Courtney Kennedy (Woburn, Mass./Merrimack College), who led the U.S. Under-18 Women’s National Team to the gold medal at the 2026 IIHF Under-18 Women’s World Championship, will return to guide the 2027 squad it was announced today by USA Hockey.
Kennedy, who currently serves as the head women’s ice hockey coach at Merrimack College, will be joined by assistant coaches Chris Bailey (Marietta, N.Y.) and Greg ‘Boom’ May (Burnsville, Minn./University of Minnesota), Makenna Newkirk (Scottsdale, Ariz./Penn State University), goaltending coach Mackenzie Bruch (Powder Springs, Ga./Minnesota State University) and video coach Bryce Aldrich (Berwick, Maine).
The 2027 IIHF Under-18 Women’s World Championship will take place January 3-11, 2027, in Czechia.
ABOUT KENNEDY
Kennedy returns to the bench after serving in the same role for the 2026 U.S. Under-18 Women’s National Team that posted a 6-0 record on the way to gold at the IIHF Under-18 Women’s World Championship. It marked the first time in the history of the tournament that a team captured a ‘perfect gold,’ posting an undefeated effort, never trailing or tied beyond the opening faceoff.
The Woburn, Mass., native has served as an assistant coach for five different U.S. Under-18 Women’s National Teams (2025-silver, 2018-gold, 2017-gold, 2014-silver, 2013-silver) and for the silver medal-winning 2022 U.S. Olympic Women’s Ice Hockey Team.
Kennedy is entering her first season as head coach of the Merrimack women’s ice hockey team after being hired in March. Prior to that she was the skills coach of the PWHL’s Boston Fleet and 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. She was a two-time All-American at the University of Minnesota, leading the Gophers to the national title in 2000.
ABOUT BAILEY
Bailey returns to the bench as an assistant coach for the 2027 U.S. Under-18 Women’s National Team after serving in the same role for the gold medal-winning 2026 squad.
She is a two-time Olympian, have helped 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 MAY
May reprises his role as assistant coach for the 2027 U.S. Under-18 Women’s National Team after coaching in the same capacity in 2026.
He is entering his first season as head coach of the University of Minnesota women’s ice hockey team, after spending the previous three campaigns as associate head coach for the Gophers. Prior to that, he spent two seasons as the head coach of the Augsburg University men’s ice 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 NEWKIRK
Newkirk will be making her debut on the international stage as an assistant coach for the 2027 U.S. Under-18 Women’s National Team.
She has completed four seasons on the Penn State women’s ice hockey team staff and first season as associate head coach. Prior to joining the Nittany Lions, Newkirk spent the 2021-22 season as an assistant coach for Brown.
Newkirk played for Boston College from 2015-19 and was a two-time captain for the Eagles. She was a member of the 2016 U.S. Under-22 Women’s Select Team, representing the red, white and blue at the 2016 Under-22 Series vs. Canada.
ABOUT BRUCH
Bruch returns as goaltending coach for the 2027 U.S. Under-18 Women’s National Team after serving in the same capacity in both 2026 and 2025. She also held the role for the U.S. Collegiate Women’s Select Team in both 2023 and 2022.
Bruch is entering her third 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.
ABOUT ALDRICH
Aldrich returns in his role as video coach for the 2027 U.S. Under-18 Women’s National Team after holding the same role for the 2026 U.S. Under-18 Women’s National Team. Aldrich has also supported video efforts at USA Hockey Player Development Camps the past two seasons.
Aldrich spent three years as the director of hockey operations for the Merrimack women’s ice hockey team and also worked as an off ice official with the PWHL’s Boston Fleet and ECHL’s Maine Mariners.