A BK BREAKTHROUGH: 19Us DOMINATE AS BK SELECTS GIRLS CLAIM FIRST NATIONAL TITLE

MARLBOROUGH, Mass. — Perhaps the toughest thing to do in sport is winning a championship wire-to-wire.

 

Human nature makes it challenging to start at a high level and maintain it for the duration — let alone actually improve as a competitive season continues.

 

If you add on the compilation of expectations after several near-misses, the mountain becomes even steeper.

 

It turns out the BK Selects 19U girls team must be comfortable at high altitudes, as they clinched the first girls USA Hockey national championship in program history with an 8-0 victory over the North American Hockey Academy on April 6. The comprehensive win capped an astonishing 56-3-0 season that featured exactly zero (0) losses to USA Hockey opponents, while also ending a nine-year BK girls quest for the coveted golden plate. 

 

“This group was locked in from Day 1,” said first-year 19U Head Coach and Rochester native Chelsea Walkland. “They were super-driven and fully bought into the idea of getting just a little better every day. That mindset built a culture where improvement wasn’t just a goal — it was the standard.”

 

And quite a standard it was. After earning the top seed entering Nationals, the 19Us delivered on that standing in a massive way. In racking up six wins against USA Hockey’s best competition, Walkland’s squad outscored opponents by the combined score of 44-4. 

 

There was little doubt entering April who the best girls team in the country was, and this group left absolutely no doubt with how they delivered. The fact that it was the first Nationals crown in nearly a decade of BK Selects girls hockey excellence made it even more iconic. 

 

“This team is definitely a team to remember,” said forward Bella Fanale (Webster, N.Y. / University of Minnesota). “To be the first ones to do it, but also to carry on the legacy of the people that came before us is so special. 

 

“Having all the alums there and our 16Us watching our last game was so memorable and goes to show how much of a family we’ve created at BK. Those last moments after the final buzzer, the bus ride back, the locker room … it’s something I will remember for the rest of my life.”

 

As a third-year BK Select, Fanale is one of a group of 19U players who had experienced heartbreak at Nationals over the previous eight seasons. That experience cut both ways, as it provided extra motivation while at the same time lingering in the background like an uninvited guest.

 

For Director of Girls Hockey Cari Coen, that feeling was amplified. While she hadn’t suited up for any of the previous close calls at Nationals, she’s been behind the bench as a 19U Assistant Coach for several of them. 

 

“Having come so close to a championship seven times with this program, it was almost unbelievable to finally achieve it,” Coen said. “I felt an overwhelming sense of pride, not just for the players, but for the alumni who set the standard and paved the way for where we are today.

 

“It’s incredible to see how far this program has come in just nine years.”

 

Incredible, but certainly not unbelievable, considering the level of play the BK Selects girls have conjured up since their establishment in 2016. Climbing to this championship height was merely the missing piece in the program’s portfolio. 

 

But, every season brings its own challenges and — ironically — the 19Us’ utter dominance for six months arguably made this team’s journey more emotionally taxing, even if the box scores surely didn’t show it.

 

“Especially with it being my senior year, there was definitely more nerves,” said fourth-year BK forward Rae Mayer (Chesapeake, Va. / University of Minnesota-Duluth), who had the second-most goals (nine) and points (12) at Nationals. 

 

“I think the pressure was also even higher this year because of the high expectations of us winning,” Mayer continued. “When you’re the best, everyone wants to take you down. We didn’t lose to an American team this season which put a huge target on our backs. We knew that every team we played was going to give us their best. 

 

“We knew going into games that anything less than a gold plate would be seen as a failure so we used it as fuel to help drive us. Going into the championship game I had a different feeling than I had the past years. I knew how special our group was and I knew no one could beat us. We went in with confidence and ran with it.”

 

The national final was emblematic of the season at large, as the BK Selects scored three goals in each of the first and second periods to leave precious little drama for the final frame. 

 

Slovakian standout Nela Lopušanová (Zilina, Slovakia / University of Wisconsin) netted two goals in the championship game, lifting her Nationals total to a tourney-best 10 tallies, and Emeline Grennan (Washington, D.C. / Yale University) earned her second of back-to-back shutouts, capping a nearly flawless week for her and tandem-mate Lia Nevo (Albany, N.Y.).

 

“During the game,” Fanale said, “we weren’t satisfied with 3-0 or 4-0. We were motivated to stick to our game plan and keep dominating.”

 

And of course, the final buzzer brought the catharsis the girls program was been building toward for nearly a decade. 

 

“It was amazing to see all the hard work pay off,” Walkland said, “and to watch this group, who had grown so close over the season, get to share that success together. It really felt like the perfect ending to everything we had built.

 

“I was just so happy for our group. The smiles, the hugs, the gloves flying through the air … that’s a moment we’ll all remember for a long time.”

 

After the echoes of the celebration dissipate, the question at top of mind for moments like these can often be: What was different about this team? There’s not often a clear answer, but as Coen related, if there is a ‘special sauce,’ it lies in the day-to-day activities of a motivated group of individuals.

 

“While the basics of preparation and strategy might remain similar, I think what stands out this year is the growth of the team and the evolution of our approach and the girls’ process every day,” Coen said. “The girls showed up every day, set a goal in the beginning of the season and ran with it! There’s always a different energy coming into Nationals, and this year, we felt a stronger sense of confidence and trust in the team's abilities with their process and preparation. 

 

“This group was ready and they got the job done. We are so incredibly proud and happy for them.”

 

If there’s anything bittersweet about all this, it’s that this championship group will never play together again. Some players will move on and compete at the same colleges or suit up for national teams alongside old BK teammates, but the book has closed on the 2024-25 19Us.

 

The bright side? When you accomplish something like this, you’ll be associated with your fellow players, coaches and support staff for life. So while some may disperse after the spring semester, all will be linked together forever.

 

“We have such a special and tight-knit group,” Mayer said. “That made holding the plate feel 10 times more remarkable. I’ll never forget our pre-game dances to get our nerves out, and the way we fed off each other’s energy. I also believe that our alumni, 16U team, parents, friends, et cetera, had a huge contribution to our performance on the ice. 

 

“Seeing the faces of people I love so much was incredible and definitely made the whole experience worthwhile.”

 

Fanale said she’s heard from many family members and friends and past and future coaches in the immediate aftermath of Nationals, but she also received a pregame note from University of Wisconsin star defender Caroline ‘K.K.’ Harvey, a BK alum who just wrapped a stellar junior year with a thrilling national championship. Fanale met Harvey last summer at a leadership camp put on by the International Ice Hockey Federation, a few months prior to Fanale’s captaining Team USA to an Under-18 World Championship gold.

 

“We got to know each other and I learned a lot from her,” Fanale said. “I thought it was cool just to hear from someone you look up to and has experienced the goals and aspirations I have in regards to the national team and the Olympics.”

 

Walkland, who has coached for USA Hockey herself, was asked to reflect on what she learned about mentoring young athletes at this stage of their lives. She arrived at BK Selects last summer after NCAA Division I assistant coaching stints with Robert Morris University and Colgate University.

 

Certainly, this was a dream ending to her first season in charge for her hometown program.

 

“My objective, regardless of the level I’m coaching, is to create an environment where everyone can do their best work,” Walkland said. “That means fostering a space where players and staff feel safe to be their authentic selves, while still being pushed to improve and stretch beyond their comfort zones.

 

“Players at this level are incredibly driven, eager to learn, and hungry to be challenged. They're not only pursuing their hockey dreams, but also navigating the complexities of growing up, often while living away from home for the first time. As a coach, it's essential to meet them where they are — both on and off the ice — and provide the support they need to grow as athletes and individuals.”

 

Championship or not, the BK Selects girls always planned to continue to refine their process as they forge ahead into Year 10. But there’s something about having a little hardware to show for all that hard work.

 

“There have been so many sacrifices that have been made, and this victory means so much to our team and our supporters,” Coen said. “It truly takes a village, and we are beyond grateful for the entire BK community.”