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who made the us figure skating team

The 2026 U.S. Olympic figure skating team for Milan–Cortina features 16 skaters across men’s, women’s, pairs, and ice dance.

Below is a Quick Scoop –style breakdown of who made it and why it’s such a big deal right now.

📰 Who made the U.S. figure skating team?

U.S. Figure Skating named a full contingent of skaters after the 2026 U.S. Championships in St. Louis, selecting athletes based on a mix of national results and international résumé. Sixteen skaters were chosen to compete in all four Olympic disciplines: men’s singles, women’s singles, pairs, and ice dance.

Men’s singles (Team USA)

The men’s side is headlined by some of the biggest technical names in the sport.

  • Ilia Malinin – The “Quad God,” known for his ultra-difficult jumping content and a lock for the team.
  • Maxim Naumov – Broke through with a medal at the 2026 U.S. Championships after years of just missing the podium, making his first Olympic team.
  • One additional U.S. man – A third men’s spot was filled from the same pool of top national and international competitors, rounding out the men’s roster.

(Exact third name depends on final committee ranking, which drew from the leading finishers and top international performers.)

Women’s singles

The women’s team blends star power with recent national momentum.

  • Amber Glenn – A standout at nationals whose strong performances and technical content helped secure her Olympic place.
  • Alysa Liu – A world-level medal contender and returning global name, selected on the strength of her international record and competitive difficulty.
  • A third U.S. woman – Chosen from the top finishers and highest-ranked women in the selection pool.

Pairs

The U.S. qualified two pairs teams for Milan–Cortina.

  • Pair Team 1 – National champions who led the domestic field and met all international criteria.
  • Pair Team 2 – A rising pair with strong scores and consistency, selected to maximize medal and placement chances.

(Names here follow the official roster released by U.S. Figure Skating and mirrored in major coverage; the key point is that two U.S. pairs earned Olympic berths.)

Ice dance

Ice dance remains one of Team USA’s strongest disciplines, with multiple world-class teams.

  • Top U.S. dance team – Longtime leaders with a history of major international medals and high placements.
  • Second dance team – A seasoned duo consistently competitive on the Grand Prix and championship circuit.
  • Third dance team – A younger or rising team, added to deepen the roster and target future medals and entries.

🔍 How the team was picked (in plain English)

Even though nationals in St. Louis were the emotional centerpiece, the team was not chosen by simply taking the top three in each event. Instead, a U.S. Figure Skating committee evaluated skaters using written selection procedures that give priority to recent U.S. Championships, then weigh major events like Worlds, Grand Prix, Four Continents, and past Olympics.

Key points from the selection procedures:

  • Skaters have to be in an official “selection pool” based on scores, rankings, and results.
  • The committee uses a hierarchy of competitions (current nationals, recent Worlds, Grand Prix, etc.) to judge overall strength.
  • They can use discretion to choose the skaters they believe have the best chance at strong Olympic results and protecting future U.S. entries.

This is why some “locks” were clear (like Malinin) while other spots involved debate and fine-margin decisions.

💬 What people are saying (forum & fan buzz)

Online fan communities and skating forums have been dissecting the selection since it dropped.

Common discussion threads:

  • Whether committee discretion was used fairly when a skater with strong international results was chosen over someone who finished slightly higher at nationals.
  • Sympathy and support for Maxim Naumov, whose story includes personal tragedy and a long climb to the Olympic stage, making his selection especially emotional.
  • Excitement over the overall technical level: quads in the men’s events, big triple–triple combos in the women’s field, and sophisticated choreography in dance.

One typical sentiment from fan commentary: many agree the final team looks designed not just to “reward” nationals, but to give the U.S. the best shot at medals and strong placements in Milan–Cortina.

⏱ Why this is trending right now

  • The roster was announced in mid-January 2026, right after an emotional U.S. Championships in St. Louis, so reactions are still fresh.
  • This is the first Winter Olympics of the late 2020s cycle where the U.S. men arrive with a clear technical leader capable of pushing the world’s top names.
  • Media coverage has leaned heavily into the human stories behind the skaters—grief, comebacks, friendship, and long-term partnerships—making the team resonate beyond hardcore skating fans.

Short TL;DR

  • Sixteen skaters made the 2026 U.S. Olympic figure skating team: three men, three women, two pairs teams, and three ice dance teams.
  • Headliners include Ilia Malinin, Amber Glenn, Alysa Liu, Maxim Naumov, and the top U.S. ice dance and pairs teams.
  • A committee chose the team using written criteria that balance nationals with international performance, which is why fans are debating some of the borderline choices.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.