U-16 & U-18 USWNT Return from Successful 2026 World Hockey Youth Festival

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands — From August 14 through 25, the U.S. U-16 and U-18 Women’s National Teams traveled to The Netherlands for their second international tour of the year, competing in the 2026 World Hockey Youth Festival.

The trip included two warm-up matches against strong Dutch clubs before the teams competed in a three-day tournament featuring top clubs from around the world. Both U.S. teams returned home with tournament trophies and individual accolades, as well as new skills, a deeper tactical understanding of the game, and a greater appreciation for international field hockey.

The tour officially began on August 17 with scrimmages against Den Bosch, the club that won the women’s division of the 2025 Euro Hockey League. The U-16 USWNT took the field first and earned a dominant 3-0 victory. Led by head coach Danielle Baumgardner and assistant coach Grant Fulton, the young team used the result to build momentum and confidence early in the tour.

The U-18 USWNT followed with its match against Den Bosch. Despite a 5-1 loss, the team did not allow the result to define its tour. The team, led by head coach Torsten Bartel and assisted by Fulton, quickly turned its attention to preparing for its next opportunity on the pitch.

The following day, after a morning training session at Hockey Club Gooische, both teams returned to competition against U-16 and U-18 squads from Gooische. Both teams responded with strong performances, confidently securing victories. The U-16 USWNT earned a 7-1 win, while the U-18 USWNT followed with a 6-3 victory.

Away from the pitch, the teams made the most of their time in The Netherlands. On days off from training and competition, the athletes traveled to Wagener Stadium in Amstelveen to watch the FIH Hockey World Cup, taking in both men’s and women’s matches. Experiencing World Cup hockey in a full stadium provided an exciting opportunity for the teams to watch the sport at its highest level. The athletes also visited Efteling, a fairy tale- and fantasy-themed amusement park that was built nearly 80 years ago.

On Friday, August 21, the World Youth Hockey Festival officially began. The U-16 USWNT opened the tournament with a dominant run through pool play, winning all three of its games. The team defeated LOHC and Bloemhof by identical 2-0 scores before closing out pool play with a tight 1-0 victory over AH & BC. The team continued its strong run in the crossover round, opening with a 6-0 win over St. Mary’s before earning a 2-0 victory against the Hockey Mentors to advance to the championship game.

On Sunday afternoon, the U-16 USWNT battled to a 1-1 draw through regulation in the championship game. Although the team ultimately fell in the shootout, it returned home with a second-place trophy and an individual honor for Kaylee Hester, who was named U-16 Player of the Tournament. The team showed significant growth throughout the competition.

The U-18 USWNT followed a similar path, responding to its opening loss against Den Bosch with a strong tournament performance fueled by focus, hard work and leadership. The team went undefeated through pool play, opening with a 2-0 victory over St. Mary’s, followed by a 4-1 win against MEP, and a 3-1 victory over AthenA HC.

In the first crossover game, the U-18 USWNT faced Bloemendaal and earned a 1-0 victory to advance to the championship game. On a sunny Sunday afternoon, the team delivered another confident performance, defeating Laren 3-1 to claim first place in the tournament. Alexandra Curtis was also recognized as the U-18 Player of the Tournament. Throughout the competition, the U-18 squad displayed grit, relentlessness and confidence, qualities that ultimately helped carry the team to the tournament championship.

The inaugural appearance of the U-16 and U-18 teams at the World Youth Hockey Festival was a success both on and off the pitch. The experience provided the athletes with valuable international competition, new perspectives and opportunities to grow as players and teammates. Thank you to the coaches, managers, athletic trainer, athletes and their families for their contributions to making this tour both fun and successful.