North Dakota to host 2016 World Under-18s

The 2016 International Ice Hockey Federation Men's World Under-18 Championship will be held at Ralph Engelstad Arena, Grand Forks, North Dakota.

The announcement was made by USA Hockey during a press conference at Ralph Engelstad Arena on Friday.

"We're thrilled to be bringing another world championship to Grand Forks," USA Hockey executive director Dave Ogrean said in a statement. "Jody Hodgson (general manager of Ralph Engelstad Arena) and his group put together an outstanding plan, and with the support of the city and state and the great hockey fans of the Red River Valley, we look forward to an exceptional event."

The last time the tournament was held in the United States was 2009 in Fargo, North Dakota, and Moorhead, Minn., when the Americans won the first of four straight gold medals.

The 2015 IIHF World U-18 Championship will be held April 16-26 in Zug and Lucerne, Switzerland. The 10-team event features the United States, Canada, Sweden, Russia, Slovakia, Germany, Czech Republic, Finland, Switzerland and Latvia. The U.S. is the defending gold medalist, and has won five of the past six championships; they won a silver medal in 2013.