WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. - She’s a gold medalist on the international stage, but Maggie Scannell has her sights set on one thing right now— helping Shattuck-St. Mary’s defend its title at the 2024 Chipotle-USA Hockey Girls Tier I 19U National Championship

The Wynantskill, New York, native is no stranger to Chipotle-USA Hockey Nationals, having appeared in the past four tournaments with Shattuck-St. Mary’s and claiming the championship crown in 2023 when her 19U team downed the Philadelphia Jr. Flyers 4-1.

Three months ago, Scannell and her Shattuck teammates Haley Box and Jordyn Petrie competed at the IIHF Under-18 Women’s World Championship in Zug, Switzerland. Team USA was victorious with a 5-1 win over Czechia in the tournament finale to claim gold.

The gold medal had previously evaded Scannell in the 2023 and 2022 tournaments where the U.S. came up short with bronze and silver medal, respectively.

“No words to describe it, it was so amazing,” said Scannell on finally capturing a championship on the international stage.

With a gold medal under her belt, Scannell is determined to end her youth hockey career with a bang.

“I love my girls; I love my coaches,” said Scannell. “Everyone at Shattuck and the community make it such a wonderful place, and I’m so grateful to have this opportunity.”

As the defending national champions, Shattuck-St. Mary’s entered the national tournament with a target on its back.

“We know that not a lot of people are fans of us,” said Brianna Decker, Shattuck-St. Mary’s assistant coach and former U.S. Women’s National Team member. “We have high expectations for ourselves every year. Us coaches just make sure we’re ready to face adversity at any point.”

But with a trio of U18 world champions on the roster, Decker, who also served as an assistant coach with the 2024 U.S. Under-18 Women’s National Team, is confident her squad is up to the challenge.

“They’re used to dealing with high-pressure situations,” Decker said, “It adds a lot of skill to have those girls on our roster.”

Scannell served as captain of Team USA in Switzerland. According to Decker, her leadership skills stand out the most.

“She’s a complete player and a difference-maker,” said Decker. “She’s one of those players you want on your team when you’re a coach instead of playing against.”

Whether it’s in Switzerland on the international stage, or down south in Florida, Scannell finds consistency in how she approaches each game.

“I get ready for every game the same exact way,” said Scannell. “It’s more about what’s on the ice and who I’m surrounded by than who’s in the stands. I don’t pay attention to that at all.”

Nearing the end of her youth hockey career, Scannell is eager to look back on all she accomplished heading into her final national championship run.

“All these experiences in the past for me build on each other,” Scannell said. “It’s all about learning from each opportunity.

Scannell will don the famed cardinal and white at the University of Wisconsin, a powerhouse of women’s college hockey with seven national titles, next season.

Before then, Scannell’s determined to conclude her youth hockey career with a finale fit for a champion.