Alexander Bröms: “We have a great atmos­phere in the team”

With five wins, one of them in overtime, Austria’s women’s national ice hockey team confidently secured 1st place at the Division IA World Championship in Shenzhen (CHN) on 19 April 2025, making Austrian ice hockey history. Promotion to the Top Division was achieved for the first time, meaning that both national teams will be represented in the highest World Championship category simultaneously for the first time in 2026.

The venue for this World Championship has yet to be determined, as this is also the first time in women’s ice hockey that the World Championship will be held in an Olympic winter. An initial group allocation has already been made. Austria will face world champions USA, Czechia, Switzerland and Germany in Group A.

From 7 to 10 August, Head Coach Alexander Bröms was able to work with almost the entire squad in St. Pölten. PWHL export Anna Meixner was also present, having extended her contract with Ottawa Charge by a further year around a month ago. Austria’s second PWHL player, Theresa Schafzahl, was unable to attend.

It was the women’s first on-ice team camp of the new season and Head Coach Alexander Bröms was more than satisfied: “The atmosphere in the team is great. The players also put a lot into ensuring the chemistry is so good. This was the best summer team camp since I became head coach of the national team. The players were fully focused and worked hard and intensely. We are very satisfied with the performance and with how the players presented themselves and developed. We continued working on our playbook and made some initial minor adjustments.”

Women’s national team squad for the Skills Camp in St. Pölten