The Wisconsin Selects will begin their National Title defense against the Boston Junior Eagles, the same team they opened play with a year ago. Wisconsin will meet the Eagles on April 2nd at the 2025 Chipotle-USA Hockey Girls National Championships in Cleveland, Ohio. The #2 ranked Eagles will bring a 14-5-1 record to Cleveland. Wisconsin, ranked 8th, with a 17-8-1 record, will try to avenge last years 2-1 loss to Boston. The teams will drop the puck at 12pm eastern time on Wednesday. The Selects won their first ever National Championship last April, with a 3-0 over the East Coast Wizards in East Lansing, Michigan.
Wisconsin will compete in the 2A Olympic Division with Boston, the Nashville Junior Predators (23-12) and the Northern Connecticut Lights (31-10-5). Thursday the Selects will play Connecticut at 10:15am and Friday, Nashville at 4:00pm. Saturday will be the quarter and semi-final games and the championship on Sunday.
The Selects made it to the National Tournament as an At-Large Berth after winning two of three at the Central District Playoffs in Chicago. The Glenview Stars earned the Central District Title with a 1-0 win over Wisconsin. Nine players from last years championship team will return to defend their title; Rhylee Buesgen, Reese Sheehan, Gabi Heuser, Reese Duncan, Kayla Dogs, Ashley Slupe, Addison Gruhlke and Greta Woelber and Makenna Hutchison. Addi Buesgen, a member of last year’s team, will not be with the team in Cleveland.
Wisconsin will bring the state’s top two scorers to Cleveland in seniors Reese Sheehan (37G – 33A) and Gabi Heuser (40G – 24A). Sheehan was crowned Ms Hockey and the state’s top forward by the GWHCA. Both were also named First Team All-State. Addison Gruhlke was an Honorable Mention forward. On defense, the Selects feature Payton Dykstra and Emmy Berger, Second Team All-State selections and Sophia Johnson, Honorable Mention. Makenna Hutchison (10-4, 1.51 GAA, .934 S%), who missed last years tournament with a season-ending knee injury returns as a First Team All-State choice. Her Hayward teammate Greta Woelber (10-2-1, 1.33 GAA, .930 S%) will give Wisconsin a solid one-two punch in goal. Rachael Beeck, fresh from her Bay Area teams WIAA state championship will add some offense for Wisconsin.
Forwards Annika Olinski, Colby Sprenger, Eleanor Adams, Ava Kilgora, Abby Elliott and Baylie Schuh round out the teams roster that will travel to Cleveland.
Wisconsin Selects is a pre-post high school team composed of players from across the state. Mike Cowan is the team’s general manager, and they are coached by Emily Bauer, Dan Bauer, Steve Kirley and Greg Slupe. Many of the teams they will face at nationals are year-round teams that practice and play together all season. Some teams will have played sixty or more games prior to the tournament. In addition to their National Championship last year, Wisconsin finished as runners-up in 2022, losing 2-1 to the East Coast Wizards.
