Family of U.S. hockey legend, Olympic gold medalist Lisa Brown-Miller donates brain to CTE research
Brown-Miller died by suicide May 2, 2025, at age 58
May 28, 2025 (Boston) – The family of Lisa Brown-Miller, Olympic gold medalist and U.S. women’s ice hockey legend, is announcing their decision to donate Brown-Miller’s brain to the Boston University Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) Center. Brown-Miller died by suicide on May 2, 2025, at the age of 58. She endured a lifetime of repetitive head impacts playing hockey and was also a survivor of a serious car accident.
The Brown-Miller family hopes the donation will help advance understanding, prevention, and treatment of the degenerative brain disease CTE, and shed light on the unique risks faced by female athletes in contact sports.
“Lisa gave everything she had to the game—her talent, her heart, her body,” said Peggy Gustafson, Lisa’s wife. “Hockey was a part of her soul but so was helping others. She carried so much, more than most people ever saw, and still showed up with strength and grace. Donating her brain is a way to honor who she was: generous, brave, and always thinking about how she could make things better for the people coming after her. I miss her deeply, and I’m proud that her legacy will keep helping others.”
Brown-Miller was a cornerstone of women’s hockey in the United States, remembered not only for her fierce competitiveness but also for her humility, leadership, and selflessness. She was a member of the historic 1998 U.S. Olympic Women’s Ice Hockey Team that won the first-ever gold medal awarded in the sport. At just 5 feet 1 inch, she stood out for her relentless drive, grit, and unwavering work ethic.
Brown-Miller played in six IIHF Women’s World Championships, tallying 38 points in 30 games. Off the ice, she coached and mentored countless young athletes, including during her tenure as head coach of the Princeton University women’s team. She was inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in 2009 and the Providence College Athletics Hall of Fame in 2008 as a member of the 1998 Olympic team.
“Lisa Brown-Miller was a trailblazer and a role model,” said Dr. Chris Nowinski, CLF co-founder and CEO, who worked with the family to coordinate Brown-Miller’s brain donation. “Her brain donation will help us better understand CTE and traumatic brain injury in female athletes. Her contribution will be invaluable to helping us better protect women in contact sports.”
Brown-Miller’s family encourages women who played contact sports to get involved in CTE research during life. Many of Brown-Miller’s teammates like A.J. Mleczko Griswold and Angela Ruggiero have already pledged to donate their brains to the Concussion Legacy Foundation (CLF) and are vocal advocates for brain health and CTE prevention in women’s sports. Those interested in getting involved can visit CLFResearch.org to learn more.