USA Hockey has named Kylie Amelkovich, Morgan Stickney, and Lorelai Nelson to its Girls National Under‑19 Training Camp, a week‑long evaluation event that gathers the nation's most promising young talent. The camp, held in Oxford, Ohio, serves as a critical stepping stone for players aspiring to earn a spot on the U.S. national program.
Camp Details and Setting
The training camp will run from July 13 through July 16 at the Goggin Ice Center, a facility known for its high‑performance ice surfaces and supportive environment for elite female hockey. Organizers emphasize that the camp combines on‑ice skill work, strength conditioning, and classroom sessions focused on leadership and sports psychology.
Nelson brings prior experience to the camp, having previously navigated USA Hockey's development pipeline and represented Team USA in the 2024 Under‑18 Series against Canada. Her international exposure underscores the camp's role as a conduit for players who have already tasted senior‑level competition.
Player Backgrounds and Achievements
Amelkovich and Stickney arrive with impressive résumés from recent IIHF U18 Women's World Championships. In 2026, the duo helped Team USA capture a perfect gold medal, a feat marked by the team never trailing or being tied during the tournament. Amelkovich contributed two goals and twelve assists for a total of fourteen points, while Stickney posted two shutouts and became the first goaltender in tournament history to record an assist.
Stickney's standout performance continued into the 2025 championship, where she earned a silver medal and set multiple records, including a shutout streak of 183 minutes and one second. Her ability to influence the game beyond traditional goaltending duties has drawn praise from coaches and analysts alike.
Both players have also been recognized for their collegiate potential, having committed to Penn State's women's hockey program. Their inclusion in the camp reflects the university's growing impact on developing elite talent for USA Hockey.
Implications for the Development Pipeline
The camp serves as a scouting ground for national team selectors, offering a final opportunity to assess players before key international tournaments. For Amelkovich, Stickney, and Nelson, participation provides a platform to showcase their skills to coaches who influence future roster decisions for the senior women's program.
Beyond individual advancement, the presence of multiple Penn State freshmen signals a deepening talent pool in collegiate hockey, suggesting that future U.S. squads may increasingly draw from university programs rather than exclusively from junior or prep school pipelines.