UMD’s Ida Karlsson and Thea Johansson to Represent Sweden at the Winter Olympic Games

The University of Minnesota Duluth women’s hockey team returned from the Friendship Series tournament in Belfast, Northern Ireland the first week of January. After a nine hour flight, waiting for baggage claim, and packing the bus to return to campus, UMD junior defender Ida Karlsson was tired.

She got a text from Sweden’s senior national team head coach Ulf Lundberg asking if she could take a call a little later in the day because the Swedish men’s world juniors team was currently playing in the semifinals. Karlsson agreed to a call after the game.

Bulldogs senior forward and fellow Swede Thea Johansson also received a text at the same time as Karlsson. 

South of where the two players were walking to their bus, the Swedish team was heading to overtime and eventually a shootout. The two teammates nervously waited for the game to end and for the impending call that would tell them their Olympic fate.

“Everyone was like why are you guys so nervous?” Karlsson said of her teammates’ curiosity that day. “We didn't really want to say why, so we were like, oh, we're just excited for team Sweden or whatever.”

Karlsson received her call first, notifying her she had made team Sweden for the 2026 Winter Olympics. Due to being tired from traveling, her reaction was swift.

“When the coach called us, I was just super tired,” Karlsson told The Ice Garden alongside Johansson from Duluth. “He said that I made it and I was like, fun.”

Johansson said she was nervous because Karlsson got her call first so she waited. “I was so scared and we were pretty much the only ones [who] knew we were talking to him,” Johansson said. “It felt like forever after [Karlsson] talked to him… I had so many thoughts in my head while she was talking to him. It was such a surreal moment. I hope I never have to do that again.”

While both members of the UMD women’s hockey team have experience playing with the senior national team at the World Championship and at the Euro Hockey Tour, both are making their Olympic debut with Tre Kronor in February. The two talked about how playing for Sweden’s senior national team has helped them, how much playing for UMD means for them, and what stands out about each player individually.

The path to the Olympics for Sweden wasn’t seamless. The team had to go through qualifiers last year but managed to go through the tournament unscathed for a perfect 3-0 record including a 5-0 shutout win over Denmark to punch their ticket to the Games.

A lot of the same players that represented Sweden at the Qualifiers, and later at the IIHF Women’s World Championship and the Euro Hockey Tour in the last year made the Olympic roster. Johansson said she believes once she’s in Milan with those same teammates the realization she’s taking part in the Winter Games will finally hit her. Having the same teammates including Karlsson has helped both player’s development. Karlsson said it helps build confidence within her but also helps build trust with the coaching staff and her teammates because they see each other so often.

Johansson said that familiarity and the fact many players are close in age and  have been on the same journey to the Olympics makes creating bonds easier. She also likes that different players like those that play in the SDHL, PWHL, and NCAA can all play together and rely on the veterans for advice when needed. 

“Everyone has seen different things during the season, during previous seasons and with previous Olympics or World Championships. So [we] talk to our teammates and get a little bit from everyone [which] is super important,” Johansson explained. “It's such a cool thing to be able to do when we have been having the same roster throughout this whole year because we have been having a lot of hard practices, testing in the summer, a lot of stuff like that and that helps to connect us even closer.”

Being able to play with the team at the Olympics is what Johansson described as the icing on the cake and she knows it’s going to be a fun experience.

The union between the Swedish players wouldn’t be possible without Qualifiers, Worlds and the Euro Hockey Tour, but the Olympic camp in Greece last summer also played a key role in the two’s development and preparation for the Games.

At the summer camp, the players took part in testing, practiced specific skills such as shooting, and had more individual focus on players individually. They were also able to use the camp as a chance to show off their own skills. The camp also served as a chance for players to get to know each other more. While Karlsson and Johansson have known each other and played together before, Johansson was in the process of transferring to UMD that summer for her final collegiate season.

She credited Karlsson with helping her as she navigated the transfer process. Johansson said she was happy with her time at Mercyhurst but she said the decision behind her transfer was because she wanted to gain more out of her college career.

“I felt that I wanted to give myself the best chance to make it to the Olympic team and play maybe a little bit of a higher level of hockey,” Johansson said.  “I've always thought that UMD is such a cool school and a great hockey school and I've heard a lot of good things about it before and when the opportunity came up, I was just super happy and super excited.”

Johansson has appeared in 26 games for the Bulldogs and recorded 15 goals and six assists for 25 points on the season. She also reached 100 career points in November. The 23-year-old added she is happy with how her season is going with UMD and called it an honor to be part of the program.

After playing alongside Johansson for almost five years, Karlsson said she likes Johansson’s playing style and her competitive nature. She described that when Johansson hits the ice, something in her changes. That competitive nature makes everyone around her better.

“She's fast. She likes to work out. I feel like she's leading the way,” Karlsson said of Johansson. “Off the ice, she's just a great person. She's super humble and easy to talk to. It's been so much fun to grow closer to her this year and getting to know her even better.”

While Johansson transferred in for her final season, Karlsson has been part of Duluth’s team for the last three seasons. The Grytnäs, Sweden native departed Leksands IF of the SDHL to begin her college career in Minnesota in 2023. In her time at UMD, the 21-year-old defender has played in 101 games, recorded 28 points, and 119 blocked shots. Being part of the program has meant a lot to Karlsson who previously said she wouldn’t be who she is now if not for her time at UMD.

“I'm super proud to be a Bulldog,” she said. “The history the program carries with all the international success too is super cool. As I get older here, I feel like I'm taking on a bigger role every year, which is a lot of fun to get that trust from the coaches and develop a great relationship with them and [I’m] super honored to represent the Bulldogs.”

Karlsson is a dedicated player according to Johansson. She’s always giving 100% and is someone who is great to have in the gym because she’s doing extra conditioning or lifting more too. On the ice, Johansson said Karlsson is a reliable player in every situation whether it's in the defensive or offensive zone or on the penalty kill. Karlsson is also a great person off the ice and is humble and easy to get along with. Johansson added they are also very similar in nature which is why they get along well. 

“We kind of have this same mentality and the same way of thinking about things. I don't think I could have ever wished for a better roommate, so I'm super happy about that,” Johansson said. “It's so nice to be able to have a Swedish best friend on your side all the time and being able to talk Swedish is kind of nice too.”

The two will join fellow Bulldog alumni Emma Soderberg and Tindra Holm at the Winter Olympics representing UMD on the Swedish team. Karlsson and Johansson are now part of the 44 Olympians that have ever played for the UMD women's hockey program. They are also part of a program-high 14 Bulldogs that have specifically suited up for Tre Konor. Still, knowing they will represent their country on the biggest stage under the Olympic rings is a huge honor for the two.

“It’s the biggest thing that can happen,” Karlsson described the feeling of knowing she will be representing her country at the Olympics. Johansson agreed. “I feel like for women's hockey players and younger women's hockey players, it's the biggest thing you can do,” she said. “It's every four years and you might only get this opportunity one time in your life, it's gonna hit a little bit harder when you see everything.”

When the Swedish Olympic team arrives in Milan, Italy, Karlsson and Johansson are excited to be able to check out the Olympic village and have hopes of watching other events in the area too. At Olympic summer camp last year, the two were able to meet other Olympic hopefuls and Johansson said she hopes she can see those participants and help support fellow Swedish members.

But they’re also looking forward to the notion of being Olympians finally setting in when they join their team in Italy. The two also hope to take in the moment as a whole.

“It's mostly just being present,” Karlsson said. “Just experiencing [everything] and trying to take it all in.”