Tournament Preview: 2025 IHF Trophy - Junior Women

The 2025 IHF Trophy - Junior Women for the North America and Caribbean region gets underway on July 16, starts tomorrow, and the United States Women’s National Team’s looks to continue their winning ways, after going undefeated and securing the gold medal at the Jr. Pan America Games Qualifier held in April.

Six teams from the North America and Caribbean Handball Confederation (NACHC) will head to Drummondville, Quebec, Canada for the IHF Trophy tournament, which serves as a qualifier to the 2026 IHF U20 Women's Handball World Championship, with the top two teams securing a berth at next year's competition. Additionally, the champion will move onto the IHF Trophy - Intercontinental Phase, which will see the winners from each region compete.

Eight players return to the squad from the trophy-lifting squad in Mexico City earlier this year - Lucie Braschoss, Isabela Da Cruz, Ia Hannevik, Hajnalka Penszki, Lisa Ready, Maya Ready, Leya Schlaepfer, and Amanda Sumalla - and will look to provide some veteran presence for the group.

Zina Chaouch, Makenzie Dinelli, Thais Kriegermeier, Doreen Sanchez, and Hanna Schlueter will be new faces to the roster, while goalkeeper Sophia Menchaca will bring her experience from the 2024 IHF U20 Women's Handball World Championship to Drummondville. Dinelli and Sumalla recently competed at the 2025 USATH Open Nationals in Bettendorf, Iowa, for iHandball and San Diego, respectively, although Dinelli plays her club handball at The Ohio State University, and Sumalla with Inter Miami.

"Coming off our gold medal performance in Mexico City, we've been focused on building on the system that brought us success," said Head Coach Thomas Baeckmann. "Our returning players have thrived within that structure, and it's been exciting to see how quickly our new additions are adapting and elevating the team in training. They've complemented our veterans well, and we're looking forward to seeing this group compete together as the tournament unfolds."

The Americans will be joined at the tournament by Canada, Greenland, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Saint Kitts and Nevis, with the teams playing a round-robin to determine the final standings.

"Some of the teams in this tournament haven't participated in recent editions, so there is a level of unpredictability in what they'll bring," Baeckmann added. "That's why we're focused on what we do know - our own preparation, our defensive identity, and the system that carried us to gold in Mexico City. If we stay true to that, we'll be ready for whatever challenges come our way in Canada."