USA Hockey alters eligibility policy, draws ire of first openly trans player

By Samantha Kamman, Christian Post Reporter Tuesday, January 27, 2026

USA Hockey’s new policy that preserves sex-based categories has drawn the ire of the first openly trans-identifying professional hockey player, who claims it's “transphobic” to claim women face unfair competition or physical risks when forced to accommodate athletes based on their gender identity.

Harrison Browne, who participated in the National Women’s Hockey League from 2015 to 2018 before undergoing interventions to present herself as male, published an Instagram post on Friday, claiming that USA Hockey has “quietly barred trans people from participating in hockey safely. Myself included.” 

“I was upset and wanted to do more research and realized that this policy also bars myself and other transmen from playing on women’s beer league teams if we’ve undergone hormone therapy,” Browne stated. 

“It’s no surprise that men’s hockey is not a safe environment for gender non-conforming individuals and the women’s side is often the only place for most queer people to play. Barring trans individuals from these spaces essentially bars us from hockey,” Browne continued. “Horrible.”

In a video included with the Instagram post, the former NWHL player claimed that there has not been an “influx” of trans-identifying athletes competing in sports. Harrison Browne and USA Hockey did not immediately respond to The Christian Post’s request for comment.

USA Hockey is the governing body for organized ice hockey in the United States and a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation.

In November, USA Hockey approved a new Participant Eligibility Policy, replacing its 2019 eligibility policy for trans-identifying athletes, with the new regulations set to begin at the conclusion of the USA Hockey national Championships for each age classification, or April 1, 2026.

"The vast majority of USA Hockey’s programs are co-ed and not restricted by sex, and therefore all hockey players are eligible without regard to their sex, gender identity, transgender, non-binary or other status or forms of gender expression,” the new Participant Eligibility Policy states.” 

Under USA Hockey’s updated guidelines, youth and junior hockey, disabled hockey programs, high school and prep school co-ed hockey and adult "open" or co-ed leagues remain open and available to all players. The policy notes, however, that some high school and prep school hockey programs, as well as some adult leagues, “are restricted by their internal rules to males or females.”

“Some hockey programs are restricted by sex, including Girls’ hockey programs that are restricted to female athletes in the age classifications 19 and under and below, high school programs that are restricted to either male or female players, and adult hockey teams, leagues or events that are restricted to male or female players,” USA Hockey’s new policy states. 

According to the new Participant Eligibility Policy, participation in programs restricted by sex is based on an athlete’s sex, not gender identity. The policy also states that “a female (as assigned at birth) may not play in programs restricted to females if they have undergone any male hormone therapy.” 

Following President Donald Trump’s signing of the "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports" executive order last year, various athletic organizations have adopted policies designed to preserve fairness for female athletes. 

In February, the National Collegiate Athletics Association announced changes to its participation policy for trans-identifying student-athletes. The new policy prohibits trans-identified males from competing on women's sports teams but allows them to practice on them.

"The NCAA is an organization made up of 1,100 colleges and universities in all 50 states that collectively enroll more than 530,000 student-athletes. We strongly believe that clear, consistent, and uniform eligibility standards would best serve today's student-athletes instead of a patchwork of conflicting state laws and court decisions," NCAA President Charlie Baker said in a statement at the time. 

According to a report released in July by the conservative advocacy group Concerned Women for America, trans-identifying male athletes have won over 1,900 gold medals in female-only competitions. 

The report compiled data of recorded instances dating back to the 1980s and beyond of men competing in female-only events. In addition to the 1,941 gold medals won by male athletes in women-only competitions, they also claimed nearly $500,000 in prize money by competing in women’s sports.

“For too long, trans-identifying males have displaced, disrupted, and injured women and girls in female sports categories,” Penny Nance, CEO and president of CWA, said in a statement provided to CP.

“Our research reveals the shocking truth of the matter — over 1,900 women have come in second place to men who claim to be women,” Nance continued. “This is outrageously unjust. Women and girls must have sex-protected athletics under Title IX.”