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U.S. Ski Team Reveals 2025 Awards Including Best Athlete

Originally posted on Powder | By Ian Greenwood | Last updated Jun 12, 2025 4:22 PM ET

For the third season in a row, the U.S. Ski Team has announced its 2025 Stifel awards, honoring members and staff alike with titles like “Athlete of the Year” and “Most Improved.”

The awards were given across the disciplines overseen by the U.S. Ski Team, including alpine, freestyle, freeski, cross country, and para alpine.

Amongst alpine racers, Lauren Macuga and Ryan Cochran-Siegle were dubbed the athletes of the year.

Macuga, a 22-year-old up-and-coming member of the team, took her first World Cup victory during the St. Anton, Austria, Super G event this past winter, boosting her season results with another podium at the Kvitfjell, Norway, downhill. She also finished third in the Super G at the world championships in Saalbach, Austria.

Keep reading for a breakdown of the 2025 Stifel Awards.

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Lauren Macuga blazes down the Super G course in Saalbach, Austria.Photo: Klaus Pressberger/SEPA.Media /Getty Images

Cochran-Siegle took third in the Italian Val Gardena downhill and was a member of the combined team that claimed fourth during the Saalbach, Austria, world championships.

Alex Hall and Rell Harwood were the freeskiers bestowed the “Athlete of the Year” award.

Hall, who has already qualified for the Olympic team heading to Milano-Cortina next winter in 2026, enjoyed a standout season on the World Cup slopestyle circuit, with two first-place finishes and a third-place finish. He concluded the season with a slopestyle Crystal Globe, making him the best overall slopestyle athlete of the season.

Harwood earned two podiums on the World Cup slopestyle podiums and, at a big air event in Tignes, France, placed within the top five.

Rell Harwood holds her trophy aloft after the Women's Freeski Slopestyle Final during the Toyota US Grand Prix at Buttermilk Ski Resort.Photo: Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

Outside the World Cup, Harwood and Hall found success, too, both coincidentally taking gold in Aspen, Colorado, during their respective Knuckle Huck competitions at the X Games.

Stifel, a financial services company and the U.S Ski Team’s title partner contributed $40,000 to the awards, with each awardee receiving $1,000. Winners were determined through a voting process by their teammates and staff.

The awards follow a recently announced sponsorship deal extension between Sitfel and the U.S. Ski Team, which, according to Reuters, was said to be valued at nearly $100 million.

“Stifel is proud to continue celebrating the outstanding athletes and staff on the Stifel U.S. Ski Team,” said Ron Kruszewski, chairman and CEO of Stifel. “We’re grateful to have the opportunity to continue expanding the scope of these awards year after year.”

“The 2024-25 season was successful on all fronts, and a large part of that is due to the team behind the team. Thank you to Stifel for honoring our athletes and staff!” added U.S. Ski & Snowboard chief of sport, Anouk Patty.

The complete awards can be seen below.

Stifel U.S. Alpine Ski Team Awards

Athlete of the Year: Lauren Macuga, Ryan Cochran-Siegle
Rookie of the Year: Elisabeth Bocock, Stanley Buzek
Most Improved: Lauren Macuga, Ben Ritchie
Best Comeback: Breezy Johnson, Bridger Gile
Staff Member of the Year: Zan Spilar, Women’s Tech Team Coach

Stifel U.S. Freestyle Ski Team, Moguls Awards

Athlete of the Year: Jaelin Kauf
Rookie of the Year: Asher Michel
Most Improved: Charlie Mickel
Best Comeback: Olivia Giaccio
Staff Member of the Year: Jill Radzinski, Athletic Trainer

Stifel U.S. Freestyle Ski Team, Aerials Awards

Athlete of the Year: Chris Lillis
Rookie of the Year: Ian Schoenwald
Most Improved: Karenna Elliott
Best Comeback: Quinn Dehlinger
Staff Member of the Year: Stanislav Kravchuk, World Cup Coach

Stifel U.S. Cross Country Ski Team Awards

Athlete of the Year: Jessie Diggins, Gus Schumacher
Rookie of the Year: Sammy Smith, Jack Young
Most Improved: Kate Oldham, Jack Young
Best Comeback: Julia Kern, JC Schoonmaker
Staff Member of the Year: Kristen Bourne, World Cup Coach

Stifel U.S. Freeski Team Awards

Best Comeback: Grace Henderson, Matt Labaugh
Most Improved: Rell Harwood, Konnor Ralph
Rookie of the Year: Ella Andrews, Matt Labaugh
Athlete of the Year (Women): Rell Harwood, Alex Hall
Coach/Staff Member of the Year: Erin Doyle, Freeski Team Manager/Press Officer