Differences among player positions have been examined in women's basketball (Ackland et al., 1997; Bale, 1991; Spurgeon et al., 1981), field hockey (Minkoff, 1982; Nicholas, 1984; Reilly and Borrie, 1992; Sidhu et al., 1984; Wasmer and Mookerjee, 2002; Wilsmore, 1982), and volleyball (Gualdi-Russo and Zaccagni, 2001). Relatively few studies have been focused on women's ice hockey, and none to date have considered positional differences in this sport. PURPOSE This study described and compared physical and performance characteristics of forwards (F), defensemen (D), and goalies (G) in elite women's ice hockey. METHODS Players for the University of Alberta (Canada) were measured preseason for 5 seasons: 1999–2004, excluding 2001 (n = 112, age = 21.4±2.9). A full anthropometric battery was taken on each player including weight, height, skeletal lengths and breadths, trunk and limb circumferences, and skinfolds (SKF). Percent body fat (% fat) was estimated from a general equation (Jackson, Pollock, and Ward, 1980 - JPW) and a population-specific equation equation for female athletes (Withers et al., 1987 - W) for predicting body density using Siri's equation (1961). Off-ice fitness tests were vertical jump, 40-yard dash, and the Leger test (for predicting VO2max). On-ice fitness tests included: acceleration test (sec) - a 6.10 m, agility test (sec) - Corner S-Turn (Greer et al., 1992), and Modified 3-Repeat Sprint Test (sec) and blood lactate after sprint test (mmol). ANOVAs were run to test for significant differences among positions using SPSS 10.0 for the MacIntosh. Significance level was set a priori at p < 0.05. RESULTS Significant physical differences among positions were found for biacromial breadth (F>G, D>G); bicristal breadth (F>G, D>G); relaxed arm circumference (D>F, G>F); supraspinale SKF (G>D, D>F); suprailiac, abdominal, and biceps SKF (G>D, G>F); % fat (G>D, D>F, JPW; G>F, D>F, W); and endo (G>D, G>F). Significant positional differences were also found for agility, acceleration, and Modified 3-Repeat Sprint tests(G>D, G>F); and the Leger test (F>D, D>G). CONCLUSIONS On average, F and D have a more robust build than G, and F tend to be leaner than D and G. F are the most agile, and have the greatest anaerobic and aerobic power, while D have the best acceleration. Performance demands appear to be position-specific, and F need to be the most versatile and fit due to both a greater amount and variety of work performed during practices and games.