By Erin Donnelly
ALEXANDRIA, VA-Three young hockey players in the Mount Vernon area have laced up their skates together, battled on the ice, and chased the dream of tournament victory. Until this season, that dream remained just out of reach. Despite advancing to the finals an astonishing 13 times over the past two years, they were not able to hoist the championship trophy—until now. For three years, Hanna Gunlycke (#90, offense), Maeve Donnelly (#48, defense) and Virginia Gilliam (#56, goalie) have locked arms as teammates and friends at The Saint James in Springfield, Virginia on their girls ice hockey team.
This season has been anything but short of games and practices—along with their teammates, Hanna, Maeve and Virginia have played had over 50 games and participated in nearly 100 practices since mid-August 2024. Through wins, losses, video review sessions, fast-paced practices, and rigorous off-ice training, they have tenaciously worked to improve their play as individuals and as a team demonstrating maturity, patience, and perseverance, uncommon at their age.
The team’s breakthrough moment came at the Premier Ice Prospects MLK Mountain Mayhem Tournament in Denver, Colorado in January 2025, where they finally captured their first tournament title. That victory set the tone for what has turned into a season of triumph. The girls and their team went on to dominate two additional local league tournaments, taking the Chesapeake Bay Hockey League (CBHL) Girls 14U Gold Division Championship and the Potomac Valley Amateur Hockey Association (PVAHA) Tier II Girls 14U Girls Championship. Their win at the PVAHA tournament earned them a coveted spot at the USA Hockey Southeastern District Tournament, where they would face competition from 11 states and the District of Columbia.
The weekend of March 8th, their journey reached a new peak. At the Southeastern District Tournament Championship, in Estero, Florida, the team faced off against tough competition and suffered an early loss. Fueled by fortitude, the experience of past heartbreaks and confidence in themselves, their teammates, and their gameplan, they won three straight games including a competitive final against the team that had defeated them earlier. With that victory, they punched their ticket to the 2025 Chipotle USA Hockey Nationals Championship.
Now, Hanna, Maeve, Virginia and their teammates are preparing for the biggest stage yet—the National Championships in Coral Springs, Florida, which will take place the first week of April. After years of coming up short, their perseverance has paid off in the biggest way possible.
Through sheer grit, strength, and an unbreakable bond, this trio has helped lead their team from near-misses to national contention. Their story is a testament to the power of determination—and a reminder that persistence always pays off in the end. As they set their sights on Nationals, one thing is certain: this team is not done making history.
[…] Three Years of Grit: Local Hockey Trio Heads to Nationals […]