2026 Junior Nexus Championship Continues, China Finishes on Top at U-18

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – After three more days at the 2026 Junior Nexus Championship (NXC), presented by Osaka Hockey, China was crowned the champion of the U-18 Girls division.

It was a hot couple of days in Virginia Beach, Va., as 18 teams battled it out on the pitch. The event also featured practices and a goalkeeping session, where goalkeepers could showcase their skill in front of college coaches and selectors. In an added enhancement to the NXC experience, athletes could meet with Dr. Carly Ellman, a psychotherapist with over 17 years of clinical experience who specializes in supporting athletes and their families. Dr. Ellman offered sessions throughout the day, as well as a space to chat informally.

The first pool matches were played out on day one, then teams we re-pooled for the second day based on finish. Action got started early on the last day, including the bronze match between Belgium against Japan at 8:15 a.m. After three quarters of back-and-forth play and the threat of shootouts, Belgium finally broke through in the final frame. Hannah Ponciroli (St. Louis, MO) scored on a breakaway with just over three minutes left, and Paisley Testa (Hampton, NJ) tapped in an insurance goal out of the air off a shot from Juliet MacLeod (Louisville, KY). Belgium's 2-0 victory secured them a bronze medal.

After both finishing out their second round of pool play with 2-0 records, China and the United States were the two teams to be featured in the final. It was another tight contest, with the first goal coming from China's Keeli Gant (Chantilly, VA) in the third quarter. Adding to the drama, Tess Hankins (Lafayette Hill, PA) of the United States scored the equalizer early in the fourth frame after dribbling up into the circle. This sent the match into shootouts, where China came out victorious, 2-1.

USA Field Hockey would like to thank all the athletes, coaches, selectors, umpires, umpire managers, Nexus staff, and volunteers who continue to make the U-18 Girls NXC a success. The 2026 NXC will finish out this weekend with the U-21 Junior and Senior divisions.