Orono, Maine – Eight Black Bears will be competing in the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, China. The UMaine Olympians will represent five nations in the sports of women's ice hockey, men's ice hockey, and bobsledding.
Current women's ice hockey student-athletes Amalie Andersen ('23 - Denmark) and Rahel Enzler ('24 - Switzerland) will skate for their native countries. UMaine Women's ice hockey alumnae Tereza Vanišová ('20) and Vendula Přibylová ('20) will compete for the Czech Republic while fellow alumnae Michelle Weis ('21) will skate for her native Denmark. Adrián Holešinský will skate on the men's side for Team Slovakia.
Former University of Maine track & field student-athletes Frank Del Duca ('14) and James Reed ('14) will represent Team USA as members of the Olympic Bobsled Team.
"The Olympic spirit has arrived in Orono," UMaine President Joan Ferrini-Mundy says. "We are eagerly awaiting the opening ceremonies and the chance to cheer on our Black Bears competing in the winter games. Our student-athletes are a constant source of pride for the university community and all of Maine. Go Black Bears!"
Andersen, a current Black Bear who is in her junior year at UMaine, is a native of Herning, Denmark. She will be representing team Denmark in their first ever Olympics for women's ice hockey. At UMaine, she has appeared in 49 games, compiling two goals and six assists.
Enzler, another current Black Bear, is in her sophomore season at UMaine. She is a native of Zug, Switzerland. At UMaine, she has appeared in 37 games, scoring three goals and adding nine assists.
Vanisova, a native of Strakonic, Czech Republic, spent four seasons as a Black Bear from 2016-20 in which she appeared in 130 games while racking up a program record 129 points on 63 goals and 66 assists. A native of Strakonice, Czech Republic, will be representing the Czech Republic at the Olympics.
Pribylova, hailing from Olomouc, Czech Republic, spent four seasons as a Black Bear from 2016-20. Pribylova appeared in 129 games at UMaine where she tallied 21 goals and 39 assists.
Weis, a native of Charlottenlund, Denmark who attended the University of Maine from 2017-20, served three seasons as a Black Bear in which she appeared in 93 games. In those games, she scored 17 goals and added 20 assists.
Holešinský, a native of Cadca, Slovakia, skated in eight games for the Black Bears in the 2017-18 season, seven in the 2018-19 season, and two in 2019-20.
Del Duca and Reed are two of just 12 athletes who were selected to Team USA for the upcoming 2022 Winter Games. Del Duca, who will make his first appearance in the Winter Olympic Games, will drive the sleds in the two and four-man races. Reed, who was an alternate for Team USA at the 2018 Olympic Games in PyeongChang, South Korea but did not compete at the event, was selected as a push athlete for the 2022 team.
Del Duca and Reed began their Bobsled competition careers in 2015 after graduating from the University of Maine. While at Maine, Del Duca walked on to the track & field team before being named a team captain and capturing the America East title in the long jump. Del Duca graduated from UMaine with a Bachelors of Science in Kinesiology and Physical Education.
Reed, who earned a Bachelors of Science in Kinesiology and Exercise Science from UMaine, captured the America East Championship in the 60m hurdles before earning a runner-up showing in the event at the 2014 IC4A/ECAC competition.
The women's ice hockey events began on Thursday, Feb. 3 when the Czech Republic took on China. Switzerland will start its competition on Friday, Feb. 4 when it faces off against the Russian Olympic Committee. Denmark will also begin action on Friday, Feb. 4 as they face China.
The bobsled competition at the 2022 Beijing Olympics will begin with the two-man heats on Feb. 14. The four-man heats will begin on Feb. 19.
Follow the UMaine Olympians in action by tuning in to the NBC family of networks and keep tabs on the Black Bear Olympians at GoBlackBears.com and across the UMaine Athletics' social media networks.
Editor's note: This story was updated on Feb. 10 to include that Adrián Holešinský had been added to Team Slovakia.
