Combination Of Youth & Experience Drive The 2019-20 U.S Freeski Team Selections
U.S. Ski & Snowboard announces the 2019-20 U.S. Freeski Team and the roster is nothing short of impressive starring seven experienced Olympic medalists, including David Wise, Alex Ferreira, Brita Sigourney, Nick Goepper, Devin Logan, Maddie Bowman, and Joss Christensen.
“There’s great new energy on the team this year with an influx of young new talent,” said U.S Freeski and Snowboard Halfpipe, Slopestyle and Big Air Head Coach Mike Jankowski. “In addition, we have the right group of veterans on board that not only continue to find success in competition, but also drive a positive team environment that is critical to developing a winning team culture.”
U.S. athletes are coming off of a spectacular 2018-19 season, earning 15 podiums at World Cup events, four World Championship medals, and 10 podiums at X Games and Dew Tour. The U.S. Freeski Team is prepared for a challenging and exciting winter ahead with 25 pro-level and 15 Rookie freeskiers taking to elite international competition. Last season, these rookies collected an impressive six Junior World Championship medals. In addition, the 2019 U.S. Freestyle Junior World Championship Team won the FIS Marc Hodler Trophy awarded to the winningest nation at the event.
“The 2018-19 season was a big year for the freeski team,” said U.S. Freeski and Snowboard Director Jeremy Forster. “With an experienced coaching staff and a talented group of athletes, we hope we can carry that momentum into the new year. This season is a special one with the inclusion of the Visa Big Air presented by Land Rover at SunTrust Park, the home of the Braves. If the Fenway stadium big air in 2016 was any representation, there should be no shortage of excitement for U.S. Freeski fans this winter.”
The 2019-20 season features a packed schedule of elite-level competition including the Land Rover U.S. Grand Prix at Copper Mountain Dec. 11-14, the Visa Big Air presented by Land Rover Dec. 20-21 at SunTrust Park in Atlanta, Ga., and the Land Rover U.S. Grand Prix at Mammoth Mountain Jan. 29-Feb. 1. In addition, invited athletes will also participate in X Games and Dew Tour.
Complimenting a strong group of athletes is an elite coaching staff. Olympic silver medalist Mike Riddle is taking over for Andrew Woods as U.S. Freeski Head Pro Halfpipe Team Coach. In addition, Dave Euler, former slopestyle/big air national development team coach, has assumed the role of pro slopestyle team coach, joining head coach Skogen Sprang on the snow this season. See a full list of the 2019-20 U.S. Freeski Team and staff below.
2019-20 U.S. Freeski Team Nominations
(Hometown; Club; USASA Series; Birthdate)
HALFPIPE
PRO TEAM
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)
Torin Yater-Wallace (Basalt, Colo.; Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club; Aspen/Snowmass Series; 12/2/95)
Lyman Currier (Boulder, Colo.; Winter Park Freeski Team; Rocky Mountain Series; 8/28/94)
Hunter Hess (Bend, Ore.; Mt. Bachelor Sports Education Foundation; Central Oregon Series; 10/01/98)
Taylor Seaton (Avon, Colo.; 7/16/90)
Women
Brita Sigourney (Carmel, Calif.; Intermountain Series; 1/17/90)
Devin Logan (West Dover, Vt.; Mount Snow Academy; Southern Vermont Series; 2/17/93)
Maddie Bowman (S. Lake Tahoe, Calif.; Sierra-at-Tahoe Education Foundation; South Tahoe Series; 1/10/94)
Annalisa Drew (Andover, Mass.; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; Southwest Colorado Series; 5/28/93)
Carly Margulies (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.; Mammoth Mountain Freeski Team; Unbound Series; 12/24/97)
Abigale Hansen (June Lake, Calif.; Mammoth Mountain Freeski Team; Unbound Series; 5/26/98)
ROOKIE TEAM
Men
Dylan Ladd (Lakewood, Colo.; Winter Park Competition Center; Rocky Mountain Series; 8/29/01)
Sammy Schuiling (Steamboat Springs, Colo.; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; Rocky Mountain Series; 7/16/00)
Jaxin Hoerter (Breckenridge, Colo.; Rocky Mountain Series; 7/17/00)
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
Cassidy Jarrell (Aspen, Colo.; Rocky Mountain Series; 8/31/99)
Women
Svea Irving (Winter Park, Colo.; Winter Park Freeride Team; Rocky Mountain Series; 2/27/02)
Hanna Faulhaber (Carbondale, Colo.; Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club; Rocky Mountain Series; 9/04/04)
SLOPESTYLE / BIG AIR
PRO TEAM
Men
Alex Hall (Salt Lake City, Utah; Park City Ski and Snowboard; Big Mountain West Series; 9/21/98)
Mac Forehand (Winhall, Vt.; Stratton Mountain School; Southern Vermont Series; 8/4/01)
Nick Goepper (Lawrenceburg, Ind.; Hanley Consulting Inc.; Rocky Mountain Series; 3/14/94)
Colby Stevenson (Park City, Utah; Park City Ski and Snowboard; Big Mountain West Series; 10/3/97)
Kiernan Fagan (Brownfield, Maine; Wy’East Mountain Academy; Rocky Mountain Series; 1/18/02)
Willie Borm (Chaska, Minn.; Midwest Freeskiing Association; 5/21/97)
Joss Christensen (Park City, Utah; Park City Ski and Snowboard; 12/20/91)
Women
Maggie Voisin (Whitefish, Mont.; Park City Ski and Snowboard; Big Mountain West Series; 12/14/98)
Julia Krass (Hanover, N.H.; Park City Ski and Snowboard; New Hampshire Series; 6/7/97)
Caroline Claire (Manchester Center, Vt.; Stratton Mountain School; Southern Vermont Series; 2/2/00)
Darian Stevens (Missoula, Mont.; Missoula Freestyle Ski Team; 10/29/96)
ROOKIE TEAM
Men
Cody LaPlante (Truckee, Calif.; Squaw Valley Freestyle and Freeride Team; North Tahoe Series; 2/15/02)
Richard Thomas (Orono, Minn.; Midwest Freeskiing Association; Upper Midwest Snow; 8/16/01)
Deven Fagan (Brownfield, Maine; Wy’East Mountain Academy; Rocky Mountain Series; 1/18/02)
Hunter Henderson (Madbury, N.H..; Waterville Valley BBTS; New Hampshire Series; 12/28/2002)
Women
Grace Henderson (Madbury, N.H.; Waterville Valley BBTS; New Hampshire Series; 4/28/01)
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)
2019-20 Snowboard & Freeski Staff
Snowboard & Freeski Director: Jeremy Forster
Halfpipe, Slopestyle & Big Air Head Coach: Mike Jankowski
Halfpipe, Slopestyle & Big Air Team Manager: Jess Tamez
Snowboardcross Team Manager: Alexis Williams
Snowboard & Freeski Team Communications Manager: Andrew Gauthier
Snowboard & Freeski Sports Development Senior Manager: Ashley Deibold
Snowboard, Freeski, and Freestyle Sports Development Coordinator: Elise Saarela
Medical & Sports Science Staff
High Performance Dietitian: Allen Tran
Senior Sports Psychologist, USOC: Alex Cohen
Clinical Specialist: David Quammen
Clinical Specialist: Jen Kimball
Freeski Halfpipe Team Physical Therapist: Jill Radzinski
Freeski Slopestyle and Big Air Team Physical Therapist: Sara Chavez
Snowboard Slopestyle and Big Air Athletic Trainer: Ben Quigley
Snowboard Halfpipe Team Physical Therapist: Emilie Whittemore
Snowboardcross Athletic Development Manager: Tschana Schiller
Snowboard and Freeski Athletic Development Coach: Matthew Voss
Aerials and Freeski Athletic Development Coach: Houston Deck
Freeski
Slopestyle Pro Team Head Coach: Skogen Sprang
Slopestyle Pro Team Coach: Dave Euler (Park City Ski & Snowboard)
Slopestyle Coach/Technician: Tanner Keim
Halfpipe National Development Team Coach: Ryan Carey (Mammoth Mountain)
Slopestyle/Big Air National Development Team Coach: Ryan Wyble (Park City Ski & Snowboard)
Halfpipe Pro Team Head Coach: Mike Riddle
Halfpipe Pro Team Coach: Jeremie Livingston (Winter Park Competition Center)
