Summary

• Adela Sapovalivova has made an immediate impact at Wisconsin, posting a point per game as a freshman after a successful international and professional career.
• She has been a standout for Czechia at multiple IIHF tournaments, highlighted by a silver medal and best forward honors at the 2024 U18 Women’s World Championship.
• Sapovalivova chose Wisconsin for its balance of elite hockey and education, with her ultimate goal being an Olympic appearance in 2026.

Freshman forward Adela Sapovalivova has been a rising star for the University of Wisconsin this season. In 18 games with the Badgers, she has scored 8 goals and 10 assists so far, good for a healthy point-per-game average.

Behind Sapovalivova’s immediate success lies a life-long connection to hockey. A connection that was formed long before she arrived in Madison.

Hailing from Czechia, just outside of Prague, Sapovalivova and her older brother Matyas grew up playing hockey. She tells the story of her brother coming to their parents around kindergarten-age expressing his desire to play hockey. Matyas’ desire to play hockey as a kid imprinted on Adela.

“I was little and went everywhere with my mom and brother,” Sapovalivova said. “Then I wanted to try it, and I liked it.”

Sapovalivova worked her way up the ranks, all the way to the Senior National Czech Team. She was a key contributor to the back-to-back bronze medal winners at the IIHF Women’s World Championships in 2022 and 2023, defeating Switzerland in both years.

Her favorite memory from the junior hockey circuit comes from the 2024 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship. Having lost in group play, 8-1, Czechia were underdogs heading into their semifinal match against Canada.

But they pulled off the upset, 4-2, on the way to winning a silver medal. Sapovalivova scored a goal and an assist in the win against Canada. She was the second-leading scorer of the tournament, with 9 goals and 2 assists and was awarded the best forward of the tournament.

Sapovalivova was prodigiously productive in Sweden, earning rookie of the year honors when she jumped to the professional level

In 2024, Sapovalivova continued her playing career with MoDo Hockey of the Swedish Women’s Hockey League. She joined Czech national teammate Vendula Pribylova on MoDo. She scored 29 points in 32 games, taking home the league’s rookie of the year honors.

Sapovalivova then decided to make the move to collegiate hockey at the University of Wisconsin. The biggest factor in her decision to come stateside is for the U.S. collegiate education. She said that she wants the degree for her future life. Wisconsin gave Sapovalivova the best opportunity to get an education and advance her playing career.

Sapovalivova stands beside her Badger teammates ahead of a game.

Her biggest goal in mind for the future is to make the Olympics. With how successful she has been at the international level and in the NCAA thus far, Sapovalivova is a name to keep in mind for Milan 2026.

“I hope that I will make the team,” Sapovalivova said. “It has always been my dream to make the Olympics.”

Sapovalivova was named to Czechia's Olympic Team to open 2026, a dream come true.