Kelly Pannek

Quick Facts

• Position: Forward
• Won back-to-back National Championships with University of Minnesota and back-to-back Walter Cups with the Minnesota Frost (PWHL)
• Daughter of Molly and Todd Pannek
• Has two older sisters, Allie and Amy, and one younger brother, Billy

Biographical Information

Kelly Pannek grew up in Minnesota and started rollerblading around her house before eventually asking her dad to play hockey. Pannek played multiple sports growing up, including soccer and basketball, but decided on hockey and went on to play college hockey at the University of Minnesota, winning back-to-back national championships with the Golden Gophers in 2015 and 2016.

Pannek made her IIHF World Championship debut at the 2017 IIHF Women’s World Championships, where the U.S. won gold. She then made her Olympic debut with the U.S. women’s hockey team, which won gold at the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018. Pannek has been a fixture on the U.S. women’s hockey team, playing in seven straight world championships in addition to the Rivalry Series and multiple Four Nations Cups. Her selection for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 will mark her third Olympic team.

Pannek plays professionally for the Minnesota Frost, where she won back-to-back Walter Cups in 2024 and 2025.

Olympic Experience

• 2-time Olympian; 2-time Olympic medalist (1 gold, 1 silver)
  • Olympic Games Beijing 2022, silver (Team - Women)
  • Olympic Games Pyeongchang 2018, gold (Team - Women)

World Championships Experience

• Most recent: 2025 – gold (Team - Women)
• Years of participation: Team - Women 2017, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
• Medals: 7 (4 gold, 3 silver)
  • Gold – 2025 (Team - Women); 2023 (Team - Women); 2019 (Team - Women); 2017 (Team - Women)
  • Silver – 2024 (Team - Women); 2022 (Team - Women); 2021 (Team - Women)