Team USA Aims to Enhance Team Cohesion in This Year’s Under-18 Series

Prior to the U.S. Women’s National Team securing gold at the Olympics in February, Team USA achieved an unblemished record at the IIHF Under-18 Women’s World Championship in January, concluding the tournament with a 2-0 victory against Canada in the gold-medal match.

The success for both squads was anticipated last summer during the Collegiate and Under-18 Series, where the U.S. triumphed in both series against Canada for the first time in the same year.

The previous year’s series win was the first for the U.S. U18s since 2017. The Americans now have the opportunity to initiate a winning streak against Canada this week in Richmond, British Columbia, where the teams will compete on August 12, 13, and 15.

With limited ice time together and in front of the coaching staff, this series represents a crucial step for both teams as they prepare for the IIHF Under-18 Women’s Worlds in January.

“I appreciate that we have this summer series,” remarked head coach Courtney Kennedy. “It’s exciting to observe players rise to the international level and determine who can manage the speed and intensity of the game. The series is focused on identifying players. We aim to learn about the players and their capabilities, and we are looking to see who can adapt to various roles and develop chemistry with teammates.”

This chance to establish a foundation for the Worlds is something Kennedy and her staff capitalized on last year. The roster they chose for the U18 Worlds in 2026 closely mirrored the one they assembled during the 2025 edition of the U18 Series.

That chemistry contributed to the team’s historic 10th gold at the U18 Worlds. Throughout the tournament, players mentioned their confidence, comfort, and ease with one another, attributed to the time they spent playing together the previous summer. 

For a young team with limited international exposure, few experiences could have bolstered their self-belief like winning two of three games against Canada last August in Lake Placid, New York. After losing the first game 4-1, the Americans bounced back with two come-from-behind victories. 

Six players from that gold-medal-winning roster return for this series, including Jane Daley, who, at 16, set a tournament record at the Under-18 Women’s World Championship with 12 goals, earning MVP honors and the Directorate Award as the tournament’s top forward. Daley achieved hat tricks in each of Team USA’s first three games during the tournament.

Other significant returnees include Annabelle Lovell, who recorded three goals and two assists, and defender Taylee Manion, who led Team USA with a +20 rating over six games, averaging the third-most minutes per game.

Among the newcomers, keep an eye on Aubryn Monter, a forward who plays alongside Lovell and returning defender Chyna Taylor at Lovell Academy in Massachusetts. Monter ranks just behind Annabelle Lovell in scoring, accumulating 235 points with 130 goals in 149 games played over the last two seasons.

Kennedy — who assumed the role of head coach at Merrimack College this past March — is in her second year leading the U18 team. She has maintained a motivational approach with the young group, emphasizing belief and the capacity to learn from mistakes.

“I want them to discover how resilient they are, how hard they can push themselves, how to overcome mistakes, but also recognize that mistakes are part of the game. You can’t be overly critical of yourself. You just have to strive and work for this like anything in life that you wish to achieve,” she stated.

“We are consistently aiming to build confidence and belief in our players; this series marks the beginning of that. We do not become overly focused on the outcome,” she added. “We feel fortunate to have a strong opponent right across the border so we can assist each other in developing players and, ultimately, continue to elevate women’s hockey. We want the players to grow and evolve, meet new teammates from diverse backgrounds, and learn how to become a family.”

Story from Red Line Editorial, Inc.