U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee Announces 67-Member 2022 U.S. Paralympic Team

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee today announced the 67-member 2022 U.S. Paralympic Team, including two guides for visually impaired athletes, that will compete at the upcoming Paralympic Winter Games Beijing 2022. The Opening Ceremony will take place Friday, March 4, with competition beginning March 5 and concluding Sunday, March 13.

“We have an incredible group of 67 talented athletes ready to make their mark at the Paralympic Winter Games,” said USOPC CEO Sarah Hirshland. “Thanks to countless years of preparation, unparalleled coverage and support from our partners, Team USA is ready showcase to the world that the 2022 Games will be an event they don’t want to miss." 
The 2022 U.S. Paralympic Team features 39 returning Paralympians, including two six-time Paralympians – Oksana Masters and Aaron Pike in Nordic skiing – and one five-time Paralympian – Laurie Stephens in alpine skiing. There are three members of Team USA who will compete at their fourth Paralympic Winter Games – Danelle Umstead and Jasmin Bambur in alpine skiing, and Josh Pauls in sled hockey. 
“With a mix of veteran athletes and rising stars, we can’t wait to support and cheer on Team USA athletes as they live out their dreams,” said Julie Dussliere, chief of Paralympic sport and 2022 Games Chef de Mission. “The USOPC and the National Governing Bodies are dedicated to making the entire journey a safe and seamless process for our athletes.”
Twenty-six athletes have already earned Paralympic medals, including 22 athletes who have previously won Paralympic gold. Masters tops the list with four gold medals across Nordic skiing and Para-cycling, while Josh Pauls and Kendall Gretsch each have three Paralympic golds. Seven U.S. athletes come to Beijing having already nabbed two Paralympic golds – Brenna Huckaby (snowboarding), Stephens (alpine skiing), and sled hockey athletes Declan Farmer, Jen Lee, Kevin McKee, Rico Roman and Brody Roybal. 
Highlighting the diversity and breadth of U.S. Paralympic athletes and Paralympic sport, Team USA will launch its newest commercial, “Now That’s Cool” and supplementary social content today under the “Show the World” celebratory campaign. The campaign, which launched ahead of the Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020, is dedicated to driving awareness of the Paralympic Movement while highlighting the remarkable talents, backgrounds and passions of Paralympic athletes – united by a mission of greatness to grow a more inclusive world through sport. Returning Paralympic champion Andrew Kurka (alpine skiing) and Paralympian Joy Rondeau (Nordic skiing) lead the newest campaign film. 
“The campaign is a huge step forward to increasing knowledge of Paralympic sport,” Kurka said. “It’s important to drive awareness to help both equality for Para athletes and the future of adaptive sport. Adults will see and know it’s possible; kids will see and say – I want that to be me.”
You can view the full 2022 U.S. Paralympic Team roster by sport and state (as noted by athletes’ recognized hometowns).
In partnership with Toyota, NBCUniversal will present an unprecedented 230+ hours of Winter Paralympic Games programming, including 120 hours of TV coverage across NBC, Olympic Channel and USA Network. The Beijing Games schedule will also broadcast three hours in primetime for the first time. All events will be streamed on Peacock and NBCOlympics.com.

Team USA fans can follow the 2022 U.S. Paralympic Team at TeamUSA.org and across Team USA’s social channels on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. The U.S. Paralympic Team microsite will offer Team USA results from the Paralympic Winter Games, as well as athlete biographies, sport previews, a history book, competition schedules, and facts and figures about the U.S. delegation.

• Oksana Masters (Louisville, Kentucky) is the most decorated athlete on the roster with 10 Paralympic medals across Nordic skiing, cycling and rowing, including four golds. Masters has earned seven Paralympic medals in Nordic skiing.
• Laurie Stephens (Wenham, Massachusetts) is the second most decorated winter sport athlete on the team with seven Paralympic medals in alpine skiing: two golds, two silvers and three bronzes.
• Twenty-six athletes and one guide will make their Paralympic debut in Beijing. The new squad is led by world champion Zach Miller (snowboarding) and three-time world championship medalist Sydney Peterson (Nordic skiing) who head to Beijing after historic performances at the Lillehammer 2021 World Para Snow Sport Championships. 
• The 2022 roster is made up of 15 female athletes (23%) and 52 male athletes, including the two guides (77%).   
• Since the Paralympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018, Paralympic champion Josh Sweeney (Glendale, Arizona) transitioned from sled hockey to Nordic skiing. 
• Twenty-seven states are represented, with Colorado home to the most athletes with a tally of 10. 
• Jesse Keefe (alpine skiing) is the youngest athlete on the team competing at 17 years old, while Pam Wilson (wheelchair curling) is the most senior athlete competing at 66 years old. 
• Alpine skiers Danelle Umstead (Park City, Utah) and Rob Umstead (Park City, Utah) are the only married couple on Team USA. Rob has served as Danelle’s guide at the Winter Games since 2010.
• Twelve athletes served in the U.S. Armed Forces, including six athletes who served in the Marine Corps, four in the Army and two in the Navy. 
• Six-time Paralympians Masters and Aaron Pike (Park Rapids, Minnesota) have been on every U.S. Paralympic Team roster, summer and winter, since 2012. Masters has competed in rowing, cycling and Nordic skiing, while Pike has competed in track and field and Nordic skiing.
• The most decorated winter team in history, the U.S. sled hockey team includes 11 athletes who helped the U.S. capture an unprecedented third consecutive, and fourth overall, gold at PyeongChang 2018, as well as 14 athletes who led the team to its record-extending fifth world title last year.
• Four multi-sport athletes will make their second Paralympic Games appearance within six months in the sport of Nordic skiing after competing at the Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 – Dani Aravich (track and field), Kendall Gretsch (paratriathlon), Masters (Para-cycling) and Pike (track and field). 
• Of the 67 athletes named to the team (including guides) 25.37% competed collegiately. Sled hockey and Nordic skiing each have the most collegiate athletes with seven apiece.