Zanden McMullen

Quick Facts

• Specialty: Men's cross-country skiing distance and sprint events
• McMullen's mother introduced him to skiing at a young age, often rewarding him with candy to encourage his love for the sport
• Grew up skiing with teammates Luke Jager and Gus Schumacher in Anchorage, who inspired him throughout his development
• Graduated from South Anchorage High School before competing collegiately at Montana State University, where he studied chemical engineering

Biographical Information

Zanden McMullen's mother sparked his interest in Nordic skiing when he was very young, taking him out to rip across the snow and through the woods. As he progressed through high school at South Anchorage, the competitive Alaska circuit made it difficult for him to gauge his standing nationally. That perspective shifted when the U.S. Nationals came to Anchorage. Though he hadn't initially planned to compete, the hometown event proved pivotal—his standout performance in the mass start 10-kilometer race earned him a spot on a U18 international trip, opening his eyes to possibilities he hadn't previously imagined. From there, his progression became methodical and steady, hitting benchmark after benchmark, eventually qualifying for world juniors and beyond.

During his collegiate career at Montana State University, McMullen established himself as a consistent performer in NCAA competition. He qualified for the NCAA Championships multiple times and recorded numerous top-10 finishes in both classic and freestyle events. In 2021, he placed fifth in the 10-kilometer freestyle at the junior world championships in Vuokatti, Finland, and 14th in the 30-kilometer classic, results that earned him a spot on the U.S. Development Team and set the stage for his transition to the world cup circuit.

McMullen made his breakthrough on the international stage during the 2023-24 season, recording 14 world cup top-30 results—a remarkable achievement for a skier in his early world cup years. His consistency throughout the season culminated in a third-place ranking in the under-23 (U23) world cup standings, marking him as one of the fastest young distance skiers in the world. Among his career highlights was an 18th-place finish in the classic sprint in Drammen, Norway, where he navigated the challenging city course that winds through tight street corners. The 2024-2025 season has seen continued progress, headlined by a career-best seventh-place finish in the 20-kilometer skate in Ruka, Finland—his first top-10 world cup result. He also earned selection to the 2025 FIS Cross-Country Skiing World Championships team in Trondheim, Norway.

At the 2026 U.S. National Championships in Lake Placid, McMullen delivered a dominant performance that showcased his versatility and race maturity. He captured gold in the 20-kilometer freestyle mass start and the classic sprint. The back-to-back national titles demonstrated his ability to excel in both endurance and speed events, reinforcing his status as a complete skier capable of competing across all disciplines.

McMullen credits his development to the strong training environment in Alaska, where he has worked alongside some of the nation's top skiers at Alaska Pacific University. He has drawn particular inspiration from teammates Luke Jager and Gus Schumacher, whom he raced against in elementary school and watched become Olympians. 

World Championships Experience

• Most recent: 2025 – 40th (10km Classic Style - Men), 46th (2 x 10km Skiathlon - Men)
• Years of participation: 10km Classic Style - Men 2025; 2 x 10km Skiathlon - Men 2025
• Top finish: 40th – 2025 (10km Classic Style - Men)

Career Highlights

• World Cup, 2024 (Distance - Men, Overall - Men, Sprint - Men)
• Under 23 World Championship, Whistler, 2023 (4 x 5km Relay - Mixed, 10km Freestyle - Men)