2026 Winter Olympics begin this week in Milan and Cortina

With the eyes of the world on Italy for the 2026 Winter Olympics, you’re likely to be watching at least some of the various events of this year’s Winter Games. As you watch, why not root for some locals with Minnesota ties?

Not surprisingly, Minnesota is very well represented on Team USA. Of the 32 states with representation at the 2026 Winter Olympics, Minnesota is among the leaders in the country with the second-most people qualified for this year’s games.

Minnesota has a total of 26 people from the state in this year’s Olympics, which is more than any other state but Colorado (32), with the next-closest being California (21) and Utah (17).

Minnesota’s neighbors have significantly less representatives than the Land of 10,000 Lakes, with Wisconsin having 11, Iowa sending 2, and North Dakota having just one representative.

READ MORE: What To Know About Minnesota’s Newest Music Festival, Hosting First Event This Summer

Some of those neighboring states with representatives in this year’s Winter Games also have ties to Minnesota. For example, some of them attended college in Minnesota or compete professionally for a Minnesota pro sports team.

When you factor in athletes with ties to Minnesota like the ones I mentioned, a total of 36 people with ties to Minnesota are representing the United States in the 2026 Winter Games. That’s pretty impressive!

Training sessions and a handful of regular events get underway on Wednesday, February 4, and Thursday, February 5, but the opening ceremonies are on Friday, February 6. Most of the events will follow, with the final medal events on February 21 and 22, and the closing ceremony also on Sunday, February 22.

Here’s a look at who all of participants are with Minnesota ties, where they’e from, and what events they will be participating in.

2026 Winter Olympic Athletes With Minnesota Ties

Minnesota is among the leaders in the United States in the number of athletes representing Team USA in the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Italy. With 26 Minnesota natives on Team USA and additional athletes with ties to the Land of 10,000 Lakes (such as competing collegiately or professionally for a Minnesota sports team), a total of 36 competitors on Team USA have connections to Minnesota. Here’s a look at who they all are, where they’re from, and what events they’re participating in.

Gallery Credit: Nick Cooper – TSM Duluth

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Paula Moltzan

Moltzan, 31, previously appeared in the 2022 Winter Games and has won no career medals going into the 2026 games.

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Lindsey Vonn

Vonn, 41, has appeared in the 2002, 2006, 2010, and 2018 Winter Games, with a career medal count of 1 gold medal and 2 bronze medals.

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Giorgia Birkeland

Birkeland, 23, previously appeared in the 2022 Winter Games and has won no career medals going into the 2026 games.

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Conor McDermott-Mostowy

The 2026 Winter Games are 27-year-old McDermott-Mostowy’s first Olympic appearance

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Greta Myers

The 2026 Winter Games are 21-year-old Myers’s first Olympic appearance.

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Lucinda Anderson

The 2026 Winter Games are 25-year-old Anderson’s first Olympic appearance.

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Margie Freed

The 2026 Winter Games are 28-year-old Freed’s first Olympic appearance.

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Paul Schommer

Schommer, 33, previously appeared in the 2022 Winter Games and has won no career medals going into the 2026 games.

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Jessie Diggins

Diggins, 34, has appeared in the 2014, 2018, and 2022 Winter Games, with a career medal count of 1 gold medal, 1 silver medal, and 1 bronze medal.

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Zak Ketterson

The 2026 Winter Games are 28-year-old Ketterson’s first Olympic appearance.

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Iris Pflum

The 2026 Winter Games are 22-year-old Pflum’s first Olympic appearance.

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Matt Boldy

The 2026 Winter Games are 24-year-old Boldy’s first Olympic appearance.

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Brock Faber

Faber, 23, previously appeared in the 2022 Winter Games and has won no career medals going into the 2026 games.

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Jake Guentzel

The 2026 Winter Games are 31-year-old Guentzel’s first Olympic appearance.

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Quinn Hughes

The 2026 Winter Games are 26-year-old Hughes’s first Olympic appearance.

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Jackson LaCombe

The 2026 Winter Games are 28-year-old LaCombe’s first Olympic appearance.

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Brock Nelson

The 2026 Winter Games are 34-year-old Nelson’s first Olympic appearance.

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Jake Oettinger

The 2026 Winter Games are 27-year-old Oettinger’s first Olympic appearance.

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Kendall Coyne Schofield

Coyne Schofield, 33, has appeared in the 2014, 2018, and 2022 Winter Games, with a career medal count of 1 gold medal and 2 silver medals.

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Britta Curl-Salemme

The 2026 Winter Games are 25-year-old Curl-Salemme’s first Olympic appearance.

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Rory Guilday

The 2026 Winter Games are 23-year-old Guilday’s first Olympic appearance.

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Taylor Heise

The 2026 Winter Games are 25-year-old Heise’s first Olympic appearance.

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Abbey Murphy

Murphy, 23, previously appeared in the 2022 Winter Games, earning a silver medal in that appearance.

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Kelly Pannek

Pannek, 30, has appeared in the 2018 and 2022 Winter Games, with a career medal count of 1 silver medal.

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Lee Stecklein

Stecklein, 31, has appeared in the 2014, 2018, and 2022 Winter Games, with a career medal count of 1 gold medal and 2 silver medals.

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Grace Zumwinkle

Zumwinkle, 26, previously appeared in the 2022 Winter Games, earning a silver medal in that appearance.

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Danny Casper

The 2026 Winter Games are 24-year-old Casper’s first Olympic appearance.

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Korey Dropkin

The 2026 Winter Games are 30-year-old Dropkin’s first Olympic appearance.

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Aidan Oldenburg

The 2026 Winter Games are 24-year-old Oldenburg’s first Olympic appearance.

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Rich Ruohonen

The 2026 Winter Games are 54-year-old Ruohonen’s first Olympic appearance.

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Taylor Anderson-Heide

The 2026 Winter Games are 30-year-old Anderson-Heides’ first Olympic appearance.

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Aileen Geving

Geving, 38, has appeared in the 2018 and 2022 Winter Games, with no career medals earned.

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Tabitha Peterson Lovick

Peterson Lovick, 36, has appeared in the 2018 and 2022 Winter Games, with no career medals earned.

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Tara Peterson

Peterson, 34, appeared in the 2022 Winter Games, with no career medals earned.

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Cory Thiesse

Thiesse, 31, appeared in the 2018 Winter Games, with no career medals earned.

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Konnor Ralph

The 2026 Winter Games are 23-year-old Ralph’s first Olympic appearance.