“Just because it’s five doesn’t mean it doesn’t feel like number one,” Hilary Knight beamed ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics. The excitement was clearly visible on her face as the four-time Olympic medalist (1 gold, 3 silver) and a record 10-time IIHF Women’s World Championship gold medalist prepared for yet another successful campaign. And it off to a flier as the USA rained down goals on Finland. 

During Team USA’s 5-0 rout of Finland, Knight scored her second goal of the 2026 Winter Olympics and her 14th career goal for Team USA at the Winter Games. That put her alongside Natalie Darwitz and Katie King for first on the all-time list for Team USA. As Hilary Knight chases Team USA immortality, let’s look at her background in detail and understand her life beyond Ice Hockey. 

What Is Hilary Knight’s Age and Height?

Hilary Knight was born on July 12, 1989, in Sun Valley, Idaho. She will turn 37 later this year. Despite being listed at 5’11, Knight strives to be a physical presence on the ice. Knight has succeeded in using her frame and skill to defy age as she remains one of the best players in the world despite being in her late thirties. 

Where Is Hilary Knight From?

Hilary Knight’s hometown is Sun Valley, Idaho, but it’s not the only place she grew up in. She was ripping down the streets on her roller skates at 3. She ran NASTAR races at 4. When Hilary was five, the family moved to Lake Forest, Illinois, where Knight started getting really into Ice Hockey. 

“I wrote/illustrated a book for a school project in elementary school, and it has a picture of USA v. CAN rivalry on the back cover. U.S. won 🙂 Obviously!” Knight revealed in 2017. Along with hockey, Hilary’s family was committed to a good education as well. She considered Community School in Sun Valley but ended up at Choate Rosemary Hall, a private boarding school in Connecticut that had a stellar hockey program.

Who Are Hilary Knight’s Parents and Family?

Cynthia and Jim Knight are the parents of Hilary Knight. They played a very important part in Knight’s hockey interest. When they moved to the Midwest, the parents encouraged all of their children to pursue sports. Because of the lack of girls’ teams in the area, they put Hilary on the boys’ teams instead and ignored the pushback.

“She (Hilary’s grandmother) pulled my mom aside and told her, “girls don’t play hockey.” She looked at me like (I was) crazy. … Now she’s one of my biggest fans,” Hilary says. They have been the rock behind the hockey star. 

“Honestly, there’s some sacrifices I don’t even know [they’ve made for me],” Knight told PEOPLE about her parents. “The number of family events that I’ve missed, the countless hours of warming up the car so we can get in our pajamas and go learn how to skate early mornings before school, the tournaments, all the travel, and just the financial commitment. I mean, there’s so many things that they had to sacrifice for me to continue to be able to live my dream on this level.”

Her mother, on the other hand, humbly denies much involvement in Hilary’s success. She’s always been determined. It’s in her DNA,” said Hilary’s mother, Cynthia Knight, director of development for the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation. “People always congratulate me on her successes, and I say, ‘I didn’t do anything.’ When I look at all these athletes, I find it’s in their DNA.” 

She also has three younger brothers, James Jr., Remington, and William. Her cousin, Chip Knight, was a three-time Olympian for Team USA as an alpine skier. With such guidance and support, Hilary has flourished in the Ice Hockey world, and the family continues to back her with the same intensity as they did on day 1. 

What Is Hilary Knight’s Ethnicity and Religion?

The ethnicity of Hilary Knight is unknown. Some sources defined her as of White American background, but she prefers to keep her exact roots under wraps. That is also true for her religion and faith. Both of these things are deeply personal, and Knight chooses to keep them to herself. 

Who Is Hilary Knight’s Girlfriend? Meet Fellow Olympian Brittany Bowe

Hilary Knight and fellow U.S. Olympic speed skater Brittany Bowe started dating in 2022. The two athletes first met at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, where they would take masked evening walks together during the strict COVID-19 protocols. 

“Hilary and I have known each other for a number of years through different Team USA events, a number of different Olympics, but that’s the first time we really did have time to connect and get to know one another,” Bowe says. “And it was everything other than glamorous, that’s for sure! Hilary would ask, like, ‘Oh, do you want to go for a walk after dinner?’ And that was our first date, going to walk around the Olympic Village masked because everyone was so fearful of getting COVID.”

From there, a relationship flowered as the couple has now purchased a home together in Salt Lake City, where they enjoy training together, working in their backyard, and playing pickleball. Bowe is an accomplished athlete herself, a former inline skater and basketball player. She has won eight gold, one silver, and two bronze medals from the world inline speedskating championships. In speed skating, she has specialized in the 500, 1000, and 1500 meters and has won two Olympic medals (bronze). 

What Is Hilary Knight’s Net Worth?

The exact number Hilary Knight is worth is unknown. What is public information is the fact that she is Team USA’s highest-paid women’s hockey player at the 2026 Olympics. According to Forbes, the 36-year-old forward has a “robust group of nine partnerships, including Chipotle, Hershey’s, and Red Bull, has her income this year is approaching $1 million.”