The 2025-2026 season for Mayo Girls Hockey was defined by resilience, development, and determination. Finishing the season with an overall record of 12-11-2. The team showed steady progress while overcoming challenges that tested both skill and mindset. This clearly demonstrates how the team is determined to do even better in future seasons. 

As the season went on, consistency was one of the team’s strongest weapons. Mayo Girls Hockey made strong offensive plays and worked to have a good defense, allowing the team to remain competitive throughout the season. Several close games highlighted the team’s ability to handle difficulty, even when outcomes were not in their favor. For example, in the game against Owatonna, the girls started off strong, scoring two goals. By the end of the first period, Owatonna had scored one goal, then later tied the Spartans near the end of regulation, taking it into overtime. The girls on both teams fought hard, but in the end, Owatonna came out on top. Losing the game showed the girls new ways to approach the rest of the season, according to Marley Smith, “What mattered most this year was staying positive and trusting each other, even when the game wasn’t going our way.” 

During a Big Nine Conference  girls hockey game from last season (25-26) taking place at the Rochester Recreation Center. Mayo’s Marley Smith (5) is seen defending the puck from Century/John Marshal’s Katie Nelson’s attack (10). Photo courtesy of Maya Giron at The Post Bulletin

As part of the “Big Nine Conference,” they went 7-6-2 facing top teams like Northfield, Mankato East, and Owatonna. Going into the Big Nine conference playoffs, the team’s confidence was starting to grow; in fact, they ended up doing a lot better than they thought they would, placing 5th. Still it wasn’t the record they were aiming for: they wanted to be first. Their results were still outstanding, but Olivia Dahl stated, “We will be better,” and, “That will only push us forward.” With such confidence, everyone is excited to see the improvements Mayo Girls Hockey will bring in next year.

Preparing for their upcoming game against Albert Lea, (l-r) Olivia Dahl, Abby Weick, Milania Black, and Marley Smith know that they have, “Four lines, one goal, and a whole lot of heart on the ice.”

One of the team’s assets was their chemistry on and off the ice. Players emphasized that communication and trust improved significantly as the season continued. Taylor Kurtz pointed to teamwork as a defining strength. “As the season went on everyone started playing as one,” Kurtz said. “That made a big difference in every game that we played, especially in all the close ones.” A perfect example of that would be the game against New Prague. The girls won with an impressive score of 6-1! They scored two goals in each period of the game to end it convincingly, showing how far teamwork can get them.

Despite success, the season was not without its challenges. Injuries, tough losses, and rough practices tested the team’s perseverance. However, these obstacles also offered lessons and opportunities for growth. Players noticed that hard training and consistency led them to advanced skills, new techniques, and more elaborate strategy. Olivia Dahl stated that the team used setbacks as a drive. “From every game we lost, we tried even harder on the next [game], whether we won or not,” Dahl said; “In the losses we had, we saw new ways to get better, watching our mistakes over and over on film, to know what to change for our upcoming games.”

Looking ahead, the next step for Mayo Girls Hockey involves building the foundation established this season. With many players returning, the focus is on sharpening skills, improving conditioning, and continuing to build chemistry. The players expressed confidence that the lessons learned this season will prepare them for the future.

The 12-11-2 record reflects more than wins and losses. It represents a season of development, resilience, and commitment. Mayo Girls Hockey has shown that progress is built through effort, accountability, and belief in one another, qualities that will continue to shape the team in seasons to come.