The quest to earn a spot in USA Hockey’s national camps continues this weekend.
After impressing at Mass. Hockey’s girls festival last month, the state’s top 40 players in each of the 2009, 2010 and 2011 age groups will trek along Interstates 495 and 290 to the trusty New England Sports Center.
From there, a group of evaluators will pick a still-unknown number of players to move on to the national camps.
The 2011s will fight to make the National 15 and National 15 Goalie Camps, while the 2009s and 2010s will battle for spots in the National 16/17 Camp. Those camps will be at Miami University (Ohio) in July. Each age group also has an opportunity to make the Under-18 Women’s National Team Festival in Lake Placid in August. Those selections will be released later this month.
Before we dive into storylines for the weekend, here’s the full schedule. All games will be held at the NESC in Marlboro, Mass.
Saturday (Rink 7)
- 10 a.m.: 2009s
- 12 p.m.: 2010s
- 2 p.m.: 2011s
Sunday (Rink 7)
- 10 a.m.: 2009s
- 12 p.m.: 2010s
- 2 p.m.: 2011s
Let's dive into five storylines to watch at Final 40 this weekend.
1. How many players advance from the Mass. Hockey festival?
It's the question that's at the front of mind this weekend.
USA Hockey will inform Mass. Hockey how many spots it can give per birth year. While we don’t know the exact number for each, we can see how many there were in previous years to get a sense of what we’re working with.
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Here's a look at last year's numbers:
2025 National 15 Camp:
- 17 forwards
- 11 defenders
- Two goalies
2025 National 16/17 Camp:
- 13 forwards
- Eight defenders
- One goalie
2025 U18 Women's National Team Festival:
- Six forwards
- Five defenders
One important note is that some players advanced to the U18 Festival from the other camps. Five skaters (three forwards and two defenders) made the initial U18 Festival roster.
Those numbers are comparable to 2024 when Massachusetts sent 25 skaters (15 forwards and 10 defenders), plus two goalies, to National 15 Camp. That year, 22 skaters (12 forwards and 10 defenders), plus one goalie, made 16/17 Camp. That was on top of 16 skaters (nine forwards and seven defenders) who made it to the U18 Festival. Of those, 11 made the initial roster.
2. The uncommitted '09s and '10s
It's a key point in the calendar for rising juniors.
Many of the 2009 and 2010-born players are about a month away from becoming eligible to commit. Beginning June 15, college coaches can begin communicating with those players via phone, email, text and direct message. Coaches can begin making verbal offers as well. Starting Aug. 1, official visits can begin, and off-campus contact is permitted.
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Those rising juniors, as well as uncommitted rising seniors, each have another shot to show well this weekend.
Of the 25 uncommitted skaters we highlighted ahead of last month's festival, 23 advanced to the Final 40.
Among the other uncommitted prospects, I'd keep an eye on: Barbara Ma (Cambridge, Mass.), Izzy O'Brien (Holbrook, Mass.), Lauren Dockray (North Andover, Mass.), Avah Miller (Plymouth, Mass.), Maggie Fitzpatrick (Quincy, Mass.), Cadence Crowley (North Reading, Mass.), Nora Swaim (Concord, Mass.), Molly Bardol (Walpole, Mass.) and Izzy Duarte (East Freetown, Mass.).
3. The '10 forwards
The 2010-born forwards are emerging as a deep group.
Among the crop in this year's Final 40, 14 moved on to last season's national camps.
Kendra Snell (Southborough, Mass.), Kelsey MacPherson (Hopkinton, Mass.), Lydia Kealty (Norfolk, Mass.), Ava Carr (Medway, Mass.), Francie Ames (Brookline, Mass.), Maggie Grant (Belmont, Mass.), Emily Araujo (Reading, Mass.), Maddie Perkins (Milton, Mass.), Ella Skeiber (Pembroke, Mass.), Liz Averill (Wayland, Mass.), Ella Cohen (Easton, Mass.), Giuliana Polcari (Marshfield, Mass.), Teagan Beigel (Natick, Mass.) and Tenley Marengi (Salisbury, Mass.) each made it to National 15 camp.
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Beyond those listed above, there are plenty of '10 forwards who could make cases for 16/17 Camp this season, whether it's Cassie Ling (Needham, Mass.), Avery Hutchins (North Andover, Mass.), Jenna Henley (Whitman, Mass.), Lila Huggon (Plymouth, Mass.), Elisabeth Melly (Reading, Mass.), Elliana Tabor (Pembroke, Mass.) or Stephanie LeBlanc (Wrentham, Mass.).
Of that group, Ling and Henley stick out in particular. Ling has consistently shown a strong 200-foot game and good sense. She had 17 points in 26 games as a freshman at Brooks. Henley's goal-scoring translated from the MIAA to prep with 14 goals (19 points) in 28 games as a freshman at Thayer. She can drive offense with her skating.
4. The '10 goalies
Both goalies who made last season's National 15 camp, Chloe LeMay (South Grafton, Mass.) and Vienna Noble (Hingham, Mass.), are in the Final 40 again.
Noble, who is headed to Shattuck-St. Mary's next season, has previously stood out with the Massachusetts Spitfires and at last spring's Final 40. She didn't see much action at Dexter Southfield this past season, slotting behind incumbent upperclassmen Addie Sutherland (West Roxbury, Mass.) and Annabelle Aitken (Winchester, Mass.). Meanwhile, LeMay, who plays club for the Minuteman Lady Flames, posted a .926 save percentage as the No. 2 at Tilton.
The other '10 goalies have similar cases. There's also Avery Reimold (Marion, Mass.), who saw limited action as a sophomore at Tabor behind Brown commit Evelyn Lacey (Braintree, Mass.).
MASS. HOCKEY BOYS FESTIVAL: 14 standout ’10s | 12 standout ’11s | 13 standout ’09s | Final 40 selections
Meanwhile, St. Mark's rising sophomore Erin Drew (Methuen, Mass.) could be one of the more intriguing '10s to watch this weekend, fresh off a stellar rookie season in prep. She posted a .918 save percentage, mostly splitting the net with '11 Melanie Allen (Norwood, Mass.) before getting the nod down the stretch. Drew had a .979 across two Small School tournament starts, giving up one goal on 47 shots as she backstopped the Lions to the semifinals.
5. What about the '11s?
The '11s are experiencing the festival process for the first time. Last spring, many of them got a preview of it with the Girls 14 Eastern Select Camp, which the '12s will be trying out for this weekend. That process introduces players to the USA Hockey National Player Development Camp process.
For the '11s, this weekend is a chance to make strong initial impressions in their first year in the national camp process.
We can't help ourselves when it comes to predictions around here, so let me take a swing at which players might advance.
Looking at the forwards, I'll say: Abby Macauley (Avon, Mass.), Amelia Paes (West Roxbury, Mass.), Ashley Anderson (Wilmington, Mass.), Mia Cataruzolo (Milton, Mass.), Finley Kolaric (Quincy, Mass.), Juliet Platt (Brookline, Mass.), Samantha Sada (West Springfield, Mass.), Abigale Loring (Wellesley, Mass.), Katherine Cooke (Wenham, Mass.), Cali Littlewood (Braintree, Mass.), Eliana Andersen (Charlestown, Mass.) and Kelly O'Brien (Walpole, Mass.). That's 12, and 17 made it last year.
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On defense, I'll go with: Serena Mohsen (Newton, Mass.), Cam Katapodis (Halifax, Mass.), Bess Elkins (Northampton, Mass.), Addison Boczenowski (Woburn, Mass.), Janvi Singh (Lexington, Mass.), Courtney Keenan (Mansfield, Mass.) and Charlotte McCafferty (Winchester, Mass.). That makes seven, and 11 moved on last year.
Among the goalies, I'd watch Allen and Maeve Phinney (Avon, Mass.). Allen posted a .918 save percentage in a timeshare as a freshman at St. Mark's. Phinney held her own as a freshman at Brooks, too.
