Watching the U.S. Women’s Hockey Team’s passionate matches against their competition, words like fierce, competitive and supportive describe Abbey Murphy’s style of hockey. With constant energy, she chased and tapped in to win United States’ fifth goal against Finland and aided in securing victory against Canada in the gold winning game of the team’s Olympic run.
Murphy played in a total of 83 games, made 45 goals, 31 assists and scored a total of 76 points. Over the course of her career, Murphy has participated in multiple IIHF Women’s World Championship, Rivalry Series, and the previous 2022 Olympic games in Beijing. Murphy Olympic and career stats can be found on her USA Hockey profile.
Off the rink, Murphy has been showcased in photos with Snoop Dog and other celebrities. An olympian and professional college hockey player with coveted victories, Murphy comes from humble origins in Evergreen Park, Illinois; her passion for hockey has recognizably impacted her local community.
Senior Ryan Yednock, a nephew to Murphy, spoke on how he felt proud representing Murphy and Team USA on campus.
“She’s one of the best and people love it. And I think it’s super cool that I’m able to be related to her, and just for a player [at] that caliber [and] to be able to watch her and root for her, it’s really cool,” Yednock said.
Yednock learned from his family about Murphy’s plan to raise money for her close family to attend the 2026 Olympic games as guests. The Yednock family participated in the fundraiser, buying sweaters in support, which Yednock wore throughout the duration of the Olympic games during the school week.
“I honestly probably did find out over Facebook … Also she ran like a fundraiser for the rest of the family to go to the Olympics because it is expensive. So we bought some sweatshirts that say your name and number,” Yednock said.
Yednock consistently watched the U.S. Women’s Hockey matches as they aired, paying attention to the energy and attitude of the team during each of their matches. Yednock watched the team’s match against Canada for the Gold Medal in between paying attention in class as it was airing, commenting how he was proud that Murphy was a key contributor to the team’s victory.
“I didn’t know if I should ask to turn [it] on, so I’m just looking on the computer the whole time … I was just waiting to see Abbey Murphy score that tie or game winning goal … It was really cool that one of my family members was a really key contributor to that one,” Yednock said.
Yednock commented that beyond being an Olympic gold medalist and Murphy’s opportunity to represent the United States at a world wide level, is her connection and affect on her local community through her hockey career.
“Beyond just being like my family member, she’s local. So a lot of people root for her around here just because of that… Honestly, I’ve just been spending the last, probably month or so, bragging to my friends,” Yednock said.
Tracy Yednock, Ryan Yednock’s mother and Murphy’s cousin, hasn’t seen Murphy and her side of the family for a long period of time. Tracy Yednock has recently rekindled her connection to her larger family through Facebook. Both she and Murphy attend the same high school.
“I went to Mother Macaulay High School, but I’m a lot older than her, so I’m 50, and I believe she’s 23…[a] lot of our family grew up in the same area… But we have a very big family, so a lot of the communication or everything that we hear is on Facebook or at a family picnic,” Tracy Yednock said.
Tracey Yednock didn’t know much about hockey before watching Murphy play at the Olympic level, but the Olympians’ energy and aiding her team in winning game after game captivated her, leading her to want to learn more about the game.
“Well, I watched it live. I tried to watch every game, you know, and it was exciting. I didn’t know much about hockey, I think after the 2nd game, I had to ask what a power play is… But like when it was Abby, I’m like, oh my gosh, there she is,” Yednock said.
Throughout the two weeks of the Winter Olympics, restaurants, churches and local shops in Evergreen Park supported Murphy and the Woman’s U.S. Hockey team by hosting watch parties every game and hanging signs to show the town’s support for the team.
“The whole whole community was rooting for her,” Tracy Yednock said.
Baracco’s, the Italian restaurant chain, Evergreen Park location hung a plaque on the top of its building commemorating Team USAs victory at the Olympics. Murphy was also highlighted with a “Go Abbey” sign in the window resting at the front of the building.
Murphy is a renowned Olympic Gold Medalist with a victorious history in college level Hockey. However outside of the world of Women’s Hockey, and that of celebrity like limelight she gave to both her local community of south-side Chicago, Evergreen Park and her extended family can be easily felt.
“I tried to watch every game that she played, and then it started just becoming addicting, and it was exciting. And then everyone would go on Facebook, wow, Abbey, gotta go, this and that… I was proud of her. And yes, definitely proud of winning the gold, no doubt,” Yednock said.