One of the hometown hopefuls North Texans are watching closely at the Winter Olympics is Hannah Bilka, a 24-year-old from Coppell who has become a key contributor for the U.S. women’s hockey team.
Long before she pulled on a Team USA jersey, Hannah was a fearless, sports-loving little girl. Her parents, Dan and Patricia Bilka, said her athletic drive was obvious almost from the start.
“She loved sports,” Dan said. “All the time.” Patricia still laughs remembering Hannah rock climbing at just 3 years old. “I couldn’t believe how fast she could go. She’s not afraid at all.”
Hannah Bilka scores 2 goals to extend the United States’ lead over Canada in Olympic women’s hockey.
The Bilka home tells the story — decades of photos, trophies and jerseys filling shelves and walls. There’s gear from Hannah’s earliest hockey days in Corpus Christi, championship hardware from college, and national team sweaters, including the familiar No. 23 she now wears internationally.
Finding girls’ hockey at a competitive level often meant long road trips. Weekend tournaments became routine, the miles adding up as Hannah chased more challenging competition.
“We didn’t push her at all. She did it,” Patricia said.
That pursuit eventually took her away from North Texas. Hannah chose to attend high school in Minnesota — hockey country — and later earned opportunities at Boston College and Ohio State University, where she won a national championship. From there, she moved into the professional ranks with the Seattle Torrent.
Then came the call every athlete dreams of: Team USA selected Hannah for the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Her parents said they never imagined the journey would reach the Olympic stage.
“Our goal for her was to get a college degree,” Patricia said. “That was it.”
They will never forget the moment they learned that Hannah had made the Olympic roster. Patricia was driving home when Dan FaceTimed her — barely able to speak through tears. Hannah was on the phone.
“He’s just holding it and crying,” Patricia recalled. “And he’s saying, ‘She made it… she made it.’ That’s how I found out.”
Dan said there’s no doubt Hannah will rise to her Olympic moment.
“Some people get choked up at game time,” he said. “She seems to excel in that environment. I just call her a gamer.”
From Texas rinks as a child to a national championship, and now the world’s biggest stage in Milan, Hannah Bilka’s journey has always been her own.
“We’re just along for the ride,” Patricia said. “And we’re so proud of her — because this is her journey, and we just get to be a part of it.”