Salem's Caroline Harvey Starring As A Freshman Defenseman At Wisconsin

MADISON, WI — Salem native Caroline "KK" Harvey's strong start to her collegiate hockey career has probably not come as a surprise to many people.

After all, the freshman defenseman on the No. 3 ranked Wisconsin Badgers was the youngest member of the USA team that captured the silver medal at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. She also was part of the USA team that won silver at the 2022 IIHF Women's World Championship in August and September in Denmark.

Harvey and Olympic/World Championship teammate Jesse Compher, a senior and Boston University transfer, were two major additions to the powerhouse Badgers program, which has won six national titles.

"We are so lucky to have them," Badgers senior goaltender Cami Kronish told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel last month. "Jesse's just an absolute beast and (Caroline), she's only a freshman. When she's a senior, she's going to be out of this world. She's already out of this world."

Through 10 games, the Badgers are 9-1, 6-0 in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA), and Harvey is tied for first on the team with 17 points, 4 goals and 13 assists.

Harvey had a hand in all three goals in the Badgers' 3-2 overtime victory over St. Cloud State on Oct. 15, assisting on two goals and then scoring the game-winner at the 3:10 mark of OT.

Harvey was voted the No. 1 star in that game and earned WCHA Rookie of the Week honors for the performance.

This past Friday, Harvey also was voted the game's No. 1 star after she had a goal and two assists in a 7-1 win over Bemidji State.

Harvey, who finished up her high school career attending and playing for the North American Hockey Academy in Wellesley, Massachusetts, said she has grown as a player and a person in the last year.

Harvey was the youngest player on the USA team that competed in the Olympics and World Championship.

"I just think at the beginning of residency (for the Olympic team), I was a different person and player last year," Harvey said. "I was definitely a little girl compared to now. I think off ice and on ice I've matured a lot."