Loudoun and Fairfax counties will host one of the country’s top youth hockey events, the 2025 Chipotle-USA Hockey Girls Tier II 16U National Championships, from April 2-6, 2025.
A total of 28 teams from 16 states in the under-16 girls division will compete for a national title at two of the area’s premier ice rinks: Ashburn Ice House in Ashburn, VA, and The St. James in Springfield, VA. This is the first USA Hockey National Championship for girls to be held in the Washington, D.C. area. The games will be free and open to the public.
Each year in late March and early April, more than 7,500 players compete for USA Hockey’s top honors in youth, girls, high school, adult, sled and warrior classifications. This year, Northern Virginia was one of 11 locations across 10 states selected to host a National Championship.
Through their partnership in SportsNOVA, Visit Loudoun and Visit Fairfax (the official tourism organizations for Loudoun and Fairfax counties) collaborated on the bid to host the competition. SportsNOVA is a regional sports tourism alliance between Loudoun, Fairfax, Prince William, and Stafford counties that markets Northern Virginia as a preferred destination for travel sports events.
“We are excited to welcome more than 500 talented young athletes and their families to our region," said Barry Biggar, President & CEO of Visit Fairfax. "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.”
The tournament is expected to produce an estimated economic impact of $1.2 million to the region. According to a study released in 2023 by Virginia Tourism Corporation and Tourism Economics, the sports tourism industry continues to grow. In 2022, it generated $2.7 billion in direct spending across the Commonwealth, a 12% increase from 2021, with Northern Virginia being the second-highest region for sports spending. Recently, Virginia was named as one of the Top 10 U.S. States in terms of economic impact generated by sports tourism by Sports ETA, the trade association for the sports events and tourism industry.
“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 President & 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.”
Tournament games will kick off on April 2 at The St. James and the Ashburn Ice House. To learn more about game schedules, scores, standings, and player stats, visit the official event page at https://nationals.usahockey.com/2025girlstierii16u.
In addition to SportsNOVA, Visit Fairfax, Visit Loudoun and the two hosting facilities, supporting partners for this USA Hockey National Championship include MYHockey Tournaments, Starr Hill Brewpub and charitable partner Potomac Valley Amateur Hockey Association.
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