Victoria was crowned champions of the 2026 Stephanie Boxall Tournament held at Hunter Ice Skating Stadium (HISS) in Newcastle, Australia.
A second period goal from Claudia Nusimovich was enough to secure a 5-4 win over Queensland and claim the gold medal.
Victoria finished second on the standings following the group stage, then beating ACT 3-1 in the semi-final on their way to tournament gold.
It is Victoria’s first gold medal victory since 2022, when head coach Rod Johns was once again at the helm.
“We won gold in Melbourne in 2022 when I coached Victoria the first time and followed that up with Silver in Perth in 2023,” said Johns to 6ixdubhockey.com
“It was great to bring the team together with the help of Mick Flaherty, Jon Moses, Bryan Mackenzie and of course Maureen Black and win gold again.”
Challenges of building a Boxall champion
Resources within hockey are always something that is a challenge for any state based team leading into a tournament.
It was once again another process of navigating different elements for Johns and the coaching staff while trying to piece together a championship winning team.
The yearly Stephanie Boxall Tournament is a major event across women’s hockey and highly competitive, which brings a high pressure build up.
Training camps, team selection and preparing for six days of high-level hockey is a delicate situation to work through.
“We were certainly challenged trying to pick a team for this year’s Boxall tournament,” continued Johns.
“We did not have enough ice time for team selection or preparation for a tournament such as Boxall.”
Experience and leadership collide
Noticeable across the Boxall Tournament was the deep roster in which Victoria was able to put together.
A team that has prominent stars from the Australian Women’s Ice Hockey League (AWIHL) alongside young and inexperienced talent at tournament level.
Captain Danielle Butler [Melbourne Ice Women] was leading the way finishing third on the scorers leader board with 14 points, including a tournament leading 11 goals.
It allowed Victoria to carry a deep roster into HISS, when adversity arrived there was always a next player up mentality to fill the void.
Experienced players helping provide crucial leadership across the team, allowing the less experienced players the ability to elevate in a major tournament.
“We were fortunate in that we had players with experience who could provide leadership for the younger less experienced players in our squad,” said Johns.
“We weren’t short of players, but we were short on seasoned players with tournament experience.”
However, despite a lack of tournament experience filtered through the team there was a sense of great camaraderie.
“We had great karma amongst the players which paid dividends in the lead-up and throughout the tournament.” Acknowledged Johns.
All hands on deck
Glitz and glamour of a major tournament isn’t just a week-long event; it’s a process of connection, learning and vision towards a goal.
Meetings, training sessions, navigating each players needs and building a culture for sustained success.
Stephanie Boxall might be a tournament held across six days in July; but it all starts back in early 2026.
To win gold sits high on the board of achievements for Johns, who couldn’t have envisioned where they would be when it all started in February.
“I have done a lot of things in my coaching and playing career,” continued Johns.
“This one is a standout because we achieved more than we could have imagined when the journey started back in February.”
Growth of women’s hockey continues
Women’s hockey continues to grow across the globe, professional leagues appearing and expansion into new markets.
In Melbourne specifically we have seen that from the AWIHL level and filtering down through the local beer leagues.
Furthermore, as the Melbourne Ducks completed their first season in the AWIHL as an expansion team, the success of the Boxall tournament continues the upward trend.
We are yet to see the gold medal bear fruits for women’s hockey in Victoria, that’s down the road, it is however another shot in the arm for the women’s side of the sport.
“I believe women’s hockey is growing in Victoria and our success at Boxall will certainly help the cause,” said Johns.
“We hope more women will take note of our achievement and take up the challenge in the future.
“And more people will take note of women’s hockey and jump on board as spectators and sponsors.”
Defending the crown
As the celebrations of the 2026 gold medal continue to roll on, one eye is looking towards the 2027 tournament.
Defending the crown is always a high-stakes affair, the hunter then becomes the hunted.
However, for the Victorian coaching staff it’s an exciting opportunity to go for back-to-back gold.
For now, it’s in the hands of the hockey gods.
“If the hockey gods allow it, we certainly will consider coming back to defend our right to the Boxall Shield!” continued Johns excitedly.
