I think when I got (to university), my thing to be connected was to just learn. That’s when I started to research more, read different texts, and I think that’s what connected me to my roots. I think that’s what kept me grounded.”

With that mindset, Abby went on to become one of the best players to ever take the ice at Wisconsin. The forward capped her incredible college career in 2020 as the WCHA Conference Player of the Year, a First Team All-American honoree and the USCHO Player of the Year. She finished in the top 10 in Wisconsin program history for career points (ninth), assists (seventh), game-winning goals (eighth), power play goals (seventh) and plus/minus (seventh).

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Abby Roque. (Bri Lewerke)

Abby’s college career put her firmly on the radar of the U.S. women’s national team, and after a few attempts to make the team, including a canceled IIHF Women’s World Championship in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Abby finally made her national team debut this year at the Olympics under a bright microscope. In Beijing, she tallied two assists and had a goal in the 4-1 win over Finland for her first three points for the Red, White and Blue. As a rookie on this big stage, she played like a vet.

Being the first anything in anything usually comes with fanfare, and Abby’s experience has been no exception. She’s being celebrated by tribes across the country as the first Indigenous player on the U.S. women’s national hockey team. When she speaks at events she’s greeted by people excited about her and what she’s doing for the community.

She’s taking the moments in stride, knowing firsthand what it’s like to be on the ice and not see many — if any — people with her cultural background across the line outside of her community. She knows that she’s helping to blaze a trail for Indigenous people, and for any minority hockey players who can see themselves in her.

“If you ask any athlete where they’re more comfortable, (it’s their) discipline — I’m obviously more comfortable on the ice. When you feel that pressure there, it’s just because you want to win. Off the ice, there’s a lot of responsibility like doing interviews, doing speaking engagements, doing camps and all these different things,” Abby says. “You do want to do it because you want to be a visible role model to kids all over. I don’t think I like public speaking, but it’s something I know I have to do so that these kids see me.

“You just don’t want to disappoint people in any way. There’s definitely pressure, but it’s a great pressure to have, and it’s a responsibility I’m more than happy to do if it leads more kids to play.”

When Abby recalls an event she’s spoken at or a moment she’s interacted with kids for autographs and photos, she seems genuinely surprised that she’s worthy of their attention. She didn’t envision herself in this role, but now that she has the platform to inspire the types of communities she grew up in, she’s dedicated herself fully to the cause.

For one, Abby is working to make hockey more affordable for families like hers. When she was young, she and her teams would fundraise to help offset the sizable costs of playing hockey. She and her family welcomed countless people to their backyard rink to play, an experience that instilled selflessness and generosity in her.

For Abby, who would rather have the game-winning assist than the game-winning goal, giving back in this way would be her biggest assist to date.

As a Nike N7 ambassador, Abby’s insight and voice is a guide to celebrating the future generations and elevating the power of youth in her community. The Nike N7 Fund was created to connect Native American and Indigenous youth to become more involved in sports and has awarded more than $8 million in grants administered by the Charities Aid Foundation of America to more than 270 communities and organizations since 2009.

Currently, Abby is in Minnesota training with her Olympic teammates ahead of the IIHF World Championships in August. Six days a week, she goes through training sessions; in between, she looks forward to being on a boat and spending time with good company, just like she once did back home on Lake Superior.

At 24 years old, Abby has the aura of an ordinary person, but she also has the uncanny ability to make everyone around her better. Inspiration unlocks the door, and she’s got the key, one for everybody. That’s always cause for celebration.

Ray Bala is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports based in Toronto, Canada.

2025 WNBA Season Tips Off with Action-Packed Friday Lineup

The Golden State Valkyries and LA Sparks tip off a 2025 WNBA preseason game.
The Valkyries play their first-ever official league game in Friday's 2025 WNBA season tip-off. (Supriya Limaye/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

The 2025 WNBA season is finally here, with Friday's official tip-off leading an opening weekend full of tough competition and simmering storylines.

The reigning champion New York Liberty enter as odds-on favorites, but results are nearly impossible to predict after a very active offseason across the league.

This weekend's slate features new builds, regional rivalries, and plenty of fresh faces as top 2025 draft picks log their first pro minutes.

  • Minnesota Lynx vs. Dallas Wings, Friday at 7:30 PM ET (ION): This year's No. 1 draft pick Paige Bueckers makes her official WNBA debut as revamped Dallas tests itself against a Minnesota team still stinging over last year's title loss.
  • Los Angeles Sparks vs. Golden State Valkyries, Friday at 10 PM ET (ION): The Valkyries play their first-ever regular-season game, looking to form an identity against downstate rivals LA, led by new Sparks addition Kelsey Plum.
  • Las Vegas Aces vs. New York Liberty, Saturday at 1 PM ET (ABC): The 2023 champs meet the 2024 title-winners in a heavyweight clash that sees 2024 MVP A'ja Wilson take on a confident New York team led by guard Sabrina Ionescu.
  • Chicago Sky vs. Indiana Fever, Saturday at 3 PM ET (ABC): Last year's rookie headliners Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese meet again in Indiana, with the regional rivals relying on both incoming vets and young cores to write their next chapters.

Packed with great matchups, this weekend is the ideal tip-off for a 2025 season that promises to be a wild ride — no matter which WNBA team you follow.

No. 1 Kansas City Faces No. 2 Orlando in Top-Table NWSL Weekend Match

Orlando's Marta dribbles the ball past Kansas City's Nichelle Prince during the 2024 NWSL semifinals.
Orlando ousted Kansas City in the 2024 NWSL semifinals. (Dustin Markland/Getty Images)

The NWSL is back in action this weekend with a top-table match, a bicoastal battle, and some middle-of-the-pack clashes as the 2025 season enters its ninth matchday.

Parity is riding high these days, with just three points dividing the No. 1 Kansas City Current and No. 3 Washington Spirit in the NWSL standings — while only three more separate the No. 4 San Diego Wave from the No. 8 Seattle Reign.

With competition remaining tough as nails, don't expect much more daylight between teams following this weekend's tense lineup:

  • No. 7 Gotham FC vs. No. 4 San Diego Wave, Friday at 7:30 PM ET (NWSL+): Coming off a two-game winless streak, Gotham is still searching for consistency as they take on a confident San Diego side that hasn't lost in four games.
  • No. 9 Racing Louisville vs. No. 8 Seattle Reign, Friday at 7:30 PM ET (NWSL+): All tied up with 11 points each, Seattle will look to hold off Louisville as Racing continues to hunt the club's first-ever playoff berth.
  • No. 2 Orlando Pride vs. No. 1 Kansas City Current, Friday at 8 PM ET (Prime): There's little love lost between these NWSL titans, as the reigning champion Pride takes on hosting duties in an attempt to leapfrog current top-dog Kansas City in Friday's marquee match.

In a season dominated by topsy-turvy results, the pressure to secure points week-over-week weighs heaviest on the teams who know they have the talent to rise above the rest.

Esther Extends Gotham Contract Amid MVP-Quality NWSL Season

Gotham forward Esther celebrates a goal during a 2025 NWSL match.
Gotham FC's Esther currently leads the 2025 NWSL Golden Boot race. (Hannah Foslien/NWSL via Getty Images)

This season's NWSL Golden Boot leader Esther González is sticking with Gotham, with the Spanish international extending her contract with the NJ/NY club through 2027.

After helping Gotham to a first-ever NWSL championship in 2023, González earned the league's Best XI Second Team honors last year before launching a red-hot campaign this season.

The 2023 World Cup winner has tallied seven goals in nine games for Gotham in 2025, showcasing a blistering rush of form that has her sitting two goals ahead of the next Golden Boot race contender.

"Above all, it's about how I've felt during these two and a half years with Gotham FC," González said in Thursday's team announcement. "Continuing to be happy both on and off the field is really important. To keep enjoying myself and representing Gotham's colors, which I truly identify with, is something really incredible."

Gotham's continued investment underlines the 32-year-old's case for 2025 MVP candidacy, as award frontrunners start to emerge one-third of the way through the 2025 NWSL season.

González leads the NWSL in shots on target while sitting fourth in expected goals per 90 minutes, with her scoring outpacing many of her peers.

Other players crafting strong 2025 NWSL MVP resumes include Kansas City's 2024 MVP Temwa Chawinga and comeback star Debinha, Angel City wunderkind Alyssa Thompson, and Orlando sharpshooter Barbra Banda.

FA Cup Finalist Chelsea FC Heads to Wembley with Historic Treble in Sight

Chelsea defender Lucy Bronze heads the game-winning goal past Manchester United goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce in a 2025 WSL match.
Chelsea will aim for the domestic treble in Sunday's 2025 FA Cup final. (Molly Darlington - The FA/The FA via Getty Images)

Following a dominant 2024/25 campaign, Chelsea FC will look to cap their historic run by completing a domestic treble on Sunday, when they'll battle Manchester United for a third season trophy in the 2025 FA Cup final.

After securing the 2024/25 League Cup in March amidst an unbeaten run to a sixth-straight WSL title, the Blues will close out their season against the league's third-place finishers, the Red Devils, in London's iconic Wembley Stadium.

Should Chelsea secure the 2025 FA Cup, they will add a second domestic treble to their resume after clinching their first trio of trophies in the 2020/21 season. This time, however, they could do so in undefeated fashion.

"We are in a really good place, just the fact that we won the league being unbeaten," said first-year Blues manager Sonia Bompastor. "To end the season with an FA Cup final at Wembley against Man United is maybe the perfect way to end the season."

The 2023/24 Manchester United team and staff celebrate their first-ever FA Cup championship.
Manchester United seeks to defend their 2024 FA Cup title. (Visionhaus/Getty Images)

Manchester United hunts second straight FA Cup trophy

Standing between Chelsea and the treble are 2024 FA Cup champions Manchester United, who will take aim at their only trophy of the season partly behind the play of 2024/25 WSL Golden Glove winner and USWNT goalkeeper prospect Phallon Tullis-Joyce.

Man United enter as the game's undisputed underdogs, having dropped both their WSL regular-season matches against Chelsea in narrow 1-0 defeats.

Even more, the Red Devils must overcome a particular tough stretch of play, facing more than a month without a victory on their schedule.

Man United's last win was their 2-0 FA Cup semifinal victory over Manchester City on April 13th, with the Red Devils suffering a pair of losses and recording two draws to close out WSL play.

That said, United has experience downing the Blues on the FA Cup stage, ousting Chelsea from last year's semifinals en route to a club-first FA title.

Remarking that Manchester United "are a really strong team," Bompastor pointed out that the Red Devils "don't concede a lot of goals, and we need to remember that."

"You only get the trophy if you win, so we need to make sure going into the game we have the best preparation and we perform on the day."

How to watch Chelsea play Manchester United at the FA Cup final

The 2025 FA Cup final between Chelsea FC and Manchester United will kick off at 8:30 AM ET on Sunday.

Live coverage of the match will begin at 8:20 AM ET on ESPN+.

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