Nicole Hensley

{{Infobox ice hockey player

| image_size =

| caption = Hensley with PWHL Minnesota in 2024

| alt =

| image = Nicole Hensley.jpg

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1994|6|23}}

| birth_place = Littleton, Colorado, U.S.

| position = Goaltender

| catches = Left

| height_ft = 5

| height_in = 6

| weight_lb = 165

| league = PWHL

| team = Minnesota Frost

| former_teams = Lindenwood Lady Lions

| sex = f

| ntl_team = USA

| career_start = 2012

| career_end =

| medaltemplates =

}}

Nicole Hensley (born June 23, 1994) is an American professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Minnesota Frost of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) and a member of the United States women's national ice hockey team.

Playing career

=NWHL=

On June 12, 2018, Hensley signed a contract with the Buffalo Beauts of the National Women's Hockey League (NWHL).{{cite web |url=http://www.espn.com/espnw/sports/article/23785217/nwhl-buffalo-beauts-land-two-players-gold-medal-winning-team-usa |title=NWHL's Buffalo Beauts land two from gold-medal winning Team USA |publisher=ESPN |author=Marisa Ingemi |date=June 13, 2018 |access-date=August 3, 2018 |archive-date=August 15, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180815115152/http://www.espn.com/espnw/sports/article/23785217/nwhl-buffalo-beauts-land-two-players-gold-medal-winning-team-usa |url-status=live }} In her debut for the Beauts, Hensley earned a shutout win over Finnish Olympian Meeri Räisänen of the Connecticut Whale in a 4–0 final on October 7, 2018.{{cite web |url=https://www.nwhl.zone/news_article/show/956665 |title=Olympians Hensley and Räisänen Battle as Beauts Defeat Whale, 4-0 |website=NWHL.zone |author=Dan Rice |date=October 7, 2018 |access-date=October 10, 2018 |archive-date=October 10, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181010213530/https://www.nwhl.zone/news_article/show/956665 |url-status=dead }} In the 2019 NWHL All-Star Weekend, Hensley won the Chipwich Fastest Goalie competition.{{Cite web|last=Strollo|first=Leighann|date=2020-02-07|title=2020 NWHL All-Star Weekend Preview|url=https://www.theicegarden.com/2020/2/7/21123065/how-to-watch-2020-nwhl-all-star-game-weekend-preview-twitch-womens-hockey-boston|access-date=2020-06-17|website=The Ice Garden|language=en|archive-date=April 6, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200406112148/https://www.theicegarden.com/2020/2/7/21123065/how-to-watch-2020-nwhl-all-star-game-weekend-preview-twitch-womens-hockey-boston|url-status=live}}

= PWHPA =

Hensley was scheduled to be one of three goaltenders to play in the PWHPA Dream Gap tour stop in Tokyo, Japan, along with Kimberley Sass and Alex Cavalinni.{{Cite web|last=Jay|first=Michelle|date=2020-02-20|title=PWHPA to play Dream Gap Tour stop in Japan|url=https://www.theicegarden.com/2020/2/20/21145309/pwhpa-to-play-dream-gap-tour-stop-in-japan|access-date=2020-06-17|website=The Ice Garden|language=en|archive-date=November 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108075931/https://www.theicegarden.com/2020/2/20/21145309/pwhpa-to-play-dream-gap-tour-stop-in-japan|url-status=live}}

= PWHL =

On September 18, 2023, Hensley was selected in the 2nd round, 12th overall by PWHL Minnesota in the 2023 PWHL Draft, the first goaltender selected.

International play

File:NicoleHensley.jpg

Hensley was named one of three goaltenders to compete for the United States women's national ice hockey team at the 2016 IIHF Women's World Championship in Kamloops, British Columbia.{{cite web|url=http://www.usahockey.com/news_article/show/616277?referrer_id=752796|title=USWNT Roster Announced for 2016 Women's Worlds|publisher=USA Hockey|date=2016-02-24|accessdate=2016-03-01|archive-date=October 17, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171017094224/http://www.usahockey.com/news_article/show/616277?referrer_id=752796|url-status=live}} Hensley was also named to the 2017 team, where she was in net for a shutout against Canada in the preliminary rounds, started the quarterfinal against Germany, and played in Team USA's 3–2 OT win against Canada for the championship.{{Cite web|title=2017 IIHF Women's World Championship|url=https://teamusa.usahockey.com/page/show/2647605-2017-iihf-women-s-world-championship|access-date=2020-06-17|website=teamusa.usahockey.com|archive-date=June 17, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200617090415/https://teamusa.usahockey.com/page/show/2647605-2017-iihf-women-s-world-championship|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|last=Bevis|first=Hannah|date=2017-09-18|title=Women's Hockey Top 25 Under 25 {{!}} Number 12 - Nicole Hensley|url=https://www.theicegarden.com/2017/9/18/16322962/womens-hockey-top-25-under-25-number-12-nicole-hensley-team-usa|access-date=2020-06-17|website=The Ice Garden|language=en|archive-date=June 17, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200617060612/https://www.theicegarden.com/2017/9/18/16322962/womens-hockey-top-25-under-25-number-12-nicole-hensley-team-usa|url-status=live}}

She made the 2018 Olympic team, where the United States won the gold medal, earning a shutout win over the Russian team in her only appearance.{{cite web |url=https://stats.iihf.com/Hydra/436/IHW400A04_74_3_0.pdf |title=USA vs OAR game report |date=February 13, 2018 |access-date=October 10, 2018 |archive-date=February 15, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180215063247/http://reports.iihf.hockey/Hydra/436/IHW400A04_74_3_0.pdf |work=IIHF |url-status=live }}

Hensley was one of the goaltenders named to Team USA's rosters for the second half of the rivalry series between Team USA and Team Canada in 2019–2020.{{Cite web|last=Hockey|first=U. S. A.|date=2020-01-17|title=U.S. Roster Announced for Final Three Contests of 2019-20 Rivalry Series|url=https://teamusa.usahockey.com/news_article/show/1078512-u-s-roster-announced-for-final-three-contests-of-2019-20-rivalry-series-|access-date=2020-06-17|website=Team USA Hockey|language=en-us|archive-date=August 24, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220824160819/https://teamusa.usahockey.com/news_article/show/1078512-u-s-roster-announced-for-final-three-contests-of-2019-20-rivalry-series-|url-status=live}}

On January 2, 2022, Hensley was named to Team USA's roster to represent the United States at the 2022 Winter Olympics.{{cite web |url=https://www.iihf.com/en/events/2022/olympic-w/news/31457/u_s_women_with_13_returnees |title=U.S. women with 13 returnees |date=January 2, 2022 |access-date=January 2, 2022 |archive-date=January 17, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220117044818/https://www.iihf.com/en/events/2022/olympic-w/news/31457/u_s_women_with_13_returnees |work=IIHF |url-status=live }}

Career statistics

border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" width="90%" style="text-align:center"
bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff" \| ! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" \| ! colspan="5" \|
bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! Season ! Team ! League ! GP !! W !! L !! T !! MIN !! SVS !! GAA
bgcolor="#f0f0f0" \| 2012–13 \| Lindenwood Lady Lions \| NCAA \| 27	7	16	3	1597:16	1083	3.42
2013–14 \| Lindenwood Lady Lions \| NCAA \| 33	5	25	3	1864:16	1198	3.31
bgcolor="#f0f0f0" \| 2014–15 \| Lindenwood Lady Lions \| NCAA \| 30	10	17	2	1750:10	866	2.71
bgcolor= \| 2015–16 \| Lindenwood Lady Lions \| NCAA \| 32	8	20	4	1904:12	947	2.52
ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="3" \| NCAA Totals ! 122 !! 30 !! 78 !! 12 !! 7115:55 !! 4094 !! 2.98

Statistics source{{cite web|title=Nicole Hensley Career Stats|url=http://www.uscho.com/stats/player/wid,9505/nicole-hensley/|publisher=USCHO|accessdate=2016-03-02|archive-date=March 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304110752/http://www.uscho.com/stats/player/wid,9505/nicole-hensley/|url-status=live}}

Awards and honors

2014–15 All-CHA First Team{{cite web|url=http://www.chawomenshockey.com/news/2014-15_news/CHA_Regular_Season_Awards|title=2014–15 News, CHA Regular Season Awards|publisher=chawomenshockey.com|date=n.d.|accessdate=2016-03-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306105638/http://chawomenshockey.com/news/2014-15_news/cha_regular_season_awards|archive-date=2016-03-06|url-status=dead}}