The U delivered a medal-worthy performance at the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics, sending 31 athletes with U ties to the Games—more than any other U.S. university. By the Closing Ceremonies, nine Utes had climbed the podium and 27 logged top-10 finishes.
Team USA featured 28 alumni, students, and staff who competed in freestyle skiing, freeskiing, speedskating, snowboarding, ski jumping, and cross-country. Three U alumni competed internationally: skier Fayik Abdi BS’20 for Saudi Arabia, cross-country skier Joe Davies BS’25 for Great Britain, and alpine skier Madison Hoffman BS’24 for Australia.
On the slopes, aerial skiers Kaila Kuhn and Chris Lillis soared to gold in mixed team aerials. Jaelin Kauf carved out two silver medals in women’s moguls and women’s dual moguls. Freestyle skiing legend Alex Hall followed his 2022 Beijing gold medal with a silver in Italy. On the oval, Ethan Cepuran and Casey Dawson earned silver in the men’s team pursuit, while Corinne Stoddard claimed bronze in the women’s 1,500-meter.
The university’s top-10 finishes included fifth place for Kaila Kuhn and sixth for Winter Vinecki in women’s aerials, a discipline where the entire U.S. women’s team hailed from the U. Novie McCabe glided to fifth place in the cross-country skiing 4 × 7.5-kilometer relay. McCabe was one of four athletes in Italy who also competed for Utah Athletics; others included Hoffman, Davies, and Keely Cashman (alpine skiing).
The U was represented on the sidelines, too. Alumni David Euler and Ryan Wyble BS’11 coached Team USA in freestyle skiing’s slopestyle and big air events. U Health physical therapist Jason Miller and U Health athletic trainer Trevor Kelsey both work with U.S. Speedskating.
At the Paralympics, the U had a small but mighty showing. Cross-country skier Sydney Peterson dominated the loops, taking home three golds and a silver.
Expect to see more Utes at the French Alps Games in 2030 and here at home in 2034, when the Winter Olympics and Paralympics return to Utah.
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