New Jersey Athletes to Watch at the 2026 Winter Olympics

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It’s that time of year again when we bleed red, white, and blue for our athletes competing in the Winter Olympics. The Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Games kick off on February 6th and run to February 22nd, 2026, while the Paralympics will be from March 6th to 15th. 205 Americans have qualified for the international competition, but we’ll be on the lookout for the Olympians and Paralympians from New Jersey competing in events like figure skating, hockey, sled hockey, and speedskating. Here’s your guide to the New Jersey athletes competing in the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Games this winter.

Note: More athletes are qualifying for the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics and Paralympics each day. Rosters for Team USA are still being finalized, so additional New Jersey athletes could be added to this guide.

Alex Carpenter | Morristown

 

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Alex Carpenter (@carpy05)

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This will be Alex Carpenter’s third Olympic appearance, and she brings plenty of experience to the ice. Born into a hockey family, Carpenter is the daughter of Bobby Carpenter, an 18-year NHL veteran and the first U.S.-born player to score 50 goals in a single season. She grew up playing hockey in New Jersey while her father served as an assistant coach with the Devils. A two-time Olympian, Carpenter has earned two Olympic silver medals and continues to be a key presence on the international stage.

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Brianna Schnorrbusch | Monroe Township

 

 
 
 
 
 
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Brianna “Bri” Schnorrbusch is emerging as one of the most promising young athletes in snowboard cross. She competes through the Gould Academy Competition Program and has been part of the Hydro Flask U.S. Snowboard Cross Pro Team since 2023, quickly making a name for herself on the national stage.

Isabeau Levito | Mount Holly

 

 
 
 
 
 
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This is the first Olympic Games Isabeau will be competing in, but the 18-year-old is no stranger to competition. At just 14, she finished third in the U.S. Championships and became world junior champion three months later — the first U.S. female skater to win that title in 14 years. She also won the 2023 U.S. Championships and earned a silver medal at the 2024 ISU World Figure Skating Championships.

Kelsey O’Driscoll | Caldwell 

Kelsey O’Driscoll grew up skiing at Gore Mountain and surfing in New Jersey, later becoming a registered nurse and SUNY Adirondack alum. A former EMT and Pediatric ICU step-down nurse, she now serves as the Pediatric Outpatient Asthma Care Coordinator at Albany Medical Center, overseeing care for more than 1,200 children. On the slopes, she’s Gore Mountain’s first adaptive ski patroller and a proud member of the U.S. Para Alpine Ski Team, training with the NSCD with her sights set on the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games in Italy.

 


 

Josh Pauls | Green Brook

 

 
 
 
 
 
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Josh Pauls always dreamed of being a goalie in the NHL. Born without a tibia in both legs, they were amputated when he was just 10 months old. At eight years old, his mom signed him up for sled hockey after seeing an ad. Within eight years, Josh was called up to his first world championship team. He is now the only sled hockey player to be a four-time gold medalist, winning at the 2010, 2014, 2018, and 2022 Paralympics.

Jack Wallace | Franklin Lakes

Jack Wallace grew up in Franklin Lakes as a five-sport athlete, competing in hockey, football, baseball, lacrosse, and wrestling. At age 10, he lost part of his right leg in a boating accident. One year later, he attended Camp No Limits for families affected by limb loss, where he discovered sled hockey. Jack debuted on the U.S. National Sled Hockey Team in 2016 and won gold medals with Team USA during the 2018 and 2022 Paralympics.

Jess Perlmutter | Millburn

Jess Perlmutter is 16 years old and set to compete in big air and slopestyle snowboarding events. She is quickly gaining recognition as one of the rising stars in women’s rail and freestyle snowboarding.

Kelly Curtis | Princeton

 

 
 
 
 
 
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Kelly Curtis will compete in skeleton, a sport where athletes ride head-first and face-down on a flat sled. Born in Princeton, Kelly originally competed in track and field before being introduced to bobsled by a strength and conditioning coach. The 36-year-old also competed in the Beijing 2022 Olympic Games.

Kelsey O’Driscoll | Caldwell

 

 
 
 
 
 
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Kelsey, a lifelong skier, suffered an incomplete spinal cord injury in a sledding accident in 2021. Kelsey also has severe asthma and allergies, and was in the ICE for several weeks after the accident due to her asthma. The treatment left her with permanent damage in her legs. As she recovered, she tried out four-track adaptive skiing on a whim and was literally off to the races. Since 2023, Kelsey has been traveling the world and racking up wins, including 1st in the 2025 World Cup, held in Austria. This year’s Paralympics will be Kelsey’s first, and it will have special significance, as the date of the opening ceremony coincides with the five-year anniversary of her accident. 

Kenny Agostino | Morristown

Kenny Agostino is from Morristown, NJ, and will represent Team USA in hockey. The 33-year-old was drafted in the fifth round of the 2010 NHL Draft by Pittsburgh. He previously competed at the Beijing 2022 Olympics, where Team USA placed fifth.

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Kimi Goetz | Flemington

 

 
 
 
 
 
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Kimi Goetz was born in Flemington and began skating at five years old. In 2010, she won gold at the junior world inline championships in a team relay event. At 17, she moved to Utah to pursue short track speedskating. Despite setbacks including a concussion and back injury, Kimi competed in the Beijing 2022 Olympics, finishing seventh in the 1000m and 18th in the 500m women’s races.

Honorable Mention: 

Bryan Sosoo

Bryan Sosoo grew up in Laurel, Maryland, and in high school was the Maryland state champ in the 55-meter and triple jump. Sosoo attended Monmouth University, where he set the school record and won three conference titles in the 60m. After graduation, he continued his track and field career, competing internationally for Ghana until 2024, when he made the switch to join the U.S. national bobsled team.

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