Few countries have been able to match the success USA Hockey has had of late on the international stage.
In addition to a thrilling gold medal run at the 2026 Olympics, its third all-time and second in the last three Olympics, the U.S. has also won two of the last three IIHF Women's World Championships (2023 and 2025) as part of its 11 gold medals in the event.
Perhaps most notable is USA Hockey's dominance at the Under-18 level. In 2026, the U.S. won its 10th gold medal in the event, the most of any nation, and it has medaled in all 18 editions of the tournament, including seven silver and one bronze. Behind the U.S. and Canada, which each have 18 medals, the next closest is Sweden (seven).
New England's fingerprints were all over Team USA's success in 2026, too.
At the Olympics, defender Caroline Harvey (Salem, N.H.) and forward Alex Carpenter (Reading, Mass.) were key producers for Team USA. Harvey, who went first overall to the Seattle Torrent in the PWHL Draft, earned tournament MVP after putting up nine points in seven games. She was also named IIHF Female Player of the Year.
At the U18s, nine New Englanders helped the U.S. to gold, capping off a perfect tournament for head coach Courtney Kennedy‘s (Woburn, Mass.) squad. Jane Daley (Medfield, Mass.) was named the tournament’s most valuable player. She finished with 17 points and a record 12 goals in six games, leading the tournament in both categories. Maggie Averill (Wayland, Mass.) captained Team USA and earned her third straight medal (two gold).
So what's behind all of the success? We asked girls prep coaches and selected the best answers for the fifth and final installment of our annual coaches survey.
All answers were anonymous, and we appreciate all who participated. As such, names won’t be listed. Instead, they will be attributed to “Coach 1,” “Coach 2,” and so forth.
Let’s dive in.
Coach 1: "It has been able to attract more players from all over the country, so the pool is more competitive, and then provide opportunities for the players to continue to develop."
Coach 2: "I think the success is a tribute to the overall growth of the game at the local levels. So many more girls are playing. Fewer are playing on boys teams at U8-U12. There are a lot of really smart, passionate people giving girls a great first experience, and then they're hooked."
Coach 3: "The competition in girls hockey in the U.S. is so good, especially in Mass. and Minnesota. Having a great level of competition in the younger ages of the NEGHL has made everyone better."
Coach 4: "They cast a fairly wide net and have a lot of kids in the pool. There are multiple opportunities to train with other elite players so they can play at a high level. The exposure to opportunities and what it takes at the top helps open doors and helps kids do the things it takes to see success."
Coach 5: "Great young club programs providing a wide range for girls to continue to play and enjoy hockey."
