At a Glance
- 16 skaters will represent the United States at the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics next month
- Maxim Naumov earned a spot nearly one year after his parents died in the D.C. plane crash
- Amber Glenn, 26, becomes the oldest female U.S. singles skater in 98 years
- Why it matters: The roster mixes seasoned Olympians with first-time qualifiers chasing gold
The U.S. Figure Skating Association unveiled its full Olympic team on January 11, capping a dramatic national championship in St. Louis that sealed berths for three men, three women, three ice-dance pairs and two pairs teams.
The Men’s Team
Maxim Naumov, Ilia Malinin and Andrew Torgashev will carry the U.S. flag in the men’s event.
Naumov’s qualification carries special weight; both of his parents perished in the January 2025 Washington, D.C., plane crash. Speaking at the team announcement, he said, “I really hope that my mom watched because she never used to watch me skate. But they say we’re proud of you, but job’s not finished, we’re just getting started.”
Malinin, nicknamed the “Quad God,” dominated nationals with a short program that included two quadruple jumps and a back flip, building a 20-point lead heading into the free skate. The 21-year-old Virginian later admitted, “I just came into this competition just to see what happens out there and I impressed myself, I didn’t know I could skate that good.”
Torgashev simply exclaimed, “The reality is better than what I imagined. My God, this is awesome.”
The Women’s Team
Amber Glenn, Alysa Liu and Isabeau Levito claimed the three ladies’ spots.
Glenn enters the Games as the oldest American female singles skater in nearly a century. Reflecting on her path, she told News Of Losangeles, “I’m looking forward to this journey. It’s been a long, very difficult road.”
Liu and Levito rounded out the squad after strong showings in St. Louis.
Ice Dance and Pairs
Veterans Madison Chock and Evan Bates will skate at their fourth consecutive Olympics after winning the rhythm dance early in the competition.
Joining them in ice dance are Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik and Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko.
The pairs teams selected are Ellie Kam and Daniel O’Shea and Emily Chan and Spencer Akira Howe.
Selection Process
The USFS based its choices on performances across the past two seasons, not solely on nationals results. The competition in St. Louis served as the final evaluation stage, with athletes chasing one of the coveted spots on the 16-member roster.
Nationals highlights included:
- Malinin’s first-place finish after a technical masterpiece in the short program
- Tomoki Hiwatashi securing second with a score of 89.26
- Jason Brown taking third at 88.49
- Chock and Bates commanding the rhythm dance to solidify their Olympic ticket
The 2026 Winter Olympics open in Milan next month, where the newly named U.S. team will attempt to capture figure-skating gold.
