For the first time since 1980, the United States secured an Olympic gold medal in men’s hockey on Sunday.
Throughout the 2026 Olympic tournament, the U.S. was propelled by brothers Jack and Quinn Hughes. Quinn provided a game-winning overtime goal as the U.S. defeated Sweden in the quarterfinals, while Jack provided the winning goal in the U.S.-Canada gold medal matchup.
As the Hughes brothers earned praise, several hockey fans pointed out how their mother has connections to North Texas. Ellen Weinberg-Hughes grew up in Dallas, forming part of the legendary 1984 Dallas Sting Soccer Club.
Here are five things to know about Weinberg-Hughes:
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She was a multi-sport star growing up in Dallas
Weinberg-Hughes played hockey and soccer throughout her childhood in Dallas. In 1981, 12-year-old Weinberg-Hughes was featured in a news story from KXAS-TV (NBC5) as she suited up for her Dallas youth hockey team.
One of her hockey team’s coaches was her father, Dr. Warren A. Weinberg. In the interview, Weinberg-Hughes shared her goal to play hockey at the professional level.
“It’s just a goal I want to reach,” Weinberg-Hughes said.
She was also a standout at soccer. More on that below...
She made history with the Dallas Sting Soccer Club
Weinberg-Hughes played for the Dallas Sting Soccer Club in the 1980s. She was part of the team that captured worldwide attention in 1984 when it won the first FIFA-sanctioned world women’s tournament in Xi’an, China.
That tournament played a key role in the development of the first women’s World Cup, which took place in 1991. Weinberg-Hughes can be seen in the Sting team photo below.
Weinberg-Hughes told NBC earlier this year that her best friend on the Sting Soccer Club was Carla Overbeck.
(Read more about the historic Sting Soccer Club here.)
A look at a Dallas Sting team photo from 1984. Top row (left to right): Kelly Hogan, Barbara Garland Landrum, Nicole Dreyfus Sanders, Megan Rust, Kyllene Carter Weiss, Michelle Conaway Kimzey, Tony Catchings, Pam Patak Lowry, Kasey Jones Parker, Erin Adamson-O'Donnell. Bottom row (left to right): Amy Eklund Maisel, Melinda Derden Reese, Sheri Mungai, Ellen Weinberg-Hughes, Jennifer Lawson Longnecker, Carla Werden Overbeck, Tina Edgar, Alicia Tannery Donelan.
Courtesy Michelle Kimzey / Courtesy Michelle Kimzey
Hockey has been a constant in her life
Weinberg-Hughes continued to play multiple sports when she suited up at the University of New Hampshire from 1988-91. She ultimately played for the United States’ women hockey team, earning a silver medal at the 1992 IIHF Women’s World Championship in Finland.
Her husband, Jim, was also a hockey player who previously held a front-office role with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
She celebrated multiple gold medals this winter
Weinberg-Hughes was pretty busy throughout the Milan Cortina Olympic Games. According to NBC, she served as a player development consultant for the U.S. women’s hockey team this winter.
That means Weinberg-Hughes got to celebrate the U.S. women’s gold medal a few days before her sons Jack and Quinn led the U.S. men’s team to victory.
The U.S. women defeated Canada 2-1 in overtime Thursday, while the U.S. men defeated Canada 2-1 in overtime Sunday.
