Sunohara named U-18 women's head coach

University of Toronto Varsity Blues women's hockey head coach Vicky Sunohara will continue her reign as head coach of Canada's National Women's Under-18 Team during the 2025-26 season.

In her first season as head coach, she guided Team Canada to gold at the 2025 IIHF U18 Women's World Championship in January in Finland.

Sunohara is entering her 15th season as head coach of the Varsity Blues, winning OUA and U SPORTS Coach of the Year honours in three-consecutive seasons (2020-23) and leading the Blues to the U SPORTS national championship tournament the past three seasons (2023-25). In addition to last year's U18 Women's Worlds gold medal, she won gold (2022) and bronze (2024) as an assistant coach at the tournament. As a player, Sunohara won two Olympic gold medals and seven IIHF World Women's Championship gold medals. She ranks 10th all-time in National Women's Team scoring with 119 points (56-63—119) in 164 games, and was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2025.

Canada's National Women's Under-18 Team selection camp, presented by BFL CANADA, will take place Aug. 6-9 at the WinSport Event Centre in Calgary. Once selected, the team will play a three-game series against the United States, Aug. 13-16 at Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid, New York.

Canada will defend its gold medal on home ice at the 2026 IIHF U18 Women's World Championship, Jan. 8-18 in Sydney and Membertou, Nova Scotia.