COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Senior Elle Hartje of the Yale women's ice hockey team has been invited to the 2024 U.S. Women's National Team Evaluation Camp, which will take place March 27-30 at the Lake Placid Olympic Center in Lake Placid, N.Y. 

The 2024 U.S. Women's National Team will be named at the conclusion of camp and will compete at the IIHF Women's World Championship in Utica, N.Y., April 3-14. The camp includes some of the top players in collegiate hockey as well as members of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL). Hartje is one of 21 forwards invited to the evaluation and is one of only 10 players from ECAC Hockey. 

Additionally, assistant coach Mackenzie Bruch has been named the goaltending coach for the 2025 U.S. Under-18 Women's National Team. 

Hartje, who is the captain of the 2023-24 Bulldogs, is a veteran of USA Hockey competitions. Last year, she was named to the USA Hockey Festival roster and the 2023 U.S. Collegiate Women's Select Team. Prior to that, she participated as a member of the 2018 U.S. Under-18 Women's Select team that competed at the 2018 U-18 Series against Team Canada in Calgary, Alberta. Hartje also took part in the 2017 and 2018 USA Hockey Women's National Festivals and 2017 and 2018 Girls U-18 Select Player Development Camp.

In addition to her national experience, Hartje has cemented herself as one of the best players in Yale program history. The Detroit native is the all-time assists and points leader with 116 and 168 respectively. She has earned multiple all-conference honors, all-American achievements, and academic accolades. More importantly, she has been a leader on-and-off the ice for the Bulldogs.

"This will be a great opportunity for Elle to showcase her abilities and continue on a path with Team USA," said Mark Bolding, Susan Cavanaugh Head Coach of the Bulldogs. "She had a terrific career here and I think her play has not gone unnoticed by USA Hockey."

After successfully proving herself as one of the top players in the collegiate landscape over the past four years, Hartje will now get to test herself against elevated competition including professional players, and she will get to do so while representing her country. 

"Being recognized as one of the best players in the country alongside individuals that I have looked up to for years is such an honor," said Hartje. "Wearing a USA jersey has been a lifelong dream, and I'm so excited to compete against the very best."

Bruch was selected by USA Hockey to coach the goaltenders for the Under-18 Women's National Team in 2025. She served in the same capacity for the U.S. Collegiate Women's Select Team in both 2023 and 2022. 

Since October of 2021, Bruch has served as volunteer goaltending coach for at Yale and is also in her sixth season as a head coach for Pro Crease Goaltending. 

A former Bemidji State University goalie, Bruch graduated from BSU in 2017 and returned for the 2017-18 as the director of hockey and video operations for the women's ice hockey program.