Kristen Campbell

Kristen Campbell made history at the 2019 NCAA Championship by shutting out every opponent in the playoffs on the way to capturing the title with the University of Wisconsin Badgers — becoming the first woman to win the Frozen Four without conceding a goal in the process. She was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.

Born in Brandon, Manitoba on November 30, 1997, Campbell began her collegiate career at the University of North Dakota, where she appeared in five games during the 2016-17 season after sitting out her redshirt year. That season proved to be the program's last: North Dakota abruptly shut down its women's hockey team at the end of the year. Campbell transferred to Wisconsin, where she made an immediate mark in her first season with the Badgers. In 2017-18 she earned WCHA Goaltender of the Year honors, a spot on the All-America Team, and was a Top-10 Finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Award.

Her 2018-19 season was the signature chapter of her NCAA career. Playing in every game, she set NCAA season highs in goals-against average, wins, and shutouts, and established a Wisconsin single-season wins record. When COVID-19 shortened the 2019-20 season, Campbell backstopped the Badgers to the top of the WCHA regular-season standings and became only the fourth goaltender in program history to record 90 wins.

On the international stage, Campbell has represented Canada across multiple levels. She was part of the Canadian team that won Olympic gold at the 2022 Beijing Games, and she has added three World Championship gold medals — in 2021, 2022, and 2024 — along with a silver medal in 2023. At the U18 level, she helped Canada claim silver at the 2015 World Championships.

Before the PWHL was established, Campbell spent two seasons with the PWHPA (with a break in 2021-22 for Olympic centralization), including a run with Team Scotiabank in 2022-23 in which she appeared in 11 games, won five, and posted a .920 save percentage. She was then selected 14th overall by PWHL Toronto in the league's inaugural draft and went on to earn PWHL Goalie of the Year honors in that first season. She now plays for the Vancouver Goldeneyes.

Campbell's work with goalie coach Brad Kirkwood — with whom she collaborates both at PWHL Toronto and with Team Canada — has been a recurring subject in InGoal's coverage. A 2023 article ^[1] documented how Campbell incorporates puck-handling into every possible moment of practice, a habit rooted in Kirkwood's emphasis on hard, accurate, tape-to-tape passes regardless of what else is happening on the ice. "He always makes us handle the puck," Campbell said. "I think it's important that no matter what's happening on the ice you're finding a way to keep improving your puck handling."

That on-ice work with Kirkwood carried into a four-part Pro Drills series on InGoal. The first installment ^[2] examined crease movement fundamentals and Campbell's emphasis on strong eye leads, scanning habits, and body structure at every stopping point. Subsequent entries covered visualization drills — including practice sessions done with eyes closed ^[3] — as well as a puck-handling drill designed to keep all three Toronto goalies active simultaneously ^[4]. A fourth piece ^[5] zeroed in on rotation and edge control in the butterfly, with Campbell explaining the emphasis Kirkwood places on driving with the backside hand and controlling the body through the movement.

Campbell has also collaborated with manual osteopathic therapist and kinesiologist James Wendland, work filmed at her KC Elite Goaltending Camp. Two articles for InGoal members document their sessions together: one covering a six-exercise series for hip alignment, balance, and stability ^[6], and a follow-up incorporating gaze stability drills using a Fitter First Rocker Board, Bosu Ball, and Trac-Optics goggles ^[7]. Campbell also appears demonstrating Wendland's rocker board exercises ^[8] and his Bosu ball sequence ^[9], both designed to improve edge control and balance. Campbell had previously noted the effect of Wendland's foot work on her own skating: "Having not done it much before, it felt like my foot was finally opened up and unlocked," she said ^[10].

Campbell appeared on the InGoal Radio podcast in November 2021 ^[11] and again in October 2024 ^[12].

InGoal Magazine has covered Kristen Campbell in two podcast appearances, four drill breakdowns, and six InGoal articles.