Carrying the Legacy Forward: Inside Taylor Hinseth’s Hockey Journey

A legacy of love, resilience, and redefining what’s possible in women’s hockey. 

If you followed Minnesota girls’ hockey in the early 2010s, you likely knew the name Taylor Williamson — the 2015 Ms. Hockey winner, Edina standout, and future Gophers national champion. Today, she’s Taylor Hinseth, newly married and thriving in a coaching career she once never imagined for herself. Her journey has taken her from youth rinks to the world stage, through adversity and back again, and now into a role where she’s shaping the next generation of players.
 
I sat down with Taylor for a thoughtful, wide‑ranging conversation about her family’s hockey roots, her battle with myasthenia gravis, her favorite memories from a remarkable playing career, and the passion she now pours into coaching. Her story is one of gratitude, perspective, and a deep love for the game that shaped her. 

Growing Up in a Hockey Family 

Taylor’s hockey journey began exactly where you’d expect: in a Minnesota household where the sport wasn’t just a pastime — it was a shared language. 
 
With her dad, uncles, and grandfather all deeply involved in hockey, the game was woven into every family gathering and holiday. But what stands out most is how healthy that environment was. 

“It was a healthy hockey family… it wasn’t one that put pressure on my shoulders.” 

Instead of focusing on winning or expectations, her family emphasized joy, effort, and the thrill of competing. That foundation shaped everything that came next. 
 

Edina, the Gophers, Team USA — and a Mindset That Carried Her 

Taylor’s path took her through some of the most storied programs in the sport: Edina girls’ hockey, the University of Minnesota, and the U18 national team. For many players, those environments come with heavy expectations. For Taylor, they became fuel.
 
She credits her coaches — especially her dad and the Edina youth staff — for instilling a mindset that excellence isn’t pressure; it’s privilege. 

“Pressure is ultimately a privilege.” 

That perspective stayed with her through every level of the game. 

 The Hardest Chapter — and the One That Changed Everything 

During college, Taylor faced a life‑altering challenge: a diagnosis of myasthenia gravis, a neuromuscular disorder that forced her away from the game she loved. 
 
“It was the hardest thing I’ve ever gone through,” she said. “But it was the biggest blessing.” 
 
Being removed from hockey gave her something she didn’t know she needed: perspective. She rediscovered who she was outside the sport. And when she returned to the ice, she played with a renewed sense of gratitude — finishing her career playing some of the best hockey of her life. 
 
Today, she’s healthy, thriving, and proud of the nonprofit work her family did to support research in the field. 

“Getting sick reminded me that I’m more than just a hockey player.” 

Favorite Memories Across a Lifetime of Hockey 

When asked to pick a favorite memory, Taylor laughed — because the Williamsons ask this question at family dinners all the time. She broke it down by era: 

• Youth: Her very first game, playing on the first-ever Edina girls’ youth team, coached by her dad. 
• High School: Scoring the overtime winner in the section final against Eden Prairie her senior year. 
• College: Winning the 2016 national championship — and her emotional first game back after her diagnosis. 
• Team USA: Being named player of the game at U18 Worlds in Budapest, where her grandpa unexpectedly walked onto the ice to present the award. 

That last moment comes with a photo Taylor treasures deeply — and a story worth sharing in full. Her grandpa, Murray Williamson, was a giant in American hockey, especially in the junior ranks. A U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame inductee, he helped build what eventually became the USHL and coached the inaugural U.S. National Junior Team at the first‑ever World Junior Championships. Because of his impact on the sport, he had been invited to present the Player of the Game award at that U18 Worlds matchup — a plan arranged long before anyone knew who would earn the honor. When the final buzzer sounded and Murray stepped onto the ice in his cowboy boots, Taylor said she was completely confused, then stunned, then overwhelmed with joy. The photo of her grandpa handing her that award has become one of her most cherished keepsakes — a once‑in‑a‑lifetime moment she holds close, especially now that he’s gone.

Life Today: Coaching, Marriage, and a New Chapter 

Taylor recently married her husband, Spencer, and the two are settling into life in Minnesota. Professionally, she’s found her calling as a development coach with Oates Sports Group — something she once swore she’d never do. 

But one week on the ice with Adam Oates and a group of NHL players changed everything. 

“It was like opening a new encyclopedia of hockey.” 

Four years later, she now coaches players across the U.S., Canada, and Europe — women, men, NCAA athletes, PWHL players, and even NHLers. Her passion is clear: helping individuals reach their goals while keeping safety and longevity at the forefront. 

On the PWHL and the Future of the Game 

Taylor has been energized watching the PWHL’s rise. 

“The professionalism is incredible,” she said. “And it’s just the beginning.” 

She believes the league will transform the pipeline for young girls — especially as rule changes like checking in NCAA women’s hockey begin to align with the pro game. 

Advice for Young Players 

Her message to Minnesota girls dreaming of the Gophers, Team USA, or the PWHL is simple and powerful: 

Everyone’s journey looks different. 
Comparison steals joy. 
Failure is necessary. 
Stick to your goals and trust your path. 

“It takes a lot more failing than winning to get where you want to be.” 

Looking Ahead 

Taylor plans to stay in hockey long-term. As a third-generation coach in her family, she feels honored to carry on a legacy built by her grandfather and father. 

“It’s going to be really neat to see what I get to be part of down the road,” she said. 

Looking Forward

Talking with Taylor makes one thing clear: her story is still unfolding. She’s already lived a lifetime of hockey — youth standout, Ms. Hockey winner, national champion, national team player, survivor of a life‑altering diagnosis, and now a coach helping athletes reach their potential. But she speaks about the future with the same curiosity and gratitude that carried her through every chapter so far. Whether she’s working with young girls chasing big dreams or elite players refining the smallest details of their game, Taylor brings a perspective shaped by resilience, joy, and a deep love for the sport. And as women’s hockey continues to grow, evolve, and inspire, it feels certain that Taylor Hinseth will be part of the story — guiding, teaching, and carrying her family’s legacy forward in her own way.