The 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics officially begin on Friday, February 6. And with them come the deceptively exciting sport of curling. The winter team sport, which first became an Olympic sport in 1924, is played on ice where two teams of four take turns sliding 42-pound granite stones towards a target.
In 2018, Team USA made history when the men's curling team won the gold medal at the PyeongChang Olympics. But, in women's and mixed doubles – which premiered at the 2018 Olympics – Team USA has yet to clinch a medal spot.
So, who is competing for Team USA at the 2026 Olympics in curling? Here's everything we know about the athletes and their unique sport.
© Getty ImagesMixed Doubles – Korey Dropkin and Cory Thiesse
Mixed Doubles curling was introduced at the PyeongChang Olympics in 2018. The United States has yet to medal in the sport. Competing in the category at the 2026 Olympics in Milan are Korey Dropkin and Cory Thiesse.
Korey, 30, started curling when he was just five years old. He was inspired by his family's involvement in the sport. Korey grew up in Wayland, Massachusetts before moving to Duluth, Minnesota to hone his curling skills. And his older brother, Stephen Dropkin, also competed for Team USA at the World University Games in 2015.
Korey's teammate, also named Corey, 31, is a lifelong curler. She was born and raised in the unofficial curling capital of America – Duluth, Minnesota. In 2018, Corey competed in Pyeongchang for the women's team and placed eighth. Outside of curling, she is married to Sam Thiesse and works as a lab technician.
© InstagramMen's Team Casper – Danny Casper, Luc Violette, Ben Richardson, Aidan Oldenburg, and Rich Ruohonen
The men's team is USA's best hope at medalling in curling. They last medaled in PyeongChang when they won the gold medal after defeating Sweden.
This year's team is led by 24-year-old Danny Casper. He started curling when he was 11 after his dad got him into the sport. During the 2024-2025 season, Danny was diagnosed with autoimmune disease, Guillain-Barré Syndrome, which sometimes causes him to struggle at times to walk and use his hands. In Milan, his teammates will help him clean his rock on the ice if he has trouble with his hands.
Also on the men's team is Luc Violette, 26, who is the son of the two-time national champion, Tom Violette. Off the ice, Luc is an engineer. He uses engineering in curling when he calculates the right shot.
Ben Richardson, 27, is the team's second. He was born in the tropical city of Miami, but was encouraged by his grandmother from Canada to get into curling. Outside of curling, Ben is a musician who plays the cello.
Joining Danny, Luc, and Ben is Aidan Oldenburg, 24. He started curling at 10 and was the captain of the Valorant esports team when he was a student at Minnesota State. Aidan also dreams of becoming an environmental scientist.
The team's alternate is Rich Ruohonen, 54, who will be the oldest American to ever compete at the Winter Olympics.
© InstagramWomen's Team Peterson – Tabitha Peterson Lovick, Cory Thiesse, Tara Peterson, Taylor Anderson-Heide, and Aileen Geving
The best finish for Team USA's women came in 2006 when they placed fourth at the Winter Games in Turin. Maybe Italy is their good luck charm!
This year's team is led by Tabitha Peterson Lovick, 36. Like many other Olympic curlers, she started in the sport when she was young. Her career quickly took off. Tabitha won back-to-back junior national championships and a bronze medal in 2010 at the junior world championships. Milan will be Tabitha's third Olympics – she competed in Beijing and PyeongChang.
Her younger sister, Tara Peterson, 34, is also competing in Milan. Tara made her Olympic debut in 2022 at the Beijing Games. Outside of curling, she is a dentist in Minnesota, is married to her husband Jon, and is mom to her son Edawrd.
Making her Olympic debut is Taylor Anderson-Heidi, 30. She began curling alongside her identical twin, Sarah Anderson. She is a successful curler, finishing in the top three at two different U.S.Olympic Trials. In 2024, she tied the knot with her husband, Ryan Heide.
Corey Thiesse is competing on the women's team as well as the mixed doubles. And the team's alternate is Aileen Geving, 38, who also competed in Beijing and PyeongChang.
© Getty ImagesWhat is curling?
Curling, which first launched at the Olympics in 1924, is played on a sheet of ice between two teams of four players each. During the game, teams take turns throwing eight stones. After all the stones are thrown, the team with the stone closest to the center of the target scores points.
It's called curling because the stones curl to the right or left as they glide down the ice. Curlers have brooms and sweep the ice to allow the stone to travel further.
© Getty ImagesWhat country is the best at curling?
While the U.S. dominates most Olympics, they have only won gold in curling once. The country who is typically most dominant in curling is Canada. They have won 12 Olympic medals. Another powerhouse is Sweden, who won gold in 2022.
