Kelsey grew up skiing at Gore Mountain and spent her summers surfing in New Jersey with her family, who described her as always "being fast and fearless." In 2019, she graduated from State University of New York (SUNY) Adirondack and became a registered nurse, living out her dreams of helping others and making a positive impact. On a day of sledding with her family in 2021, O'Driscoll sustained spinal fractures, which left permanent damage, and she had to relearn how to walk. She was determined to return to nursing and, along the way, relearned her love of skiing as a four-tracker.
O'Driscoll went on to become Gore Mountain's first adaptive ski patroller and quickly showed promise early in her ski racing career. She was quickly recruited by the National Sports Center for the Disabled to train with their team, and she continued to impress. In 2025, O'Driscoll made her FIS Para Alpine World Ski Championships debut, where she finished sixth in slalom and eighth in giant slalom in a stacked field. Kelsey is for sure one to watch this season.
The ultimate in sport is representing Team USA at the 2026 Paralympic Winter Games in Milano Cortina, Italy, from Friday, March 6, 2026, to Sunday, March 15, 2026. Athletes are primarily named to the Team based on objective criteria, which can be found in the resources section.
The Resource Section of this page includes:
The annual Stifel Awards were given out to the eight moguls & aerials athletes. The awards are presented to honor the achievements of athletes and staff from the season, ranging from Best Comeback to Staff Member of the Year.
The Stifel U.S. Para Alpine Ski Team athletes and staff voted on the categories, and each winner received a $1,000 check made possible by Stifel.
Rookie of the Year: Audrey Crowley
With only four World Cup starts under her belt at the start of the season, Audrey quickly became a name to remember, earning two World Cup podiums this year. Additionally, in her first-ever World Championship appearance, Crowley took the bronze medal in giant slalom.
Athlete of the Year: Saylor O’Brien
Saylor O’Brien was the athlete to beat this season. Despite multiple canceled speed races, O’Brien found herself on the World Cup podium four times, including her first career win.
Most Improved: Patrick Halgren
This season was nothing short of incredible for Patrick Halgren. With multiple World Cup personal bests and ending the season with a slalom U.S. title, Patrick is one to watch out for next year.
