Nicole Hensley

Nicole Hensley (born June 23, 1994) is an American professional ice hockey goaltender for PWHL Las Vegas of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) and a member of the United States women's national ice hockey team. She previously played for the Minnesota Frost of the PWHL.

Playing career Lindenwood University Hensley debuted with the Lindenwood Lady Lions ice hockey team during the 2012-13 Lindenwood Lady Lions ice hockey season. Hensley won four consecutive CHA Student-Athlete of the Year awards, and landed on the CHA all-Academic team each year.

NWHL On June 12, 2018, Hensley signed a contract with the Buffalo Beauts of the National Women's Hockey League (NWHL). In her debut for the Beauts, Hensley earned a shutout win over Finnish Olympian Meeri Räisänen of the Connecticut Whale in a 4–0 final on October 7, 2018. In the 2019 NWHL All-Star Weekend, Hensley won the Chipwich Fastest Goalie competition.

PWHPA Hensley was scheduled to be one of three goaltenders to play in the PWHPA Dream Gap tour stop in Tokyo, Japan, along with Kimberley Sass and Alex Cavalinni.

PWHL On September 18, 2023, Hensley was selected in the 2nd round, 12th overall by PWHL Minnesota in the 2023 PWHL Draft, the first goaltender selected. Playing in a tandem with Maddie Rooney, she delivered two shutouts in the playoffs and the team won the first-ever Walter Cup to conclude the 2023–24 season.

In 2025, Hensley had the opportunity to play in front of her hometown crowd as part of the PWHL Takeover Tour. She noted it was the first women's game at Denver's Ball Arena since 2001. She delivered a 24-save shutout with one game to go in the season to put the Frost within one point of the fourth-place charge, giving the Frost the opportunity to make the playoffs. She played in three playoff games for the 2024–25 season and the team became back-to-back Walter Cup champions.

During the 2025–26 season, she appeared in 13 games and posted a 7–4–2 record, with a 2.69 goals against average (GAA) and .908 save percentage. She had a 30-save shutout against the Seattle Torrent in an attendance record breaking game at Climate Pledge Arena in November.

During the league's expansion to 12 teams ahead of the 2026–27 season, she was left unprotected by the Frost and signed a two-year contract with PWHL Las Vegas on June 10, 2026.

International play

Hensley was named one of three goaltenders to compete for the United States women's national ice hockey team at the 2016 IIHF Women's World Championship in Kamloops, British Columbia. Hensley was also named to the 2017 team, where she was in net for a shutout against Canada in the preliminary rounds, started the quarterfinal against Germany, and played in Team USA's 3–2 OT win against Canada for the championship.

She made the 2018 Olympic team, where the United States won the gold medal, earning a shutout win over the Russian team in her only appearance.

Hensley was one of the goaltenders named to Team USA's rosters for the second half of the rivalry series between Team USA and Team Canada in 2019–2020.

On January 2, 2022, Hensley was named to Team USA's roster to represent the United States at the 2022 Winter Olympics.

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs

International

Awards and honors 2014–15 All-CHA First Team 2024 Walter Cup Champion 2025 Walter Cup Champion 2025 PWHL Intact Impact Award (honors one player from each team who best displayed leadership, integrity and commitment)