Natalie Rose Darwitz (born October 13, 1983) is an American ice hockey player. Natalie was the Captain of the US Women's National Team for several seasons beginning with the 2007–08 season. She won three World Championships between 2005 and 2009, and two Olympic silver medals and one bronze medal in Women's ice hockey for the US. She is currently the assistant coach for the Minnesota Golden Gophers women's ice hockey team. Career biography Darwitz began skating at the age of five, and attended Eagan High School, from there she was a veteran of ten years on the US National Team. She competed in two Olympics, leading the 2002 Olympics in goal scoring and scoring the game-winning assist in the bronze-medal game in the 2006 Games. In three years of NCAA Hockey at her alma mater, Minnesota, she won back-to-back national championships, scored the championship goal in her final game with 1:08 to go versus Harvard (4-3), won the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Women's Ice Hockey Championship Frozen Four, was named US Women's Player of the Year, and competed in an additional three IIHF Women's World Championship. At the '08 Worlds, Darwitz led the tournament in scoring and was named the Best Forward in the World by the International Ice Hockey Federation. She was also awarded the Bob Johnson Award by USA Hockey as the best male or female player representing the United States in international play. In August 2008, Darwitz was named Assistant Coach of her alma mater, the University of Minnesota's, women's ice hockey team. At the conclusion of the 08-09 NCAA campaign, she left to return as a full-time member of the US National Team. Darwitz was the second leading scorer at the 2009 IIHF tournament with 10 points (three goals, seven assists). On August 2, 2011, she announced her new position as the head coach of the Lakeville South High School girls' ice hockey team. The Lakeville South Cougars finished the 2011/2012 season with a record of 21-1-6. and the 2012/2013 season with a record of 16-2-9. From the 2015–16 through 2020–21 seasons, she served as the Head Coach of the Hamline University women's ice hockey team. They finished the 2017–18 season by going to the Frozen Four and placing 3rd in the nation. On July 29, 2021, she was hired as an Assistant Coach for her alma mater, the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers