2026 Olympic Women’s Hockey Preview: Switzerland

We’re just days away from the start of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina, Italy, and today we’re looking at a country that’s looking to get back on the podium in women’s hockey: Switzerland. 

Since qualifying for the Olympics in 2006, the Swiss have achieved marginal success, earning a bronze medal in 2014 and finishing in the top five in four of their five Olympic appearances. 

With a number of returning players and a wide array of young talent in the North American college system, Switzerland hopes to take a major step forward and compete for a medal in 2026. 

LOOKING BACK TO 2022

The Swiss struggled in the preliminary round, sharing a group with the likes of Canada, the U.S., Finland and Russia, losing three out of four games in regulation and being outscored by a combined total of 27-6. 

However, Switzerland got its revenge against the Russians in the quarterfinals, defeating them 4-2. The Swiss would lose 10-3 to the Canadians in the semifinals, then drop a 4-0 decision to the Finns in the bronze medal game, leaving the tournament with a fourth-place finish. 

Since then, the team has finished fourth or fifth at the last four World Championships. They enter the Olympics ranked fifth in the IIHF standings. 

OFFENSE

Switzerland has just one PWHL athlete up front with Boston Fleet forward Alina Muller leading the charge. Her first two seasons with the Fleet were productive, averaging more than half a point per game, and in 2025-26, she has two goals and seven assists for nine points.

Muller was part of the country’s bronze-medal group in 2014, as was Lara Stalder, who is tearing it up in the Swiss league with EV Zug this season, recording 21 goals and 32 assists for 53 points in 27 games. In Beijing in 2022, Stalder finished with five goals and four assists for nine points, helping the Swiss reach the bronze-medal game. 

Ivana Wey is making her Olympic debut, and she’s been an offensive dynamo in the Swiss league. Across three seasons in the A division, she’s recorded 43 goals and 48 assists for 91 points in just 64 games. While she only has one goal in 10 career World Championship contests, expect her to take a step forward in Italy. 

DEFENSE

Nicole Vallario made her Olympic debut in 2022 and has been part of the senior national team since 2019. While the New York Sirens’ defender has only played two career PWHL games, as she was originally a reserve player, she’s also spent time with EV Zug this season, where she’s been a very reliable two-way defender. She also had a strong college career with the University of St. Thomas, where she recorded 14 goals and 36 points in 123 NCAA games. 

Laura Zimmermann returns for her second Olympic Games, as she’s been a staple on the national team since 2021. She’s currently in her third NCAA season with St. Cloud State, where she has seven goals and 13 points in 26 games, on pace to break her previous career highs. 

Stefanie Wetli and Shannon Sigrist are returning for their fourth Olympic Games, while Laure Meriguet and Annic Buchi, as well as NCAA standouts Alessia Baechler and Naemi Herzig, are making their Olympic debuts. 

GOALTENDING

Switzerland will be led by Andrea Brandli in net, who right now is arguably the best goaltender in Sweden’s top domestic league with Frolunda HC. She’s posted a 15-5-0 record with a .944 save percentage (SV%) and a goals against average a shade over 1.50. She didn’t dress for the Swiss in PyeongChang 2018, but she made her on-ice debut in Beijing 2022, going 2-5-0 with an .883 SV%. 

If the Swiss are going to earn wins in the preliminary round, Brandli will be the coal that makes their train roll. They will be in tough with games against Canada and the U.S., but they open the tournament against the Czechs and close out the opening round with Finland, which gives them two chances to earn points and set up a favorable matchup in the quarterfinals. 

COACHING

This will be the second time Colin Muller leads Switzerland into the Olympics, as the 62-year-old has been part of both the Swiss men’s and women’s national programs since 2011. He led the women’s group to the medal round at the World Championships between 2021 and 2023, as well as in Beijing 2022. 

Muller, who was born in Toronto but played professionally in Switzerland in the ‘80s and ‘90s, has also served as head coach of the Swiss men’s Under-20 squad, as well as an assistant for the men’s national squad. He helped them earn a silver medal at the 2013 World Championships. 

BURNING QUESTION

Can the Swiss break its medal drought?

It’s been 12 years since Switzerland earned an Olympic medal in women’s hockey, and they will be in tough to break that drought in Milan-Cortina. While a number of their players are Olympic veterans and have played on the biggest stage several times, this year’s group has an infusion of youth.

As mentioned earlier, if the Swiss can earn points against Czechia and Finland, or somehow pull off a miracle against one of Canada or the U.S., they will set themselves up nicely with an easier quarter-final matchup and a potential medal game. With that being said, both the Czechs and Finns have taken steps forward with their programs, particularly the Czechs, and there may not be enough space in the top four for Switzerland to break through. 

PREDICTION

With a number of players making their Olympic debuts, the pressure of facing off against the best in the world might be too much for Switzerland to bear, and the increased talent pool for other Group A countries could leave them on the outside looking in. 

It wouldn’t surprise me if they wind up competing for a bronze medal, but a quarter-final exit may be more likely.

FULL ROSTER

Forwards

Leoni Balzer (HC Davos, SWHL A)
Rahel Enzler (EV Zug, SWHL A)
Naemi Herzig (Holy Cross, NCAA)
Sinja Leemann (SC Bern Frauen, SWHL A)
Lena-Marie Lutz (HC Ambri-Piotta, SWHL A)
Alina Marti (EV Zug, SWHL A)
Alina Müller (Boston Fleet, PWHL)
Kaleigh Quennec (SC Bern Frauen, SWHL A)
Noemi Ryhner (EV Zug, SWHL A)
Vanessa Schaefer (University of British Columbia, U SPORTS)
Lara Stalder (EV Zug, SWHL A)
Ivana Wey (EV Zug, SWHL A)
Laura Zimmermann (St. Cloud State, NCAA)

Defenders

Alessia Baechler (Northeastern, NCAA)
Annic Büchi (EV Zug, SWHL A)
Lara Christen (SC Bern Frauen, SWHL)
Laure Mériguet (Geneve, SUI-U18)
Shannon Sigrist (Zurich Lions Frauen, SWHL A)
Nicole Vallari (New York Sirens, PWHL)
Stefanie Wetli (SC Bern Frauen, SWHL A) 

Goaltenders
Andrea Brandli (Frolunda HC, SDHL)
Saskia Maurer (SC Bern Frauen, SWHL A)
Monja Wagner (Union College, NCAA) 

Here’s Switzerland’s schedule for its group stage games:

• Friday, Feb. 6: Switzerland vs. Czechia, 8:40 a.m. ET
• Saturday, Feb. 7: Canada vs. Switzerland, 3:10 p.m. ET
• Monday, Feb. 9: USA vs. Switzerland, 2:10 p.m. ET
• Tuesday, Feb. 10: Switzerland vs. Finland, 3:10 p.m. ET

The quarterfinals will begin on Feb. 13 and conclude the following day. Both semifinals are taking place on Feb. 16. The tournament will wrap up on Feb. 19 with both the gold and bronze medal games.

Check out the Olympics preview hub