Seattle Torrent’s Hilary Knight to carry Team USA flag at Olympics Closing Ceremony
Feb 20, 2026, 5:07 PM
United States' Kendall Coyne, left, and United States' Hilary Knight celebrate after victory ceremony for women's ice hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. (Photo: Hassan Ammar, AP via KIRO 7)
(Photo: Hassan Ammar, AP via KIRO 7)
Team USA announced on Friday that Olympic champions Hilary Knight and Evan Bates would carry the country’s flag at this year’s Closing Ceremony.
The Seattle Torrent’s Hilary Knight was named captain of the 2026 U.S. Women’s Ice Hockey team and led her team to gold, scoring the fifth Olympic medal of her career.
This year was Knight and Team USA’s fifth consecutive Winter Olympics playing for the gold, earning a gold medal in 2018, and silver in 2010, 2014, and 2022.
Team USA also reached a record-shattering 331 minutes and 23 seconds of shutout hockey during their 2026 Olympics run. The previous women’s record was held by the 2002 Canadian team, which went 199 minutes without allowing a goal.
Knight will return to the Emerald City with a shiny new accolade after breaking the record for the most Olympic goals (15) in U.S. Women’s Ice Hockey history during her final game.
She’ll also be boasting a new title, fiancée, after getting down on one knee and proposing in Milan to Olympic speedskater Brittany Bowe.
Olympic figure skater Evan Bates will join Knight in carrying the flag. The now five-time Olympian skated alongside his wife and ice dance partner, Madison Chocknow, to bring home a gold and a silver from this year’s competition.
