Meghan Duggan (born September 3, 1987) is an American former ice hockey forward and director of player development for the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League. She played for the United States at the 2010 Winter Olympics and 2014 Winter Olympics, winning two silver medals; she was the captain of the U.S. team at the 2018 Winter Olympics, where she won a gold medal. She also represented the United States at eight Women's World Championships, capturing seven gold medals and one silver medal. Duggan played collegiate hockey with the Wisconsin Badgers between 2006 and 2011. After her senior season (2010–11), Duggan was named the winner of the Patty Kazmaier Award, presented annually to the top women's ice hockey player in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). After her career at Wisconsin, Duggan was the team's all-time leading scorer. She was drafted 8th overall by the Boston Blades in the 2011 CWHL Draft.
Duggan announced her retirement from professional hockey on October 13, 2020 at age 33.
Early life
Duggan was born on September 3, 1987, in Danvers, Massachusetts. Growing up, she played ice hockey, soccer, softball, and lacrosse, but hockey was always her "number one sport". She began skating in the Danvers Youth Hockey program, and admired United States women's national ice hockey team player Gretchen Ulion. Her older brother Brian also played hockey, and Duggan often played in boys' leagues, which was the "only option" at the time.
Duggan attended high school at Cushing Academy in Ashburnham, Massachusetts, where she played on the school's girls' hockey team in the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC). Her roommate was Erika Lawler, who would later become her college and Olympic teammate. While attending Cushing, Duggan met Olympian Julie Chu and other members of the USA women's national team at an informal skate in Boston. Duggan was also a three-time honoree of the Bette Davis award, given by Cushing to the best female athlete in her class.
Playing career
Wisconsin Badgers
On December 6, 2005, the University of Wisconsin announced that Duggan was one of four student-athletes who signed a National Letter of Intent, committing to joining the Wisconsin Badgers women's ice hockey program beginning in the 2006–07 season. The other three were Alannah McCready, Emily Kranz, and Kyla Sanders.
Her freshman season with the Badgers was in 2006–07. She ranked second on the team with 52 points, as she led freshmen in scoring, while scoring 26 goals. During the season, she scored three game-winning goals and recorded 16 multi-point games. In the NCAA, her 52 points were good enough for third in the nation in rookie scoring. Duggan earned three consecutive WCHA Rookie of the Week honors, becoming the first Badger to ever win a conference award in three straight weeks. In addition, she accumulated five WCHA weekly honors overall, the most by a Badgers player in a single season.
On January 22, 2011, Duggan assisted on the Badgers’ second goal of the game, against the defending national champions, the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs, and extended her point streak to 22 games, the longest individual point streak in Wisconsin women's hockey history.
Duggan finished the season as the WCHA scoring champion by accumulating 61 points (27 goals, 34 assists) in 28 games. On March 12, 2011, she scored the game-winning goal (it was her sixth game-winning goal of the season) in the NCAA regional playoff, as Wisconsin defeated Minnesota-Duluth by a 2–1 mark.
Professional career
Duggan played six seasons of professional hockey, including four with the Boston Blades of the Canadian Women's Hockey League (2011–15), who won the Clarkson Cup in 2013 and 2015. In 2015 she moved to the newly formed National Women's Hockey League played one season with the Buffalo Beauts. In December 2015, it was announced that Duggan had signed a personal services agreement with Dunkin Donuts as part of the company's sponsorship deal of the NWHL. She played her final pro season with the Boston Pride for the 2016–17 season.
International play
Duggan's first International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) tournament with the American senior women's team was the 2007 IIHF Women's World Championship held in Manitoba, Canada. Duggan recorded a single assist for the Americans at the tournament, as they took home the silver medal. At the 2009 tournament, the American team captured its second straight gold medal by defeating Canada in the final. Duggan scored two goals in the tournament, finishing tenth on the American team in scoring.