Teammates of US women's hockey captain Hilary Knight were left stunned when they discovered she was engaged after spotting the announcement on social media while gathered in the locker room. The 36-year-old athlete had proposed to her girlfriend, Olympic speed skater Brittany Bowe, shortly before leading Team USA to a dramatic gold medal victory over arch-rivals Canada at the Winter Olympics.
Locker Room Revelation Sparks Celebrations
For a significant period, Knight successfully concealed the joyful news from her fellow players. Forward Tayor Heise, aged 25, disclosed that the team only learned about the engagement when someone checked their phone during a locker room session. 'We were in the locker room and she went and had a meeting with our coach, but must've posted it right then and no one had seen it,' Heise explained to PEOPLE magazine.
'And, all of a sudden, someone pulls out their phone and goes: "Oh my god, Hilary's engaged!" Everyone in the locker room went absolutely berserk.' Heise described how teammates immediately attempted to locate Knight, who eventually returned to the locker room where she was mobbed in emotional celebrations.
Emotional Scenes and Olympic Connections
'Everyone got to give her a hug and there's just tears everywhere,' Heise recounted. 'She deserves the world, so we love her and we love Britt.' Knight and Bowe originally met at the Covid-affected 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, where their first date occurred at a social distance while both wore protective masks as a precautionary measure.
The couple officially announced their engagement on Instagram on February 18th, just one day before the crucial gold medal match against Canada. Knight accompanied the post with a heartfelt caption: 'Olympics brought us together. This one made us forever,' alongside a video showing her getting down on one knee to propose.
Strategic Timing and Career Milestones
Forward Hannah Bilka revealed that Knight proposed to Bowe, who is 37 years old, shortly before practice sessions ahead of the final match. During the championship game against Canada, Knight scored the vital goal that tied the game and ignited an American comeback. Team USA rallied from a 1-0 deficit to secure a 2-1 victory, with Knight's goal establishing her as the country's all-time leader in women's Olympic scoring.
Both athletes have confirmed that this Olympic appearance will mark their final participation in the Games. Teammate Abbey Murphy shared her perspective with PEOPLE: '[They're] two incredible humans that deserve [this] more than anything. The way we found out [was] a little interesting, but we know Hilary, she's a secretive lady.' The engagement news added an extra layer of celebration to an already triumphant Olympic campaign for the American team.
