Karyn Bye-Dietz facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Karyn Bye-Dietz |
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| Born | May 18, 1971 River Falls, Wisconsin, U.S. |
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| Height | 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 165 lb (75 kg; 11 st 11 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Forward | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ECAC team | New Hampshire Wildcats (1989–1993) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National team |  United States |
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| Playing career | 1989–2002 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Karyn Lynn Bye, born on May 18, 1971, is a famous retired ice hockey player from the United States. She was an important player for the United States Women's Hockey Team.
Karyn was the alternate captain when her team won the gold medal at the 1998 Winter Olympics. This was a huge achievement for U.S. women's hockey!
Her success was even recognized by being featured on a Wheaties box in 1998. Later, she was honored by being added to the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2011 and the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 2014.
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Karyn's Hockey Journey
Starting Young in Wisconsin
Karyn Bye-Dietz was born in River Falls, Wisconsin. When she was young, she played on the River Falls Wildcats Boys High School Hockey team. To keep her identity a secret, she used the name K.L. Bye.
Even though her dad wanted her to keep playing basketball, Karyn loved hockey and stuck with it. Her amazing skills on the ice helped her earn a scholarship to the University of New Hampshire.
Playing College Hockey
Karyn played for the New Hampshire Wildcats women's ice hockey team. She was a top scorer, getting 164 points in 87 games. She led her team in scoring for all four years she played there.
As the team captain in her junior and senior years, she helped the Wildcats win the ECAC championships twice. After college, Karyn continued her studies at Concordia University in Montreal. She also played for the Concordia Stingers women's ice hockey team.
Representing Team USA
Karyn first joined the U.S. national team at the 1992 IIHF Women's World Championship. She went on to play in five more World Championship tournaments, winning silver medals in all of them.
Her biggest moment came at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. Karyn led Team USA to their first-ever Olympic gold medal in women's ice hockey. She scored five goals in six games and tied for the team's scoring lead with eight points.
Karyn also competed with Team USA at the 2002 Winter Olympics. There, her team won a silver medal. Her incredible career led to her being chosen for the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame in 2011.
Life After Playing Hockey
After retiring from playing, Karyn continued to be involved in hockey. She worked for the Minnesota Wild hockey team, helping with their programs to get more kids interested in the sport.
She also teaches fitness classes at her local YMCA. For a while, she even coached her son's Mite Level 1 hockey team, sharing her love for the game with the next generation. Around 2010, she also worked as a commentator for the Minnesota Girls State High School Hockey Tournament.
Karyn is married to a strength and fitness coach from the University of Minnesota. They have two children together.
Awards and Special Honors
- 1995 Concordia University Fittest Female Athlete
- 1995 and 1998 Bob Allen Women's Player of the Year Award
- She was inducted into the University of New Hampshire Hall of Fame in 1998.
See also
- Ice hockey at the 2002 Winter Olympics
- United States at the 2002 Winter Olympics
- Ice hockey at the 1998 Winter Olympics
