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Team USA Announces Record 234 Athletes for Milan‑Cortina 2026, Colorado Leads

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  • Alex Ferreira of the United States skis during the men's ski halfpipe finals at Phoenix Snow Park during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games in South Korea, Thursday Feb. 22, 2018. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP)
    Image: WBNS (Columbus, OH)
    Alex Ferreira of the United States skis during the men's ski halfpipe finals at Phoenix Snow Park during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games in South Korea, Thursday Feb. 22, 2018. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP) (Credit: AP) Source Full size
  • Police officers patrol at the athletes village in Milan, Italy, on Jan. 30, 2026, ahead of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics opening on Feb. 6. (Kyodo via AP Images) ==Kyodo
    Image: Newsweek
    Police officers patrol at the athletes village in Milan, Italy, on Jan. 30, 2026, ahead of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics opening on Feb. 6. (Kyodo via AP Images) ==Kyodo Source Full size
  • Alex Ferreira of the United States skis during the men's ski halfpipe finals at Phoenix Snow Park during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games in South Korea, Thursday Feb. 22, 2018. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP)
    Image: King5 (Seattle, WA)
    Alex Ferreira of the United States skis during the men's ski halfpipe finals at Phoenix Snow Park during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games in South Korea, Thursday Feb. 22, 2018. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP) (Credit: AP) Source Full size
  • Police officers patrol at the athletes village in Milan, Italy, on Jan. 30, 2026, ahead of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics opening on Feb. 6. (Kyodo via AP Images) ==Kyodo
    Image: Newsweek
    Police officers patrol at the athletes village in Milan, Italy, on Jan. 30, 2026, ahead of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics opening on Feb. 6. (Kyodo via AP Images) ==Kyodo Source Full size
  • FILE - United States' Chloe Kim trains before the women's halfpipe finals at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Feb. 10, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China.
    Image: WBNS (Columbus, OH)
    FILE - United States' Chloe Kim trains before the women's halfpipe finals at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Feb. 10, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (Credit: AP) Source Full size
  • United States' Nick Baumgartner reacts after States' Lindsey Jacobellis, on the ground, crosses the finish line to win a gold medal in the mixed team snowboard cross finals at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
    Image: WBNS (Columbus, OH)
    United States' Nick Baumgartner reacts after States' Lindsey Jacobellis, on the ground, crosses the finish line to win a gold medal in the mixed team snowboard cross finals at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull) (Credit: AP) Source Full size
  • Chase Josey of the United States competes during the final run of the Snowboard Halfpipe World Cup at Laax Open on Jan. 17, 2026, in Laax, Switzerland
    Image: WBNS (Columbus, OH)
    Chase Josey of the United States competes during the final run of the Snowboard Halfpipe World Cup at Laax Open on Jan. 17, 2026, in Laax, Switzerland (Credit: AP) Source Full size
  • Ryan Cochran-Siegle of the United States makes a jump during the men's super-G at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022, in the Yanqing district of Beijing. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)
    Image: WBNS (Columbus, OH)
    Ryan Cochran-Siegle of the United States makes a jump during the men's super-G at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022, in the Yanqing district of Beijing. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati) (Credit: AP) Source Full size
  • Alex Ferreira of the United States skis during the men's ski halfpipe finals at Phoenix Snow Park during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games in South Korea, Thursday Feb. 22, 2018. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP)
    Image: King5 (Seattle, WA)
    Alex Ferreira of the United States skis during the men's ski halfpipe finals at Phoenix Snow Park during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games in South Korea, Thursday Feb. 22, 2018. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP) (Credit: AP) Source Full size
  • FILE - United States' Chloe Kim trains before the women's halfpipe finals at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Feb. 10, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China.
    Image: King5 (Seattle, WA)
    FILE - United States' Chloe Kim trains before the women's halfpipe finals at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Feb. 10, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (Credit: AP) Source Full size
  • United States' Nick Baumgartner reacts after States' Lindsey Jacobellis, on the ground, crosses the finish line to win a gold medal in the mixed team snowboard cross finals at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
    Image: King5 (Seattle, WA)
    United States' Nick Baumgartner reacts after States' Lindsey Jacobellis, on the ground, crosses the finish line to win a gold medal in the mixed team snowboard cross finals at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull) (Credit: AP) Source Full size
  • Chase Josey of the United States competes during the final run of the Snowboard Halfpipe World Cup at Laax Open on Jan. 17, 2026, in Laax, Switzerland
    Image: King5 (Seattle, WA)
    Chase Josey of the United States competes during the final run of the Snowboard Halfpipe World Cup at Laax Open on Jan. 17, 2026, in Laax, Switzerland (Credit: AP) Source Full size
  • Ryan Cochran-Siegle of the United States makes a jump during the men's super-G at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022, in the Yanqing district of Beijing. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)
    Image: King5 (Seattle, WA)
    Ryan Cochran-Siegle of the United States makes a jump during the men's super-G at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022, in the Yanqing district of Beijing. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati) (Credit: AP) Source Full size

Record‑Breaking Roster Unveiled More than 250 U.S. athletes earned qualification spots, but only 234 will travel to Milan‑Cortina, establishing the largest Winter Games team in American history and eclipsing the 2018 high of 228 competitors[1][2]. The roster includes participants across every winter discipline, from alpine skiing to bobsled, reflecting a broad expansion of U.S. winter‑sport depth.

Colorado Tops State Contributions Colorado supplies the most Olympians with 31 athletes, spanning skiing, snowboarding, figure skating and bobsled, followed by Minnesota’s 24 qualifiers covering biathlon, curling and a sizable ice‑hockey contingent[1][2]. California, Utah and Massachusetts round out the top five, sending 19, 16 and 12 competitors respectively, illustrating regional strengths in both traditional and emerging events[1][2].

Non‑American Athletes and Delegation Leadership The squad features two Canadian athletes and one Ukrainian, while Paralympic competitors are excluded from this count[1][2]. President Donald Trump appointed Vice President JD Vance, his wife Usha, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and ambassador Tilman Feritta to lead the U.S. delegation, accompanied by former Olympians[3].

Games Context and Medal Outlook The 2026 Winter Olympics run from February 6 to February 22 in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, with roughly 90 nations expected to compete[3]. Norway leads the all‑time Winter Olympic medal table with 405 medals, while the United States holds second place with 330 medals and a strong figure‑skating team headed by Ilia Malinin[3].

Sources

Timeline

Jan 26, 2026 – Team USA posts the full 2026 Winter Olympics roster, confirming 232 athletes – the largest U.S. winter squad ever, surpassing the 228 competitors in PyeongChang 2018 and the 222 in Sochi 2014 [3].

Jan 26, 2026 – The roster features 98 returning Olympians and 18 past champions who together hold 22 gold medals, underscoring deep experience across disciplines [3].

Jan 26, 2026 – National Governing Bodies select athletes based on world‑circuit standings and season performance, and alternates are named to replace any injured or ineligible competitors [3].

Feb 2, 2026 – Norway tops the all‑time Winter Olympic medal table with 405 total medals and 148 golds as the Milan‑Cortina Games open [1].

Feb 2, 2026 – The United States ranks second historically with 330 medals (114 golds) and fields a figure‑skating team led by Ilia Malinin, the only athlete to land a quadruple axel in competition [1].

Feb 2, 2026 – The former Soviet Union’s separate tally of 194 Winter Olympic medals remains listed apart from Russia and other successor states [1].

Feb 2, 2026 – About 90 nations are slated to compete in Milan‑Cortina, roughly half the number that attend the Summer Games [1].

Feb 2, 2026 – President Donald Trump appoints Vice President JD Vance and his wife Usha, along with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and ambassador Tilman Feritta, to lead the U.S. delegation [1].

Feb 2, 2026 – Hundreds of protesters gather in Milan to denounce the deployment of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents at the Games, raising security and civil‑rights concerns [1].

Feb 2, 2026 – The 2026 Winter Olympics officially commence on Feb 6 and will run through Feb 22 in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo [1].

Feb 3, 2026 – More than 250 U.S. athletes earn qualification spots, and 234 will travel to Milan‑Cortina, setting a new record for the largest U.S. Winter Games roster [2].

Feb 3, 2026 – Colorado supplies the most Olympians with 31 athletes—including Mikaela Shiffrin and Lindsey Vonn—making it the top‑contributing state [2][4].

Feb 3, 2026 – Minnesota follows with 24 qualifiers across biathlon, curling, ice‑hockey and other sports, highlighting its broad winter‑sport depth [2][4].

Feb 3, 2026 – California (19 athletes), Utah (16) and Massachusetts (12) round out the top five states by athlete count [2][4].

Feb 3, 2026 – The U.S. team includes two Canadian athletes and one Ukrainian, while Paralympic competitors are not counted in the 234‑athlete total [2][4].

Feb 3, 2026 – The historic 234‑competitor roster surpasses the previous U.S. high of 228 set in 2018, reflecting growing participation in winter sports [4].

Feb 3, 2026 – The Games are officially titled Milan Cortina 2026 and will host the expanded U.S. delegation across all winter disciplines [4].

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