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Nine rising stars

Kendall Coyne

When Coyne was 3, her mom enrolled her in figure skating classes. That experiment lasted barely two weeks. Turns out, little Kendall was just wearing the wrong blades; she wanted to play hockey like her brother. Today, her speed and tenacity have earned her a spot on the U.S. national team. At 19, Coyne is the youngest and smallest member (she's 5-foot-2), but she's at no disadvantage. Her four goals and two assists helped the U.S. win last year's world championship, before she was even in college. Once Coyne hit campus, she led Northeastern to a league title. "Watch her skate," says U.S. captain Julie Chu. "A defenseman might have five or 10 feet on her, and Kendall will still blow by and get to the puck first."