Danvers Hockey Star Meghan Duggan Announces Retirement

DANVERS, MA — An all-time women's hockey great from Danvers announced her retirement on Tuesday.

Meghan Duggan, the Danvers native and U.S. Olympic team member who won a goal medal at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, made the announcement in an essay on ESPN's website after 14 years with the U.S. national team.

The 33-year-old, who played at Cushing Academy and the University of Wisconsin, played in 137 games for the U.S. national team, compiling 40 goals with 35 assists. She was a member of three Olympic teams - including the 2018 squad that captured goal for the first time in 20 years.

She also played for the Boston Pride of the National Women's Hockey League.

Duggan told ESPN that of all her accomplishments in the sport, the one she treasured most "came in the boardroom" after she led a threatened boycott of the 2017 World Championships unless the women's team received increased pay and comparable accommodations to the men's team. USA Hockey also agreed to increase funding for girls youth hockey.

"We knew that moment was so much bigger than all of us," she told ESPN. "It was bigger than hockey — and bigger than sports. We were determined to implement change and make history.

"As I retire, reaching that landmark deal with USA hockey in 2017 remains one of the highlights of my 14-year career with the national team."

It has been one of the greatest honors of my life to represent Team USA on the world stage. Hockey has given me memories I will cherish forever. To my teammates, coaches, support staff, organizations, fans, the next generation of players, and especially my family - thank you. pic.twitter.com/AzYE91hmCE
— Meghan Duggan (@mduggan10) October 13, 2020

She said, with the help of former Olympic teammate Erika Lawler, of Fitchburg, she realizes as she retires does so with a great deal of pride in her accomplishments in the sport on and off the ice.

"I am proud," she said. "I'm so proud of our team and everything we went through together to achieve the success we did and proud of the way we inspired young girls to take the sport to new heights. I'm proud of the hard work I put in, as well as of relationships I built.

"I'm so proud that this was my hockey career."

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