John Steel Hagenbuch

Quick Facts

• Specialty: Men's cross-country skiing distance events
• Hagenbuch's parents, John Hagenbuch and Kimberly Steel, introduced him to Nordic skiing; his father played football and rugby at Princeton while his mother is a Dartmouth graduate
• Has two brothers and two sisters in an athletic family with deep Dartmouth ties—his grandfather John Steel III played football and basketball at Dartmouth
• Grew up playing multiple sports including Alpine skiing, mogul skiing, hockey, soccer and tennis before specializing in Nordic skiing
• Outside of skiing, enjoys mountain biking, wake surfing, fly fishing and supporting the nonprofit Protect Our Winters

Biographical Information

John Steel Hagenbuch has established himself as one of the most decorated collegiate cross-country skiers in recent history while simultaneously competing at the international level. The Ketchum, Idaho, native has competed for the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation and has represented the B Team on the Stifel U.S. Cross Country Ski Team. With multiple podium placements during his four years at Dartmouth, Hagenbuch exemplifies the dual-sport athlete who has found success in both NCAA racing and on the international stage.

Hagenbuch's introduction to Nordic skiing came through his parents and their friends in the Sun Valley community. Though he initially participated in multiple sports—including Alpine skiing, mogul skiing, hockey, soccer and tennis—he gravitated toward cross-country skiing and discovered a natural aptitude for endurance racing. He joined the U.S. Ski Team in 2019 as a high school junior. His early international success came at the 2019 Junior World Championships, where he was part of the gold-medal-winning 4x5-kilometer relay team alongside Luke Jager, Ben Ogden and Gus Schumacher—athletes who remain his teammates today.

After taking his freshman year to race for Team USA rather than Dartmouth, Hagenbuch returned to campus and immediately made his mark on the collegiate circuit. In his sophomore season, he became the first Dartmouth skier in 52 years to earn All-America First Team honors in both events at the NCAA Championships, finishing second in both the 10-kilometer freestyle and 20-kilometer classic. His junior year saw him claim his first individual NCAA title in the 7.5-kilometer classic race, earning United States Collegiate Ski Coaches Association Men's Nordic National Skier of the Year honors. The 2023-24 season proved to be a masterclass in dominance—Hagenbuch went undefeated in EISA competition, winning all six races he entered, then captured the 7.5-kilometer freestyle at the NCAA Championships and closed the season with victory in the 40-kilometer freestyle at Spring Nationals. He successfully defended his 7.5-kilometer classic title in 2025, becoming a two-time NCAA champion in that event.

On the world cup circuit, Hagenbuch has demonstrated steady progression and the ability to compete with the world's best. His breakthrough came in December 2023 when he recorded the fastest leg time in the men's 4x7.5-kilometer relay in Gällivare, Sweden. One week later, he secured his first top-15 World Cup finish with a 13th-place result in the 10-kilometer freestyle in Östersund, Sweden. In February 2024, he surprised himself by capturing a bronze medal in the skate sprint at the U23 FIS Cross-Country Ski World Championships in Planica, Slovenia, establishing himself as the third-fastest U23 sprinter in the world. 

Hagenbuch has also proven himself in the U.S. National Championships, collecting multiple titles across different distances and disciplines. His ability to pace himself strategically—a skill he developed as a junior when he wasn't quick enough off the line and had to build through races—has become one of his greatest strengths. This tactical awareness, combined with confidence in his fitness and training, allows him to close races exceptionally well, often making decisive moves in the final kilometers.

As a student at Dartmouth, Hagenbuch embraced what he calls the "four S's"—skiing, school, socializing and sleep—acknowledging that balancing elite athletics with the full college experience required sacrifice but provided invaluable perspective and longevity to his skiing career. He credits teammate Ben Ogden as a blueprint for successfully competing in both collegiate and World Cup racing, and believes the balance Dartmouth provides will help sustain his career longer than if he had focused solely on international competition.