25 U.S. athletes to watch at the Milano Cortina Olympics

This highly decorated pairing, who also happen to be married, is making their fourth Olympic appearance. It might also be the final such go-around for the dancers, who have won a record seven U.S. Figure Skating ice dancing titles. The three-time reigning world champions won team gold at the 2022 Beijing Games, but finished fourth in the ice dancing competition. If this is indeed Cock and Bates' final Olympic dance, then it's gold or bust.

The United States boasts one of its most talented and deepest ski rosters of all time, spanning all disciplines and events. Cochran-Siegle, the son of Olympic gold-medalist skier Barbara Cochran, will compete in the Winter Games for the third time. In 2022 at Beijing, Cochran-Siegle was the only member of the U.S. ski team, man or woman, to medal, as he brought home silver in the Super-G. RCS will be an underdog for gold in Italy, but don't completely count him out.

A fourth Olympics awaits Coyne Schofield, who enters these Games as a mother to her first child. The birth of her son Drew in July 2023 actually recharged her passion for the game, and after falling short of gold against rival Canada in the 2022 Beijing women's hockey final, there's also more fuel for her return. Coyne Schofield, who helped the U.S. women to a gold and two silver medals in the last three Olympics, has posted seven goals with eight assists in 17 career Winter Games contests.

The most decorated U.S. Olympic cross-country skier of all time. Diggins has won three Olympic medals -- in three different events (2018 gold in Team Sprint, 2022 silver in 30 kilometer freestyle, and bronze in Individual Sprint) -- during her brilliant career. This year, Diggins should also be among the medal favorites in the 10km freestyle and skiathlon, as she looks to add to an already legendary American resume in the sport. 

Simply put, the U.S. snowboarding and freestyle faction of the 2026 Olympic ski roster is loaded. Ferreira won a silver medal in the freestyle halfpipe at PyeongChang in 2018, then settled for bronze in the same event at Beijing four years later. Recovered from a 2023 shoulder injury, Ferreira is more focused than ever on winning gold in Italy, and considers himself to be in the best possible place -- both physically and mentally -- entering these Games.

It's essentially been all or nothing for Gerard when it comes to Olympic success. In 2018 at PyeongChang, Gerard became the youngest Olympic snowboarding gold medalist when, at 17, he won the Slopestyle event and delivered that infamous, profanity-laced post-event interview. But in 2022, he finished fourth in Slopestyle and fifth in Big Air, and left Beijing in disappointment. Though only 25, there is a sense of maturity that Gerard brings to Italy. We'll see if that's enough to get him back on the podium.

Hall won gold in Slopestyle at Beijing, but wondered if he was capable of repeating in the event at Milano Cortina. While Hall is physically gifted, the key could be his creativity, which needs to be taken to the next level in response to the event's evolving nature. That should bring a decent level of excitement for fans of U.S. freestyle skiing.

For the first time since 2014, NHL players will take the ice for the Olympic hockey competition. And, the anticipation of another U.S.-Canada gold-medal contest is high. Hellebuyck, a three-time Vezina Trophy winner for the Winnipeg Jets, reportedly has the inside track to open the Games as the No. 1 U.S. option in goal -- ahead of worthy teammates Jake Oettinger and Jeremy Swayman. Hellebuyck, who has been banged up this season, shone while posting a 1.59 goals-against average in three games during the NHL's 4 Nations Face-Off last year.

A three-time Olympic medal-winner for Canada, Humphries will make her second appearance at the Winter Games as a U.S. citizen. In her first representing the red, white, and blue in 2022, Humphries took home gold in the monobob. Now, after giving birth to a son in 2024, she's poised for similar Olympic success in Italy. Keep an eye on Humphries and partner Jasmine Jones in the two-woman bobsled, in which they finished second in the world championships.

A trailblazer of sorts, Jackson became the first Black woman to win an individual Olympic gold medal when she finished first in the 500 meters at Beijing in 2022. Now, Jackson is poised for even more success in Italy, where the 1,000 meters is also on her docket. At 33 years old, Jackson is more than a seasoned veteran; she's an inspiration for skaters of any race or gender to follow.

The silver-medal winner for Moguls in 2022 at Beijing, Kauf could achieve a double medal tote with her expected participation in the new dual moguls event. She won gold in the latter at the 2025 world championships, and enters these Winter Games with plenty of confidence to take the next step toward potentially dominating the sport. If Kauf can cleanly and consistently master her jumps, Milano Cortina could be a special experience.

One of Team USA's prominent faces, Kim is the two-time reigning Olympic halfpipe gold medalist. She's also a pop culture star with a massive social media presence. Kim is a favorite for similar success in Italy, but it remains to be seen whether she will be 100 percent after suffering a torn labrum in a crash during her practice session in early January. All signs point to Kim being ready to go for these Games, but there's plenty of intrigue leading up to performance.

It's the end of the Olympic road for one of the greatest women's hockey players in the world. Knight has announced plans to retire after her fifth Olympic appearance this year in Italy, which will be a record for a U.S. men's or women's hockey player. The 36-year-old captain has three Olympic silver medals and a gold to her name. She ranks second all-time among American women in Olympic points (27), second in assists (15), and third in goals (12).

If there's an X-factor at this year's Olympics when it comes to U.S. Figure Skating, it's Liu. Not too long after finishing a disappointing sixth at Beijing in 2022, Liu announced her retirement from competitive skating at age 16. However, she spent some time on herself, reevaluated her passion to compete, and returned to the sport. The result was a gold medal in singles at the 2025 world championships and back-to-back silvers at the national competition in '25 and '26. Back on the Olympic stage, plenty of eyes will be on Liu.

Also known as the "Quad God." Malinin, the only skater to successfully land a quadruple Axel in competition, is undefeated since 2023 and just won his fourth consecutive national singles title. Oh yeah, he's also a two-time world champion and the favorite to win gold at Milano Cortina. Anything less, and it would truly be a disappointing stay for Malinin, who was left off the 2022 U.S. Olympic roster in favor of Jason Brown.

When it comes to offensive firepower, Team USA will look to Matthews as a key focal point. Among the NHL leaders in goals this season for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Matthews has totaled more than 765 points since entering the league in 2016-17 -- the most among any U.S.-born player during that time span. Matthews had three assists, but no goals, in three games at last year's F Nations Face-Off, so more should be expected of him in Italy.

Another proven and beloved U.S. winter athlete, Meyers Taylor, is set to compete in her fifth Olympics. One of the great bobsled pilots in the history of Team USA, the 41-year-old Meyers Taylor has won three silver medals and two bronze (making her the most decorated Black athlete in the history of the Winter Games), spanning four Winter Games, beginning in 2010. During that time, Meyers also gave birth to two sons (both of whom are deaf and one with Down syndrome). A true warrior and competitor, Meyers Taylor might be the most revered member of the American delegation at the 2026 Games.

A former collegiate track and field star, Ro has the potential for big things at Milano Cortina. Sure, she might be an under-the-radar, compared to the more established athletes on this list, but Ro became the first U.S. competitor in skeleton to earn a world championship medal -- winning silver in 2025. She also won gold, along with partner Austin Florian, in the first mixed team competition at the same world championships.

When it comes to the poster athletes for the 2026 U.S. Olympic team, Shiffrin has been front and center. One of the most recognizable competitors at these Games, Shiffrin won gold in Slalom at Sochi in 2014, then in the Giant Slalom four years later at PyeongChang, where she also took home a silver in the Combined event. However, Shiffrin has plenty of unfinished business after going home empty-handed at Beijing, where she "Did Not Finish" in the Slalom and Giant Slalom. Coming off her record ninth World Slalom title, the 30-year-old Shiffrin seems more determined than ever to regain her Olympic glory.

The hype seems relentless for a guy who has never won an Olympic medal. Stolz, who made his first Winter Games appearance at age 17 in 2022, has dominated the sport since. He swept gold in the 500 meters, 1,000m, and 1,5000m at both the 2023 and '24 world championships, then managed to medal in all three events while recovering from pneumonia in 2025. Stolz, the world-record holder in the 1,000m, will compete among the favorites in those three events, as well as the always-entertaining mass start, in Italy. Watching Stolz skate should be appointment viewing.

"Team Cory and Korey" gives the U.S. its best shot at a curling medal in Italy. Since partnering in mixed-doubles curling in 2022, the duo won the 2023 world championship. Though they finished fifth in the same competition at the 2025 Worlds, Thiesse and Dropkin have plenty of potential for Olympic success in a sport that has seen the U.S. win just two medals during its history at the Winter Games.

Tkachuk recently made his season debut for the Florida Panthers following surgery to fix a torn adductor and sports hernia, but it will be interesting to see how effective he is at Milano Cortina. Tkachuk is more than a point-producing agitator on the ice. He's a natural leader, a fiery teammate who wore the heart of the U.S. on his sweater at the 4 Nations Face-Off (where he posted two goals and an assist in three games). Playing alongside brother Brady, Tkachuk's presence is vital to the Americans' quest for gold.  

Leading up to the 2026 Winter Olympics, Vonn has been everywhere. Television promos, commercials, magazines, and, of course, littering just about every social media site. Vonn, the three-time Olympic medalist in Downhill (still the only U.S. woman to win gold in the event) and Super-G, is the face of Team USA at 41. Out of retirement and recovered from knee surgery, Vonn became the oldest Downhill World Cup winner this season. However, Vonn crashed during a run in Switzerland one week before the Games and had to be airlifted to a local hospital. She claims an Olympic comeback is still in her plans. We'll see.