U.S. Ski & Snowboard has announced its U.S. Freeski Team halfpipe, slopestyle and big air nominations for the 2022-23 season. Nominations include those active athletes who have qualified based on published selection criteria in the prior season.

The  2022-23 U.S. Freeski Team nominations include 23 pro-level and 14 rookie freeskiers. These athletes make up the winningest freeski team in the world, earning an incredible five 2022 Olympic medals and 20 World Cup podiums this past season alone. 

2022 Olympic silver and bronze medalists, David Wise and Alex Ferreira, headline the U.S. Halfpipe Team on the men’s side, along with fellow Olympians Aaron Blunck and Birk Irving among the deep field of veteran athletes. Winter Park Competition Center’s Dylan Ladd is bumping up to the pro ranks following a breakthrough season taking his place among this nine-man team. 

On the women’s U.S. Halfpipe Team, it's 2022 Olympians Brita Sigourney, Hanna Faulhaber and Carly Margulies. Seventeen-year-old Faulhaber ended the season ranked second in the World Cup standings, along with Sigourney in the top ten.

The U.S. Halfpipe Rookie Team is getting a major boost with three-time Junior World Championship medalist Kate Gray, hailing from the Mammoth Mountain Freeski Team, joining the women’s team and two-time Junior’s medalist Matt Labaugh from Ski & Snowboard Club Vail, along with Pro Team Foundation’s Kai Morris and Park City Ski and Snowboard’s Ben Fethke adding to the men’s team. 

The U.S. Slopestyle Pro Team is once again packed, with 2022 Olympic Slopestyle gold and silver medalists Alex Hall and Nick Goepper, and Big Air silver medalist Colby Stevenson on the men’s side. The deep field also includes Olympian Mac Forehand, who finished this season ranked third in the World Cup slopestyle points list and eighth overall. Waterville Valley BBTS’s Hunter Henderson is making the jump up to the pro team after an incredible season, where he also finished among the top ten in World Cup slopestyle points. 

The U.S. Slopestyle women’s field features 2022 Olympians Maggie Voisin, Caroline Claire and Marin Hamill, who finished the season fifth in World Cup slopestyle standings. And Grace Henderson earned a bump up to the pro team—Henderson also hails from the Waterville Valley BBTS team. 

“These men and women have so much to be proud of in being nominated to this ‘best in the world’ 2022-23 U.S. Freeski team,” shared Head Coach Mike Jankowski. “They all operate with true passion and full dedication to the art of freeskiing. And the reward has been the top-notch results they have achieved so far. You can trust that they will continue to represent the USA with everything they have.”

Each athlete accepting the nomination to the U.S. Freeski Team receives world-class program support, along with access to the U.S. Ski & Snowboard USANA Center of Excellence, as well as athletic benefits including sport science, sports medicine, and education opportunities. 

An official U.S. Freeski Team announcement will be made in the fall. 

2022-23 U.S. Freeski Team Nominations 

(Hometown; Club; USASA Series; Birthdate) 
*Newly named to the U.S. Freeski Team

HALFPIPE PRO TEAM
Women 

• Brita Sigourney (Carmel, Calif.; Intermountain Series; 1/17/90)
• Carly Margulies (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.; Mammoth Mountain Freeski Team; Unbound Series; 12/24/97)
• Hanna Faulhaber (Carbondale, Colo.; Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club; Rocky Mountain Series; 9/04/04

Men 

• Aaron Blunck (Crested Butte, Colo.; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; Rocky Mountain Series; 4/12/96)
• Alex Ferreira (Aspen, Colo.; Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club; Aspen/Snowmass Series; 8/14/94) 
• Birk Irving (Winter Park, Colo.; Winter Park Freeride Team; Rocky Mountain Series; 7/26/99) 
• David Wise (Reno, Nev.; 6/30/90)
• Lyman Currier (Boulder, Colo.; Winter Park Freeski Team; Rocky Mountain Series; 8/28/94) 
• Dylan Ladd (Lakewood, Colo.; Winter Park Competition Center; Rocky Mountain Series; 8/29/01) 
• Cassidy Jarrell (Aspen, Colo.; Rocky Mountain Series; 8/31/99)
• Hunter Hess (Bend, Ore.; Mt. Bachelor Sports Education Foundation; Central Oregon Series; 10/01/98)
• Taylor Seaton (Avon, Colo.; 7/16/90)

HALFPIPE ROOKIE TEAM 
Women

• Kate Gray (Crowley Lake, Ca.; Mammoth Mountain Freeski Team; Unbound Series, 06/29/2006)*
• Svea Irving (Winter Park, Colo.; Winter Park Freeride Team; Rocky Mountain Series; 2/27/02)
• Riley Jacobs (Oak Creek, Colo.; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; Rocky Mountain Series; 8/14/2003) 

Men 

• Kai Morris (Aspen, Colo.; Pro Team Foundation, Rocky Mountain Series, 3/22/2004)*
• Matt Labaugh (Avon, Colo.; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail, Rocky Mountain Series, 01/05/2004)*
• Tristan Feinberg (Aspen, Colo.; Rocky Mountain Series; 4/23/2003)
• Ben Fethke (Boise, Idaho; Big Mountain West Series; 04/14/2006)*
• Connor Ladd (Lakewood, Colo.; Rocky Mountain Series; 9/26/03)
• Hunter Carey (Winter Park, Colo.; Winter Park Competition Center; Rocky Mountain Series; 6/12/02)

SLOPESTYLE / BIG AIR PRO TEAM
Women 

• Caroline Claire (Manchester Center, Vt.; Stratton Mountain School; Southern Vermont Series; 2/2/00) 
• Maggie Voisin (Whitefish, Mont.; Park City Ski and Snowboard; Big Mountain West Series; 12/14/98)
• Marin Hamill (Park City, Utah; Park City Ski and Snowboard; Big Mountain West Series; 4/5/01)
• Rell Harwood (Park City, Utah; Park City Ski and Snowboard; Big Mountain West Series; 6/1/01)
• Grace Henderson (Madbury, N.H.; Waterville Valley BBTS; New Hampshire Series; 4/28/01)

Men 

• Alex Hall (Salt Lake City, Utah; Park City Ski and Snowboard; Big Mountain West Series; 9/21/98)
• Nick Goepper (Lawrenceburg, Ind.; Cork Technologies and Consulting; Rocky Mountain Series; 3/14/94)
• Colby Stevenson (Park City, Utah; Park City Ski and Snowboard; Big Mountain West Series; 10/3/97)
• Mac Forehand (Winhall, Vt.; Stratton Mountain School; Southern Vermont Series; 8/4/01) 
• Cody LaPlante (Truckee, Calif.; Squaw Valley Freestyle and Freeride Team; North Tahoe Series; 2/15/02)
• Hunter Henderson (Madbury, N.H..; Waterville Valley BBTS; New Hampshire Series; 12/28/2002)

SLOPESTYLE / BIG AIR ROOKIE TEAM 
Women 

• Bella Bacon (Ellicottville, N.Y.; Agenda Freeski; Western New York Series; 1/29/04)
• Jay Riccomini (He/Him, Port Matilda, Penn.; Team Summit Colorado; Rocky Mountain Series; 3/12/2004) 

Men 

• Troy Podmilsak (Park City, Utah; Park City Ski and Snowboard; Big Mountain West Series; 8/23/2004)
• Konnor Ralph (Helena, Mont.; Wy’East Mountain Academy; Mt. Hood Series; 1/27/2003) 
• Charlie Gnoza (South Londonderry, Vt.; Stratton Mountain School; Southern Vermont Series; 8/2/2003) 

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U.S. Ski & Snowboard has announced its U.S. Freestyle Ski Team nominations for the 2022-23 competition season. Nominations include those active athletes who qualified based on published selection criteria in the prior season. Twenty-six aerials and moguls athletes have been nominated to the U.S. Freestyle Ski Team. 

“The athletes nominated to the 2022-23 U.S. Freestyle Ski Team represent an exciting mix of Olympic medalists, accomplished veterans, and new rookie blood,” said Matt Gnoza, U.S. Ski & Snowboard Development Director. “We embark on this new Olympic quad cycle with a ton of momentum and I look forward to watching our aerials and moguls skiers continue to be leaders in their disciplines both on and off the hill.”

The 2022-23 team is highlighted by 2022 Olympic medalists Jaelin Kauf (silver, moguls), Ashley Caldwell (gold, mixed team aerials), Chris Lillis (gold, mixed team aerials), Justin Schoenefeld, and Megan Nick (bronze, aerials). 

The 2022-23 FIS Freestyle World Cup calendar is expected to be confirmed by the International Ski Federation (FIS) later this month. The 2023 FIS Freestyle Ski and Snowboard Championships are scheduled for Feb. 20 - March 3 in Bakuriani, Georgia.

Each athlete accepting the nomination to U.S. Ski Team receives world-class program support, along with access to the USANA Center of Excellence, as well as athletic benefits including elite coaching, sport science, sports medicine, high performance staff, and education opportunities.

An official U.S. Freestyle Ski Team announcement will be made in the fall.

2022-23 Freestyle Nominations
(Hometown; Club; Birthdate)

U.S. Mogul Ski Team

Men

• Cole McDonald (Park City, Utah; Wasatch Freestyle; 3/6/2003)
• Nick Page (Park City, Utah; Wasatch Freestyle Foundation; 8/1/02)

Women

• Olivia Giaccio (Redding, Conn.; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; 8/15/00)
• Tess Johnson (Vail, Colo.; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 6/19/00)
• Jaelin Kauf (Alta, Wyo.; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; 9/26/96)
• Elizabeth Lemley (Vail, Colo.; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 1/22/2006) 
• Kai Owens (Vail, Colo.; Ski and Snowboard Club Vail; 8/16/04)
• Hannah Soar (Somers, Conn.; Killington Mountain School; 6/4/99)

D Team

• Kasey Hogg (Park City, Utah; Wasatch Freestyle Foundation; 1/8/03)
• Ali Macuga (Park City, Utah; Park City Ski & Snowboard; 9/24/03)
• Dylan Marcellini (Walnut Creek, Calif.; Wasatch Freestyle; 9/29/02)
• Charlie Mickel (Durango, Colo.: Durango Winter Sports Club, Wasatch Freestyle; 7/06/04)
• Sami Worthington (Park City, Utah; Park City Ski & Snowboard, Wasatch Freestyle; 6/15/04)

U.S. Aerial Ski Team

Men

• Quinn Dehlinger (Cincinnati, Ohio; Elite Aerial Development Program; 6/8/02)
• Chris Lillis (Pittsford, N.Y.; Bristol Mountain Freestyle Team; 10/4/98)
• Eric Loughran (Pelham, N.H.; Loon Mountain Freestyle; 12/4/95)
• Derek Kreuger (Cleveland, Ohio; Park City Ski & Snowboard; 6/2/03)
• Justin Schoenefeld (Lawrenceburg, Ind.; Elite Aerial Development Program; 8/13/98)

Women

• Ashley Caldwell (Ashburn, Va.; Elite Aerial Development Program; 9/14/93)
• Karenna Elliott (Cincinnati, Ohio; Park City Ski and Snowboard, 5/24/00)
• Kaila Kuhn (Boyne City, Mich.; Park City Ski and Snowboard; 4/8/03)
• Dani Loeb (Pintlala, Ala.; Park City Ski and Snowboard; 8/10/01)
• Megan Nick (Shelburne, Vt.; Elite Aerial Development Program; 7/9/96)
• Megan Smallhouse (Reno, Nev.; Park City Ski and Snowboard; 1/16/01)
• Tasia Tanner (Park City, Utah; Park City Ski and Snowboard; 7/26/02)
• Winter Vinecki (Gaylord, Mich.; Park City Ski and Snowboard; 12/18/98)

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U.S. Ski & Snowboard has announced the 22 athletes nominated to the U.S. Cross Country Ski Team for the 2022-23 season. Nominations include those active athletes who qualified based on the published selection criteria in the prior season.

In addition to established veterans, including three-time Olympic medalist Jessie Diggins and two-time Olympians Rosie Brennan and Scott Patterson, the 2022-23 Team includes five new members. Moving up to the A Team and joining Diggins, Brennan and JC Schoonmaker for the coming season are 2022 Olympians Julia Kern, Novie McCabe, Ben Ogden and Patterson. 

B Team nominations include 2022 Olympians Hailey Swirbul, Sophia Laukli, Gus Schumacher, Kevin Bolger and Luke Jager. John Steel Hagenbuch and Hunter Wonders move from the D-Team to the B Team, and Zak Ketterson re-joins the national team program as a member of the B Team for the 2022-23 season. Finn O’Connell has been nominated to the B Team for the first time after finishing fourth in the overall SuperTour standings, which included nine individual top-10 results. 

Development Team nominations include returning team athletes Sydney Palmer-Leger – the 2020-21 NCAA Champion – and Zanden McMullen. New Development Team athletes include Sammy Smith, who finished fifth in the freestyle sprint at the 2022 Junior World Championships; and three members of the bronze-medal winning U.S. men’s relay team from the 2022 Junior World Championship – Will Koch, Michael Earnhart, and Walker Hall.

“This team is the largest in U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s XC history, and it could become our most successful one, too,” noted Head Coach Matt Whitcomb. “There is clear talent, as well as a history of impressive results, but most importantly, these are individuals from many different clubs in the U.S. that are interested in connecting and believing in one another, and pushing hard. Talent and past results don’t get me as excited as a bunch of athletes that are ready to lock in together.”

Notable retirements following the 2021-22 season include 2022 Olympian Hannah Halvorsen, and Junior World Championships bronze medalist Katharine Odgen.

The 2022-23 FIS Cross Country World Cup season is scheduled to kick off with races in Ruka, Finland Nov. 25-27. The 2023 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships are scheduled for Feb. 21 through March 5 in Planica, Slovenia.

A 2022-23 staff announcement will be forthcoming, while an official U.S. Cross Country Ski Team announcement will be made in the fall.

2022-23 Cross Country Nominations(Hometown; Club; Birthdate)

A TEAM
Women

• Rosie Brennan (Anchorage, Alaska; Alaska Pacific University Ski Nordic Center; 12/21/88)
• Jessie Diggins (Afton, Minn.; Stratton Mountain School Elite Team; 8/26/91)
• Julia Kern (Waltham, Mass.; Stratton Mountain School Elite Team; 9/12/97)
• Novie McCabe (Winthrop, Wash.; Methow Valley Nordic Team/University of Utah; 12/15/01)

Men

• Ben Ogden (Landgrove, Vt.; Stratton Mountain School Elite Team/University of Vermont; 2/13/00)
• Scott Patterson (Anchorage, Alaska; Alaska Pacific University Nordic Ski Center; 1/28/92)
• JC Schoonmaker (Tahoe City, Calif; University of Alaska Anchorage/Sugar Bowl Ski Team and Academy; 8/12/00)

B TEAM
Women

• Sophia Laukli (Yarmouth, Maine; University of Utah; 6/8/00)
• Hailey Swirbul (Aspen, Colo.; Alaska Pacific University Nordic Ski Center; 7/10/98)

Men

• Kevin Bolger (Minocqua, Wisc.; Sun Valley Gold Team; 4/11/93)
• John Steel Hagenbuch (Ketchum, Idaho; Sun Valley Gold Team; 10/1/2001)
• Luke Jager (Anchorage, Alaska; Alaska Pacific University Nordic Ski Center/University of Utah; 1/17/00)
• Zak Ketterson (Bloomington, Minn; Team Birkie/Northern Michigan University; 4/2/97)
• Finn O’Connell (Bozeman, Mont.; Bridger Ski Foundation; 6/26/1998)
• Gus Schumacher (Anchorage, Alaska; Alaska Winter Stars; 7/25/00)
• Hunter Wonders (Anchorage, Alaska; Alaska Pacific University Nordic Ski Center; 8/7/98)

DEVELOPMENT TEAM
Women

• Sydney Palmer-Leger (Park City, Utah; Sun Valley Gold Team/University of Utah; 2/4/2002)
• Sammy Smith (Boise, Idaho; Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation; 9-22-2005)

Men

• Michael Earnhart (Anchorage, Alaska; Alaska Pacific University Nordic Ski Center; 8-11-2002)
• Walker Hall  (Winthrop, Wash.; Methow Valley Nordic Team/University of Utah; 6-11-2002)
• Will Koch (Peru, Vermont; Stratton Mountain School T2/University of Colorado; 2-21-2002)
• Zanden McMullen (Anchorage, Alaska; Alaska Pacific University Nordic Ski Center/Montana State University; 5/31/2001)

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U.S. Ski & Snowboard announced today that Kappa, Italy’s leading sportswear brand, has signed a multi-year sponsorship as Official Technical Apparel Partner of the U.S. Ski Team, U.S. Freeski Team, and U.S. Snowboard Team. This is the first time a single outerwear and race suit provider has outfitted all the U.S. teams.

As a global lifestyle brand with a focus on athletics, fashion, innovative campaigns and collaborations, Kappa will outfit all teams with outerwear, speed and race suits beginning with the 2022-23 season and provide additional support for all U.S. domestic and FIS World Cup events through the 2032 season. The partnership also includes outfitting all U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes who will compete in the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Italy and the 2030 Olympic Games. The partnership will include a fashion retail line helping to expand Kappa’s footprint across the U.S.

“We are incredibly excited to partner with such an iconic brand that will enhance our team’s performance and style,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard President and CEO Sophie Goldschmidt. “The opportunity to have a single outerwear and race suit provider for all teams will allow us to streamline every aspect of this partnership to reach its fullest potential. In addition, Kappa’s research and development will provide U.S. athletes with significant technical advantages as they focus on next season, the 2026 Olympic Winter Games and beyond.”

Born in Turin, Italy in 1967, Kappa is the leading Italian sportswear brand that produces apparel, footwear and accessories for sport and leisure. Present in more than 130 countries and worn by professional athletes and style enthusiasts around the world, Kappa is recognized for its heritage of technical sportswear and a non-conformist blend of Italian technology and style. Recognized as The Champions Jersey, Kappa’s iconic Omini Logo is featured on many of the top teams in soccer and Formula 1, along with other sports teams and athletes worldwide. 

“We’re truly honoured to start this long-term partnership with the U.S. Ski & Snowboard,” said Lorenzo Boglione, Vice President Sales, BasicNet S.p.A. “For Kappa, this is a great opportunity as well as a wonderful comeback to sponsor an American national team, as we did from 1982 to 1988 with the USA Track and Field. We are very proud to dress these incredible athletes. Being together in the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics here in Italy will be amazing.”

Throughout the partnership, Kappa will collaborate with U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes and coaches on research and development aspects of athletic performance wear. For the alpine speed suits, the collaboration will include wind-tunnel testing and proprietary custom-tailored suit development.

The partnership also includes U.S. Ski & Snowboard athlete activation and ambassador programs, broadcast, social media and digital promotion rights, custom competition content creation and email marketing campaigns with the U.S. Ski & Snowboard fan base. Kappa branding will also be seen on all athlete uniforms and team gear, as well as available to consumers through U.S. Ski & Snowboard and Kappa official branded merchandise.

###

About Kappa
Kappa® is one of the brands owned by BasicNet SpA, an Italian company that also owns Robe di Kappa®, Jesus Jeans®, K-Way®, Superga®, Sabelt®, Briko® and Sebago®, leading clothing, footwear and accessories brands for sport and leisure. BasicNet operates worldwide through a network of entrepreneurs who, under license, produce or distribute products with the Group’s trademarks. BasicNet provides these companies with research and development, product industrialization and global marketing services. All business processes take place solely via the internet, which makes BasicNet a “fully web integrated company”. BasicNet, based in Turin, has been listed on the Italian Stock Exchange since 1999.

About U.S. Ski & Snowboard
U.S. Ski & Snowboard is the Olympic National Governing Body (NGB) of ski and snowboard sports in the USA, based in Park City, Utah. Tracing its roots directly back to 1905, the organization represents nearly 200 elite skiers and snowboarders in 2022, competing in seven teams; alpine, cross country, freeski, freestyle, snowboard, nordic combined, and ski jumping. In addition to fully funding the elite teams, U.S. Ski & Snowboard also provides leadership and direction for tens of thousands of young skiers and snowboarders across the USA, encouraging and supporting them in achieving excellence. By empowering national teams, clubs, coaches, parents, officials, volunteers, and fans, U.S. Ski & Snowboard is committed to the progression of its sports, athlete success, and the value of team. For more information, visit www.usskiandsnowboard.org

Elevate Communication
Courtney Harkins
charkins@elevatecom.com

Kappa
Filippo Maffiotti
maffiotti@basic.net

U.S. Ski & Snowboard has announced the 42 athletes nominated to the U.S. Alpine Ski Team for the 2022-23 competition season. Nominations include those active athletes who qualified based on the published selection criteria in the prior season.

Joining Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup standouts like two-time Olympic champion and six-time world champion Mikaela Shiffrin, Olympic silver medalist Ryan Cochran-Siegle, and seven-time World Cup downhill podium finisher Breezy Johnson on the 2022-23 A Team will be River Radamus, who ended up ranked top-15 in the world in giant slalom and posted several top-10 finishes. Radamus also finished just off the podium in fourth in the giant slalom at Beijing 2022. 

B Team nominations are highlighted by Ava Sunshine Jemison, Lauren Macuga, and Allie Resnick’s leap from the D Team based on their strong and consistent results during the 2021-22 season, highlighted by Jemison’s silver medal in the super-G and Macuga’s bronze in the downhill at the 2022 FIS Alpine Junior World Ski Championships. Joining this crew in the B Team ranks will be Isaiah Nelson, the 2022 Junior World Super-G Champion.

Camden Palmquist, Jay Poulter, and Cooper Puckett are making moves from the D Team to the C Team for the 2022-23 season, while D Team nominations include three fresh faces—Elisabeth Bocock, Kaitlin Keane, and Kjersti Moritz. 

“It has been great to hit the ground running with the camps at our official training site in Mammoth, and see the potential this group of athletes has,” commented Alpine Director Patrick Riml. “We have a solid group of veterans who have yet to see their full potential, as well as a promising group of young athletes coming up through the ranks. I’m excited to see what they can do, and I’m even more excited to do what I can to help them reach their potential.”

The 2022-23 FIS Alpine World Cup season is scheduled to kick off for the men and women with a pair of giant slalom races in Soelden, Austria Oct. 22-23. The 2023 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships are scheduled for Feb. 6-19 in Courchevel/Meribel, France.

A 2022-23 staff announcement will be forthcoming, while an official U.S. Alpine Ski Team announcement will be made in the fall.

2022-23 U.S. Alpine Ski Team Nominations
(Hometown; Club; Birthdate)

A TEAM

Women

• Breezy Johnson (Victor, Idaho; Rowmark Ski Academy; 1/19/1996)
• Paula Moltzan (Prior Lake, Minn.; Buck Hill Ski Team/Ski and Snowboard Club Vail and University of Vermont; 4/7/1994)
• Nina O’Brien (Edwards, Colo.; Burke Mountain Academy/Team Palisades Tahoe; 11/29/1997)
• Mikaela Shiffrin (Edwards, Colo.; Burke Mountain Academy/Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 3/13/1995)

Men

• Bryce Bennett (Olympic Valley, Calif.; Team Palisades Tahoe; 7/14/1992)
• Ryan Cochran-Siegle (Starksboro, Vt.; Cochran’s/Mount Mansfield Ski & Snowboard Club; 3/27/1992)
• Tommy Ford (Bend, OR; Mt. Bachelor Ski Education Foundation; 3/20/1989)
• Travis Ganong (Olympic Valley, Calif.; Team Palisades Tahoe; 7/14/1988)
• Steven Nyman (Sundance, Utah; Park City Ski and Snowboard/Sundance Ski Team; 2/12/1982) 
• River Radamus (Edwards, Colo.; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 2/12/1998)                    

B TEAM

Women

• Keely Cashman (Strawberry, Calif.; Team Palisades Tahoe; 4/4/1999)
• AJ Hurt (Carnelian Bay, Calif.; Team Palisades Tahoe; 12/5/2000)
• Ava Sunshine Jemison (Edwards, Colo.; Burke Mountain Academy; 6/20/2002)
• Lauren Macuga (Park City, Utah; Park City Ski & Snowboard; 7/4/2002)
• Alice Merryweather (Hingham, Mass.; Attitash Race Team/Stratton Mountain School; 10/5/1996)
• Allie Resnick (Vail, Colo.; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 9/1/2001)
• Jacqueline Wiles (Aurora, Ore.; White Pass Ski Club; 7/13/1992)
• Alix Wilkinson (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.; Team Palisades Tahoe; 8/2/2000)
• Isabella Wright (Salt Lake City, UT; Snowbird Sports Education Foundation; 2/10/1997)

Men

• Erik Arvidsson (Woodside, CA; Team Palisades Tahoe and Middlebury College; 9/3/1996)
• Bridger Gile (Aspen, Colo., Aspen Valley Ski Club/Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 10/15/1999)
• Jared Goldberg (Holladay, Utah; Snowbird Sports Education Foundation; 6/15/1991)
• Kyle Negomir (Littleton, Colo.; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 10/3/1998)
• Isaiah Nelson (Wayzata, MN.; Buck Hill Ski Racing Club; 4/3/2001)
• Ben Ritchie (Waitsfield, VT; Green Mountain Valley School; 9/5/2000)
• Jett Seymour (Steamboat, Colo.; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club and University of Denver Ski Team; 11/5/1998)
• Luke Winters (Gresham, Ore.; Sugar Bowl Academy; 4/2/1997)

C TEAM

Women

• Katie Hensien (Redmond, Wash.; Rowmark Ski Academy; 12/1/1999)
• Zoe Zimmermann (Gilford, N.H.; Burke Mountain Academy; 5/16/2002)

Men

• Camden Palmquist (Eagan, Minn.; Team Summit Colorado; 4/15/2003)
• Jay Poulter (Bondville, Vt.; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club/Stratton Mountain School; 7/1/2003)
• Cooper Puckett (Steamboat, Colo.; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; 3/31/2003)

D TEAM

Women

• Elisabeth Bocock (Salt Lake City, UT; Rowmark Ski Academy; 9/3/2005)*
• Mary Bocock (Salt Lake City, UT; Rowmark Ski Academy; 10/3/2003)
• Kaitlin Keane (Vail, Colo.; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 11/26/2004)*
• Storm Klomhaus (Boulder, Colo.; Team X Alpine and University of Denver Ski Team; 7/17/1998)
• Kjersti Moritz (Edwards, Colo.; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 11/28/2004)*
• Emma Resnick (Vail, Colo.; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 7/23/2003)
• Dasha Romanov (Thornton, Colo.; Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation; 5/3/2003)

Men

• Justin Bigatel (Park City, UT; Burke Mountain Academy; 4/29/2003)
• Ryder Sarchett (Ketchum, ID; Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation; 7/28/2003)
• Jack Smith (Sun Valley, Idaho; Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation; 4/24/2001)

*Newly named to the U.S. Ski Team

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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee today announced the finalists for the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame, Class of 2022, consisting of 15 Olympians, nine Paralympians, three Olympic teams, two Paralympic teams, six legends, three coaches and three special contributors. Team USA fans can cast their vote HERE for the Olympian, Paralympian, Olympic team and Paralympic team categories from today through May 16 to help determine the Class of 2022, which will mark the first class inducted into the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame since 2019.

“On behalf of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, it is an honor to unveil the finalists for induction into the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame, Class of 2022,” said USOPC CEO Sarah Hirshland. “Each finalist has had a profound impact on Team USA, and on the greater Olympic and Paralympic movements. We are proud to honor their work in living out the Olympic and Paralympic ideals, and we look forward to celebrating the Class of 2022.”

The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame finalists for 2022 include:

Olympic
Kristin Armstrong, Cycling; Natalie Coughlin, Swimming; Shani Davis, Speedskating; Cammi Granato, Hockey; Mia Hamm, Soccer; Kayla Harrison, Judo; Michelle Kwan, Figure Skating; Eleanor ‘Elle’ Logan, Rowing; Julia Mancuso, Alpine Skiing; Bode Miller, Alpine Skiing; Michael Phelps, Swimming; John Smith, Wrestling; Dawn Staley, Basketball; Brenda Villa, Water Polo; Lindsey Vonn, Alpine Skiing

Paralympic
Steve Cash, Sled Hockey; Muffy Davis, Para Alpine Skiing, Para-cycling; Susan Hagel, Wheelchair Basketball, Para Archery, Para Track and Field; Trischa Zorn-Hudson, Para Swimming; David Kiley, Wheelchair Basketball, Para Track and Field, Para Alpine Skiing; Marla Runyan, Para Track and Field, Olympic Track and Field; Marlon Shirley, Para Track and Field; Andy Soule, Para Nordic Skiing; Cortney (Jordan) Truitt, Para Swimming

Olympic Team
1976 Women’s Swimming 4x100 Freestyle Relay Team; 1996 U.S. Olympic Women’s Basketball Team; 2010 Four-Man Bobsled Team

Paralympic Team
2002 U.S. Sled Hockey Team; 2008 U.S. Paralympic Sailing Team

Legend
Billy Fiske, Bobsled; Gretchen Fraser, Alpine Skiing; Roger Kingdom, Track and Field; Darrell Pace, Archery; Brad Parks, Wheelchair Tennis; Norbert ‘Norb’ Schemansky, Weightlifting

Coach
Bob Beattie, Alpine Skiing; James ‘Doc’ Counsilman, Swimming; Pat Summit, Basketball

Special Contributor
Walter Bush; Billie Jean King; David Wallechinsky

The finalists will be narrowed down to five Olympians, three Paralympians, one Olympic team, and one Paralympic team for induction into the class of 2022. In addition to the public vote, U.S. Olympians and Paralympians and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic family will also vote on the categories of legend, coach and special contributor. The Olympic and Paralympic family consists of the Athletes’ Advisory Council, National Governing Bodies, High Performance Management Organizations, USOPC board of directors, Paralympic Advisory Council members, and select members of the media.

“The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame is an important guardian of the rich history of Team USA,” said USOPC Board Chair Susanne Lyons. “My sincere gratitude goes to all the finalists for representing the United States with amazing skill and pride, for working in support of the Olympic and Paralympic values, and using sport to drive positive change in their communities and around the world.”

Starting in 2022, the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame will include the separation of one Olympic team and one Paralympic team.

The Class of 2022 will be announced on Wednesday, June 1, and inducted on Friday, June 24, during a ceremony at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Red carpet arrivals, interviews and the induction awards dinner at the Museum, the permanent home for the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame, will be open to the media; credential information will be available in June.

“Congratulations to all the athletes and teams whose legacies and impact we celebrate today as finalists for the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame,” said Caryn Davies, U.S. Olympians & Paralympians Association president. “These finalists represent the larger body of Team USA athletes, and we thank them for their commitment to sport and inspiring the next generation of athletes.”

Visit TeamUSA.org/HallOfFame to explore the history and achievements of all current hall of fame members.

About the USOPC
Founded in 1894 and headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee serves as both the National Olympic Committee and National Paralympic Committee for the United States. The USOPC is focused on protecting, supporting and empowering America’s athletes, and is responsible for fielding U.S. teams for the Olympic, Paralympic, Youth Olympic, Pan American and Parapan American Games, and serving as the steward of the Olympic and Paralympic movements in the U.S. For more information, visit TeamUSA.org.

About the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame
The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame was established in 1979 to celebrate the achievements of America's premier athletes in the modern Olympic and Paralympic Games. The first U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame class was inducted in 1983 during a ceremony in Chicago and included Team USA greats such as Muhammad Ali, Bob Beamon, Peggy Fleming, Al Oerter, Jesse Owens, Wilma Rudolph, Mark Spitz, Jim Thorpe and the 1980 "Miracle on Ice" men’s hockey team.

Jessie Diggins pulled the Olympic medals out of her bag Thursday afternoon, between meetings with lawmakers on Capitol Hill.

Yes, she said with a smile, they're pretty useful conversation starters.

Two months after winning silver and bronze at the Beijing Games, Diggins was among a handful of current and former Winter Olympians who came to Washington to lobby members of Congress to act on climate change – an issue they believe is an existential threat to their sports.

Read The Full Story at USAToday.com

It is a tall order to come back from three season-ending injuries to be physically and mentally fit enough to make a concerted run at another Olympic appearance. Morgan Schild personified true grit to enter the 2021-22 season in that place. Unfortunately, the mind sometimes cannot overcome what the body cannot do. After sustaining another knee injury early in December, Schild came to peace with closing the chapter on her competitive career after eight years. 

“Mentally I was still really hungry and that's where my goals were set,” Schild reflected on her headspace in working towards Olympic medals. “My clock was ticking on how many crashes I could take before coming to a serious injury again. That [crash in France] put a lot in perspective. Overall it was really freeing in a sense, which is how I knew that my career should be over. The decision to finally step away and let my body heal and let my career go a different way, huge relief.”

“At the end of the day, my goal was to make an impact on sport, to lead a generation of high DD on women’s side. I could walk out head held high, I was able to do that and can now look back with a positive perspective,” she added. 

 

 

 

 

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Schild left France at peace with her decision, but was devastated with the weight of another injury. However, after receiving a second medical opinion, Schild learned she did in fact have an ACL and there was hope for her to return to skiing before the season was over. She underwent the knife in March to clean up some cartilage damage and four weeks later was standing on skis again. “It was a glorious moment realizing ‘I’m back,’ that there was no pressure on this. It would be on my own time to get better. I needed that release and that pressure to subside a little after trying to compete during eight years of injuries.”

The limbo from going from elite skier chasing Olympic dreams to retired athlete is a challenge for many. And with any challenge in life, it usually helps to have someone there who understands. 

Mikaela Wilson neé Matthews earned the nickname “Momma Mikay” when she was a mogul skier for the U.S. Ski Team. Former teammate of Schild and current Moguls Director for Park City Ski & Snowboard, Wilson threw Schild a lifeline. “She asked if I wanted to start coming out to training sessions to hang out.” 

“As an athlete who is going through retirement there's not a ton of things you can grasp to reign you back down to earth at that point in time,” explained Schild. “There is this sense of floating and loss in that transition process. Having someone who had done it and who was doing great in a real world job show support was really comforting. That moment of connectivity with someone I knew and trusted was incredible. I felt valued and I felt like I did have an option, it is super important as a retired athlete is feeling like you have options.”

Schild, who’s fiancé, 2018 Olympian Emerson Smith, is also a coach for PCSS, quickly fell into the fold of coaching. “I ended up helping out on top airs, chops, bottom airs. The days I was up there coaching meant I had something to look forward to in my recovery. I started to work with a fun group of athletes, and I remembered why I started in the sport.” 

Coaching feels like the right place for Schild to start her professional life. She graduates this spring from the University of Utah with a degree in psychology, and thinks her studies pair perfectly with her extensive athletic experience. “I ended up in psych because of my own experiences in and curiosity about sport psychology. I realized it was helping me as an athlete and it definitely gives me a leg up in coaching. I can understand the situations just a little bit deeper and understand how to help kids on and off the hill. Especially the girls. As a girl who has been in the sport with only male coaches, I see it’s a huge help to have someone who can relate to the little things. 

“I’m hoping as a female I can lead a good example on how to take sport on with grace and be fully committed,” said Schild. “One of my big pushes is to make sure these girls have the best possible plan for fitness and recovery so they can keep their knees and bodies healthy for as long as possible. Men and women have different needs, and it is helpful to address it in a positive way.”

Schild accepted a coaching offer for PCSS for the 2022-23 season and looks forward to carrying her dreams on through the next generation of skiers. “Having this example from the U.S. Moguls Freestyle Ski Team women and the strong personalities and performance that has come out of us has allowed me to understand what a good team can look like and what a productive women’s team can look like. The experience of being part of such a well rounded group of people allows me to go into coaching with a good idea of what's healthy and what's possible.”

In addition to coaching, Schild looks forward to pursuing her interests in art, photography and videography. You can follow her journey on Instagram @morganschild. 

Two-time Olympic champion and six-time world champion Mikaela Shiffrin still can't quite make sense of what happened in Beijing. She can, and did, put on a brave face to deliver what she called a "generic" answer, but, she said, she truly doesn't know.

Shiffrin penned a piece in "The Players' Tribune" published on Thursday largely about her late father Jeff, but also about coming up short at the Beijing Olympics. The piece is part of The Player's Tribune's new "Signature Series," and provides a parallel message to what she delivered in the finale of the Outside+ series "Passion & Purpose" that followed her life on and off the hill before and after the Games. The fifth and final episodes capture events and interviews at Beijing and in France for the World Cup.

In The Player's Tribune piece, entitled "I Want To Remember Everything," Shiffrin opens up about losing her father and the real nature of grief, writing, “We equate winning with being O.K., and failure with being not O.K. The real truth is that I’m neither O.K. nor not O.K.” It's a piece that everyone can relate to, especially those who have lost a loved one. 

She writes, 

I went into his closet and I just buried my face in his clothes.  

That was the first thing I did when I got home after my dad died.  

I stuffed myself in his shirts and I breathed in deep and I thought of him and sobbed.  

There’s a certain smell that everyone has, you know? It’s not cologne or anything like that. It’s something indescribable. It’s what you smell when they give you a big hug. It’s in their favorite sweatshirts, embedded in the fibers forever. You can’t wash it out. It’s eternal. It’s them.  

I just wanted to smell his smell. I wanted to hear his voice. I wanted to remember everything — everything.  

He left us without warning. An accident. A tragedy. Like something you see in the movies and you cry your eyes out and you think, “God, that’s so sad. But that’ll never happen to us.”  

Then one day, out of the blue, we were living the movie. Me and my mom were in Italy. I had training early, so we watched half an episode of Schitt’s Creek and called it a night. Right as my mom went down the hall to her room, my brother called me, and he never calls me — not like that. It was weird.  

“Hey, I need to talk to Mom.”  

“Mom went to her room. Why do you need to talk to Mom?” 

“I need to talk to Mom.”  

“What’s going on?” 

“Dad had an accident.”  

Dad had an accident. Ha. O.K., did he cut himself doing something stupid? Did he burn his legs making a fire pit again? What did he get himself into this time?  

“I just need to talk to Mom right now.”  

When you hear those words, you just know. When I got to my mom’s room and handed her the phone, I immediately broke down in tears in the corner of the room. I was hysterical. But Mom went into full Nurse Mode. It’s an old reflex. She calmly told my brother that he had to follow the ambulance to the hospital. He had to get as much information as he could. And he just had to stay by Dad’s side, no matter what. We were coming.  

The last thing the doctors told us before we got on the flight was, “We’re going to do everything in our power to keep him alive until you can get here.” 

Read the full piece at ThePlayersTribune.com. 

U.S. Ski & Snowboard Director of Alpine Sports Science, Per Lundstam, worked as the U.S. Alpine Ski Team's head strength coach from 1994 to 2010, before taking on an exciting new opportunity with Red Bull as Director of Performance. Lucky for the U.S. Ski Team, Lundstam returned to the team last fall after an 11-year stint with Red Bull. 

Ski Racing's Edie Thys Morgan recently caught up with Lundstam to discuss his background, work with Red Bull and the U.S. Ski Team, vision for the alpine program, and beyond. 

Lundstam grew up in Sweden as a ski racer, with the dream of racing in the World Cup. At the time, in the late 80s, the Swedish team was very competitive, and Lundstam’s personality seemed more suited to helping his competitors rather than crushing them. His mother, in fact, saw his coaching talent before he did, but as his competitors leaned on him more and more for training guidance, Lundstam also saw the writing on the wall. He quit racing at age 24 and quickly transitioned into a position as conditioning coach for the Swedish national team, a position he held from 1990-94. From there, Lundstam moved across the pond to start working with the US Ski Team in 1994. 

What followed was a time of unparalleled success on the US Ski Team, from a range of athletes across both genders and all disciplines. This included the rise of superstars like Bode Miller, Lindsey Vonn, Julia Mancuso, Ted Ligety and Daron Rahlves, as well as an army of athletes with medals and World Cup success, all supported by a cohesive staff. The success fed on itself. “We had incredible athletes that showed everybody the way and broke down all those paradigms that we were behind the Europeans,” says Lundstam. “You get this momentum and then the biggest piece of all is belief.” 

Lundstam is positively fired up about connecting the clubs, academies, colleges, regions, and High Performance Centers (HPCs) from across the nation with the national team. If that sounds like a big undertaking, that's because it is. But, if anyone can do it, it's Lundstam. As the article says, 

Lundstam is fascinated by how a group of people get to that place and believes much of it lies in creating a cohesive system where all stakeholders feel valued and invested. That is what he hopes to build on now, not only at the elite level, but throughout the American ski racing community, encompassing clubs, academies, colleges, regions, High Performance Centers (HPCs) and the national team. 

Central to this is a shared understanding of the absolute codependence between the elite system and the development system. Says Lundstam: “Without a healthy development system we are nothing at the elite level; and without us moving forward and breaking down every barrier, [developing athletes] don’t have a path either. We need each other and need to be integrated and understand how we work together at a higher level.” 

Lundstam and his team have already started physical testing at the USANA Center of Excellence in Park City, Utah, and the testing he's implementing at the elite level is something he hopes will translate to U.S. clubs, academies, colleges, regions, and High Performance Centers (HPCs). "By sharing testing, establishing concrete pathways and even involving clubs, academies, and colleges in the research, the goal is to create more of a national systematic feel than just an elite feel," as Thys Morgan writes. 

Read the full article at SkiRacing.com.