Heads up, local fans of youth ice hockey: USA Hockey’s national championships are coming to town.
The 2025 Chipotle-USA Hockey Girls Tier II 16-under National Championship will play out at two venues in Northern Virginia this week, from April 2-6.
Over those five days, there will be 56 different matches between teams in divisions 1A and 2A in the morning and afternoon at The St. James (6805 Industrial Road) in Springfield and the Ashburn Ice House (21595 Smith Switch Road) in Loudoun County.
The championship matches will be held Sunday morning (April 6). The 1A final will be at 10 a.m. at The St. James, while the 2A title match is at 9:20 a.m. at Ashburn West.
Teams from 16 different states will participate, from the California Goldrush and Idaho Steel Heads to the Maryland Ice Devils and multiple Pennsylvania squads. However, only one team from Virginia is in the field — a host squad from The St. James.
Their first game will begin at 3:15 p.m. tomorrow (Wednesday) as a “visiting” team against the Foothills Flyers from Colorado. Every game will be streamed live on USA Hockey TV throughout the tournament.
“We are excited to welcome more than 500 talented young athletes and their families to our region,” Visit Fairfax president & CEO Barry Biggar said. “Hosting this national championship is indeed a great honor, and we look so forward to showcasing Northern Virginia’s hospitality and passion for sports tourism.”
Visit Fairfax, Fairfax County’s tourism agency, teamed up with Visit Loudoun to submit a joint bid to host the tournament in October 2023.
“Securing this prestigious tournament for the region is not only a testament to our growing reputation as a premier sports destination, but also a testament to our commitment to fostering economic growth in the community,” Visit Loudoun CEO Beth Erickson said. “Hosting this event allows us to showcase state-of-the-art facilities and our great attractions all while generating significant economic impact to the region.”
Eric Kulczycky, who served as Visit Fairfax’s main liaison for the event, says the organization is “busy putting the finishing touches to make this a very special experience for all the athletes, coaches, managers, and family members who will be visiting us from 16 states.”
“Certainly, this tournament is a significant economic impact generator, but it’s also a source of community pride being the first USA Hockey National Championship for girls to be hosted in the D.C. area,” Kulczycky said.
