MONROE, Conn. — Rylee DeSanto of Monroe, a standout goaltender at Sacred Heart Academy, has earned a coveted spot at the USA Hockey Girls National 15 Camp, one of the nation’s premier development programs for elite young players. DeSanto is one of just 18 goalies in the entire country selected for the 2011 birth year — and the only goalie from Connecticut to receive the honor.
This achievement places her among some of the most promising young goaltenders in the country and positions her on the radar for future USA Hockey opportunities, including international tournament consideration and the Women’s National Festival in Lake Placid.
Held July 17-24 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, the Girls National 15 Camp brings together 216 of the top players in the United States for intensive on‑ice and off‑ice training. The program includes position‑specific instruction, small‑area games, competitive scrimmages, strength and conditioning, mental skills development, nutrition sessions, and team‑building work. Goalies begin with a dedicated Girls 15 Goalie Camp before joining the full national camp roster.
Since 1977, USA Hockey’s Player Development Camps have served as a launching pad for future Olympians, national team members, and professional athletes. Players earn invitations through standout performances at state and district evaluations, making DeSanto’s selection a significant milestone in her development and a testament to her performance this season.
DeSanto will be a sophomore at SHA this fall and will also be playing for the CT Ice Cats U16 Tier 2 travel team. She said she is looking forward to the opportunity to participate in the national camp.
“I am thrilled to have been given this opportunity and I can’t wait to learn from the amazing coaches that will be there,” DeSanto said. “I love to be in an environment with great players and goalies that will challenge me and push me to get better and work harder. I will enjoy being surrounded by girls that have as much passion, determination and love for the sport that I do.”
DeSanto was selected from the USA Hockey New England Regional tryout, which were held at the New England Sports Center in Marlborough, Mass., in April. There were four teams, each consisting of 17 players and three goalies. There was one goalie session on the Friday, four competitive games on Saturday and two games Sunday morning.
After the final game on Sunday, DeSanto was selected among the dozen goalies as a finalist to play in the All Star game that afternoon (they selected 32 players and four goalies to participate in this game).
From there, the DeSanto family had to wait until all of the other 12 USA Hockey regions had their tryouts before they made the final selections. They were informed in May that she made the development camp.
A love of the game
DeSanto’s path to becoming a netminder is an interesting one. She has been playing since she was a second-year Mite, starting out at eight-years-old, and skated out as a player. The team did not have a full-time goalie, so everyone would alternate, and DeSanto really enjoyed it.
When DeSanto was a second year Squirt (10-years-old), she was offered a full-time goalie spot on the Greater New Haven Warriors Coed A (Northford, Conn.) team, while also continuing to play on a girls team as both a player and a goalie.
The fast-paced competition with the Greater New Haven A team was something she loved. DeSanto moved to full-time goalie and stopped playing as a skater when she was a Pee Wee (U14 age group). She has continued to play for both a coed and a girls team every year to give her more time on the ice and help her improve her game.
DeSanto currently plays for the Darien Ice Cats U16 Elite team (’26-27 season). The team plays out of the Stamford Twin Rinks in Stamford.
As a freshman, DeSanto started a bunch of games for the Sacred Heart Academy players co-op with West Haven, which calls themselves WHSHA and plays at the Edward L. Bennett Rink in West Haven.
“Rylee is unbelievable,” SHA Coach Erin Blake said. “What makes her special isn’t just the saves she makes in net — which are beyond impressive for her age. She kept us in games this season, but it’s the person she is when she steps off the ice. She leads with heart, works tirelessly, supports her teammates, and represents everything great about the game of hockey. Rylee is an exceptional goalie, an even better teammate, and an outstanding young woman. She truly is a coach’s dream to get the chance to coach.”
During the ’25-26 season, DeSanto played for the MidFairfield CT Stars U14 Tier 1. Her team won the New England Regionals (USA Hockey) punching their ticket to USA Hockey Nationals in March 2026. They played against the top teams in the country.
“The best part about hockey is the bond between your teammates and the family-like atmosphere,” DeSanto said. “Knowing that we’re all working toward the same goals, willing to work hard for each other, and knowing we have each other’s backs makes hockey such an enjoyable sport. It’s the connections I make, the people I meet and the competition that makes me love to play.”
“The feeling when all of that work that my team has put in pays off is unbeatable. Specifically, as a goalie, I enjoy the technical aspects of the movements and the way everything comes together that leads to a great save,” she added.
DeSanto enjoys the pressure that comes along with being the final barrier between the opposition scoring goals.
“I know it seems scary to be the last line of defense with a puck flying at you, but it’s really just excitement,” she said. “As a goalie, I have those opportunities to make saves when my team is counting on me. The pressure is what makes me want to work harder and be there for my team. I have always been competitive and to be in this position, you have to really want it, be ready and be mentally sharp. To be honest, when I play, I am so focused that the outside thoughts, worries and people just leave my head. I just think about how much I want this for my team and myself.”
DeSanto also plays as a defender in lacrosse.
“Being a defender in lacrosse has helped me get into that defensive mindset,” she said. “As a defender, you have to be fearless and not be afraid of players driving to the goal, or a shot. Just like as a goalie, I am not afraid of the puck coming at me or someone attacking the net.”
DeSanto’s goal is to continue to play hockey throughout high school and into college. “I would like to go to a prep school and play varsity hockey there and then advance to playing D1 or D3 hockey in college, and maybe even in the (Pro Women’s Hockey League) or on the USA Hockey Olympic team,” she said.
“I really want to be on a team where everyone is present and has the heart and integrity for the sport. To be in an environment where everyone supports and trusts each other. I think those are key qualities to having a great team,” DeSanto added.
Seeing the United State’s women’s and men’s hockey teams capture gold in the Winter Olympics adds to DeSanto’s passion for the game.
“Watching them play, you can tell that they wanted to win and clearly they showed it well on the ice. You can see how their passion is being translated into how they play. Going into overtime definitely brought nerves, but you can see they had such grit and determination,” DeSanto said. “It’s very inspiring. I want to be on a team like that, with that type of connection with your teammates and that desire to give their best for each other.”
Family ties
DeSanto has also been inspired by her brother’s success on the ice.
Chase DeSanto, a rising senior at Masuk High, was the first in the DeSanto family to play hockey and that’s how Rylee was introduced to the sport.
“I think watching him play at a young age and going to learn-to-skates with him fascinated me, so I wanted to give it a try,” she said. “Watching Chase play now, he is such a hard worker and a team player. He might not score the most goals or dangle the puck, but he does all the little things that help his team to victory. He’s not afraid to battle for the puck in the corners, which I admire.”
“Chase is also a resilient and easy-going person. I can’t tell you how many times I have seen him get hit by others and all he does is get up and shake it off. No retaliation, no talking back, no throwing his stick or gloves,” she said. “He simply just gets up and keeps playing like nothing happened. This is something that I admire about Chase. He lets things go without letting it get to him. That’s something that I love watching athletes do and I strive to be like that on and off the ice too. I think I do keep my calm and let things go, but Chase does it so effortlessly.”
Rylee has another brother, Carson, who will be a sophomore at Fairfield University. He doesn’t currently play sports, however, he still inspires his younger sister to work hard at realizing her dreams and not give up on them.
“I know my brother has faced some challenges, but watching him never give up on his goals and staying so focused on them shows me that I can do that too. He doesn’t worry about outside pressures and really commits to his dreams for the future. I am so grateful to have both of them as my brothers and I hope to be like them as I continue to grow up and learn.”
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