Irondequoit, N.Y. (WHAM) — The Bishop Kearney Selects under-19 girls’ hockey team will soon head to our nation’s capital for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

The group is going to the White House to meet President Donald Trump and

Junior forward Lia Cericola said she can’t believe this is happening.

“It’s a huge honor to have,” she said. “Being a high school student, I never thought I would have the opportunity.”

“It’s kind of surreal,” added fellow junior forward Chloe Brinson. “I have been to D.C. before, and I have only walked like that in front of the building itself, so being able to go inside and see it from that perspective, it is very exciting to meet the president. It’s a great accomplishment to be able to meet him in person.”

The team just finished a historic, record-breaking season, capturing the USA Hockey National Championship in the Girls Tier 1 19U division.

MORE: ‘It’s surreal’: Bishop Kearney Selects girls’ hockey team wins national championship

“We have a young lady on our team whose dad works within the government,” explained Cari Coen, Bishop Kearney Selects’ director of girl’s hockey. “He said that if we win the national championship, he would ask the question, and the president said he would love to have us.”

Bishop Kearney didn’t just win — they dominated, winning the championship match 9-0.

“We have an incredible group,” said junior winger Nela Lopuanová of Slovakia. “All the players on our team are really skilled, and we could see that, especially in our final game, when we won, it was incredible.”

The group was honored Tuesday night during an Irondequoit Town Board meeting.

Thursday’s visit will include a private tour of the White House.

“The privilege of being able to walk through the halls of the White House and be honored to be able to shake a president’s hand is pretty special and surreal,” Coen said. “We are so happy for the girls.”

Bishop Kearney has already become a national powerhouse in hockey, something they hope to continue.

“We really left a legacy this year,” Cericola said. “Every year, we are going to be trying to live up to our now expectation of winning gold.”

The team leaves bright and early Thursday morning.

In just nine years, school leaders said every graduate of the program has gone on to play NCAA collegiate hockey, with some even making it to the Olympics.

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