The Utah Lady Grizzlies captured two titles at the USA Hockey Rocky Mountain District Championships in Denver, as the program's 14U Tier 2 and 16U Tier 2 teams both advanced to the 2026 USA Hockey Girls National Championships. The Rocky Mountain District tournament featured top teams from Utah, Colorado, Texas, and Arizona competing for a berth in the national championships.
The Utah Lady Grizzlies 14U Tier 2 team captured the district title with an undefeated four-game run, controlling play throughout the tournament. The attack was led by Kathryn Damon, Eloise Linville, and Aly Mossberg, while strong team defense and steady goaltending helped the Lady Grizzlies dictate the pace of games throughout the weekend. ULG generated 23 goals in four games while allowing only 8, reflecting the team's balanced offense and disciplined defense. 14U Tier 2 Head Coach Bryan Bylsma said he was proud of how the group played all weekend, noting they supported each other in all three zones and stayed focused on doing the little things right.
The 16U Tier 2 team battled through a dramatic run, with three of its four games going to overtime. That resilience was on full display in the championship game against the Dallas Stars. Goals from Lady Grizzlies forwards Paisley Uzelac and Josephine Goss kept the score even in the third period before Dallas took a 3–2 lead with 3:03 remaining. With the goaltender pulled for a 6-on-5 advantage, Kassidy Allsman scored with just 33 seconds remaining to tie the game and send it to overtime — where Gianna Monestere delivered the game winner, completing the comeback and securing the Rocky Mountain District title. Team captain Nora McCarty anchored the defensive effort, while Jaylee Gomez and Alette Harker delivered strong performances in goal throughout the tightly contested tournament.
ULG Director of Hockey and 16U Tier 2 Head Coach Rob Johnson said the group showed a lot of grit and resilience all weekend, noting that when you play three overtime games in a four-game tournament, you know how tight the competition is. The players just kept battling and believing in each other. The two Utah-based teams will now represent the Rocky Mountain District and the state of Utah at the USA Hockey Girls National Championships. The 14U Tier 2 team will compete March 25–29 in Rochester, Michigan, while the 16U Tier 2 team will compete March 25–29 in St. Louis, Missouri, facing top Tier 2 programs from across the country.
The championships highlight the continued growth of girls youth hockey in Utah and the increasing opportunities for young athletes across the state to compete at the district and national level. The Utah Lady Grizzlies are Utah's premier girls hockey organization dedicated to promoting excellence in girls youth hockey in Utah, with more information available at https://www.utahladygrizzlies.org/. With teams spanning 10U, 12U, 14U, 16U, and 19U, the Lady Grizzlies provide a comprehensive development pathway with competitive opportunities at the Travel, Tier 2, and Tier 1 levels.
