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Courtney Kennedy Named Head Coach Of 2026 U.S. Under-18 Women’s National Team

By USA Hockey, 06/04/25, 12:00PM EDT

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Bailey, May, Picard to be assistant coaches; Bruch as goaltending coach

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Courtney Kennedy (Woburn, Mass./Boston Fleet), a two-time Olympian and current skills coach for the PWHL’s Boston Fleet, will serve as the head coach of the 2026 U.S. Under-18 Women’s National Team, it was announced today by USA Hockey. 

Joining Kennedy will be assistant coaches Shelly Picard (Taunton, Mass./Long Island University), Greg May (Burnsville, Minn./University of Minnesota), Chris Bailey (Marietta, N.Y.) and goaltending coach Mackenzie Bruch (Powder Springs, Ga./Minnesota State University). 

Haley Skarupa (Rockville, Md./USA Hockey), who is the head scout for the U.S. Women’s National Team, will serve as the general manager of the team. 

“We’re excited for the coaching staff led by Courtney Kennedy and Haley Skarupa,” said Katie Million (Hannibal, N.Y.), USA Hockey’s director of women’s national team programs. “Each coach brings a wealth of experience and we’re looking forward to having them lead the team in January.”

The 2026 IIHF Under-18 Women's World Championship will take place January 10-18, 2026, in Sydney and Membertou, Nova Scotia. 

ABOUT KENNEDY

Kennedy assumes the head coaching role after serving as an assistant coach for the 2025 U.S. Under-18 Women’s National Team that took home silver. She is no stranger to international hockey after serving as an assistant coach for the 2022 U.S. Olympic Women’s Ice Hockey Team that captured silver in Beijing and also as an assistant coach with the 2021 U.S. Women’s National Team and for three U.S. Under-18 Women’s National Teams (2013, 2014, 2017, 2018).

Kennedy recently finished her first season as the skills coach of the PWHL’s Boston Fleet. She spent 17 seasons as part of Boston College women’s ice hockey coaching staff, including as associate head coach from 2012 until her departure in 2024.

As a player, Kennedy helped Team USA to a silver medal at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games and bronze at the 2006 Games. She also was a member of the 2005 U.S. Women’s National Team that took home the country’s first-ever gold medal at the IIHF Women’s World Championship. The Woburn, Mass., native was a two-time All-American at the University of Minnesota, leading the Gophers to a national title in 2000.

ABOUT PICARD

Picard, who was an intern coach for Team USA at the 2025 IIHF Under-18 Women’s World Championship, will serve as an assistant coach for the 2026 team. 

She is entering her third season as the assistant coach for the Long Island University women’s ice hockey team. Prior to LIU, Picard spent two seasons behind the bench as an assistant coach for the Princeton University women’s ice hockey team. 

On the ice, Picard helped Team USA to a silver medal at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games, and skated at five IIHF Women’s World Championships, winning gold four times (2019, 2016, 2015, 2013) and silver once (2012).

ABOUT MAY

May will be making his debut on the international stage as an assistant coach for the 2026 U.S. Under-18 Women’s National Team. 

He spent the last two seasons as associate head coach for the University of Minnesota women’s hockey team after serving for two seasons as the head coach of the Augsburg University men’s hockey team and two years as the director of operations for the University of Minnesota men’s hockey team. 

May played collegiately at Augsburg and was a MIAC all-conference honoree.

ABOUT BAILEY

Bailey will be making her debut on the international stage as an assistant coach for the 2026 U.S. Under-18 Women’s National Team. 

She is a two-time Olympian, helping the U.S. to its first-ever Olympic gold medal in 1998, along with a silver medal in 2002. In addition, Bailey is a five-time women’s worlds medalist, with silver medals in 1994, 1997, 1999, 2000 and 2001. 

She has experience in the coaching ranks with Providence College, where she skated for four seasons (1990-94). While at Providence, she helped lead the team to three consecutive ECAC championships (1992, 1993, 1994) and was named ECAC Rookie of the Year in 1991, and an All-ECAC honoree in 1992 and 1994. 

ABOUT BRUCH

Bruch resumes her role as goaltending coach for the 2026 U.S. Under-18 Women’s National Team after serving in the same capacity in 2025. She also held the role for the U.S. Collegiate Women’s Select Team in both 2023 and 2022. 

Bruch is entering her second season as an assistant coach for the Minnesota State University women’s ice hockey program. Before the Mavericks, she served as a volunteer goaltending coach for Yale University. 

A former Bemidji State University goalie, Bruch graduated from BSU in 2017 and returned for the 2017-18 season as the director of hockey and video operations for the women’s ice hockey program.  


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