Nexus Team Announces Increased Number of Athletes to be Selected to Junior National Camps, Change to Stars & Stripes Elite Games

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - As the 2023 Junior Nexus Championship (NXC), presented by Osaka Hockey, approaches, USA Field Hockey has been busy working on new and exciting details around selections from the Junior NXC forward in the Junior High Performance Pathway.

The Nexus Team in coordination with the Junior High Performance and High Performance departments are thrilled to announce that USA Field Hockey will now select and invite an increased number of athletes from the Nexus Championship to Junior National Camp at both the U-16 and U-18 Girls age groups. Broadening the number of athletes moving forward and allowing for greater opportunity for players to advance onto the Junior U.S. National Teams.

Since establishing the new pathway, Nexus in 2020, data collected supports the advancement of more players. The overall level of play and performance in the Nexus program continues to elevate and therefore the number of selections will increase as well. With an unprecedented number of participants selected for the Junior Nexus Championship, USA Field Hockey is anticipating one of the most competitive summer championship events to date.

With this comes a change to the Stars and Stripes Elite games and announcements that traditionally take place during the Junior Nexus Championship. Due to the increased number of athletes advancing to Junior National Camp, the Stars and Stripes Elite games and selections will no longer take place during the Junior Nexus Championship. Alternatively, all Junior National Camp selections will be publicly announced no later than Friday, July 21, 2023 for the- U16 and U-18 Girls age groups.

Junior National Camp for all U-16 and U-18 selected athletes will now take place in December 2023 with details to be released later this summer. Through extensive conversations with all stakeholders, USA Field Hockey has committed to releasing a complete Junior High Performance Competition calendar for late 2023 and Spring 2024 no later than Friday, September 1, 2023.

“The launch of Nexus as our new player pathway was just the beginning of continued, exciting changes for our athletes and families,” said Liz Sanders, USA Field Hockey’s Director of Nexus. “Our team has sought conversations with all stakeholders to make sure we are providing abundant opportunities for our athletes, culminating in wearing the red, white and blue for Team USA.”

Selections and invitations to AAU Junior Olympic Games will follow the same timeline as years’ past. The 2023 edition will take place at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa. Combined selections for the U-21 Junior National Camp will be released later this summer, and the camp schedule will be built around the 2023 FIH Hockey Women’s Junior World Cup, where the current U-21 USWNT will be competing.

All questions regarding this announcement should be directed to nexus@usafieldhockey.