MILAN – When Vanessa Schaefer returns to Vancouver from northern Italy next week, the UBC Thunderbirds forward will have a little something extra in her luggage by way of an Olympic bronze medal, thanks to team Switzerland's victory over Sweden Thursday at the XXV Olympic Winter Games.
It's an historic achievement for Schaefer who becomes just the seventh UBC Thunderbird – and second woman – to win a Winter Olympics medal. The second-year Arts student had already made her mark becoming the first active Thunderbirds women's hockey player to compete at an Olympic Games.
No stranger to the international scene, Schaefer has represented Switzerland on two previous occasions at the IIHF Women's World Hockey Championship, but there's little doubt this bronze medal finish – Switzerland's first podium appearance since Sochi 2014 – will resonate for a long time to come.
Schaefer's newly acquired bronze is the latest achievement for the Langley, B.C. product who was named to last season's Canada West All-Rookie team and finished her sophomore campaign with six goals and 14 points in 21 games along with an eye-popping +22 rating, third highest in the conference.
Her return to Vancouver will come just in time for the T-Birds to open up their 2026 Canada West semifinal series which will begin next Friday, February 27 against the winner of this weekend's quarter-final series between the Calgary Dinos and Trinity Western Spartans.
Game one of the best-of-three semifinal series begins at 12:00 p.m. at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre with game two set for 3:00 p.m. Saturday, February 28 and game three – if necessary – scheduled for 3:00 p.m. Sunday, March 1.
Tickets are available now at gothunderbirds.ca.
