US Ski Team Announces World Cup Period 4 Starters

Chris GroverFebruary 24, 2026

Dear Cross Country Community,

We are pleased to announce the Team for Period 4 (Falun, Lahti, Drammen, & Oslo) of the 2025-26 World Cup season:

Falun Sprint F & Lahti Sprint F

Men

Zach Jayne                                Objective          25-26 Overall SuperTour Leader

Ben Ogden                                Objective          5th 25-26 Sprint World Cup

Gus Schumacher                       Objective          21st 25-26 Sprint World Cup

Jack Young                                Objective          26th 25-26 Sprint World Cup

JC Schoonmaker                        Objective          28th 25-26 Sprint World Cup

Kevin Bolger                             Discretion         15th Toblach Sprint F

Zanden McMullen                     Discretion         20th Oberhof Sprint F

Zak Ketterson                           Alternate          18th Val di Fiemme TDS Sprint C

Michael Earnhart                      Alternate          35th Oberhof Sprint F

 

Women

Hailey Swirbul                           Objective          25-26 Overall SuperTour Leader

Jessie Diggins                            Objective          25-26 Overall World Cup Leader

Julia Kern                                  Objective          22nd 25-26 Sprint World Cup

Sammy Smith                            Discretion         12th Oberhof Sprint F

Lauren Jortberg                        Discretion         26th Oberhof Sprint F

Alayna Sonnesyn                       Discretion         27th Davos Sprint F

Rosie Brennan                          Discretion         15th Ruka Sprint C

Ava Thurston                            Discretion         4th US Nationals Sprint F Qualification

Emma Albrecht                         Alternate          5th US Nationals Sprint F Qualification

Gus Schumacher (USA) charges up one of the hills on the sprint course at the base of the Mördarbacken during the 20 k Freestyle Mass Start in Falun, Sweden last season. (Photo: NordicFocus)

Falun 20 km Skiathlon

Men

Zach Jayne                                Objective          25-26 Overall SuperTour Leader

Gus Schumacher                       Objective          18th Distance World Cup

Zak Ketterson                           Objective          26th Distance World Cup

John Hagenbuch                       Discretion         14th OWG 10 km F

Zanden McMullen                     Discretion         18th Oberhof 10 km C

Ben Ogden                                Discretion         20th Toblach 5 km F

Hunter Wonders                       Discretion         24th Oberhof 10 km C

Luke Jager                                Alternate          29th Oberhof 10 km C

JC Schoonmaker                        Alternate          29th Toblach 5 km F

 

Women

Hailey Swirbul                           Objective          25-26 Overall SuperTour Leader

Jessie Diggins                            Objective          25-26 Overall World Cup Leader

Julia Kern                                  Discretion         10th Toblach 5 km F

Novie McCabe                          Discretion         22nd Goms 20 km C

Rosie Brennan                          Discretion         24th Ruka 10 km C

Luci Anderson                           Discretion         25th Davos 10 km F

Kendall Kramer                         Discretion         27th Goms 20 km C

Alayna Sonnesyn                       Discretion         27th Ruka 20 km F

Jessie Diggins on her way to winning both the FIS Overall and Distance Crystal Globes in Lahti, Finland last season. (Photo: NordicFocus)

Lahti 10 C

Men

Zach Jayne                                Objective          25-26 Overall SuperTour Leader

Gus Schumacher                       Objective          18th Distance World Cup

Zak Ketterson                           Objective          26th Distance World Cup

Zanden McMullen                     Discretion         18th Oberhof 10 km C

Hunter Wonders                       Discretion         24th Oberhof 10 km C

Luke Jager                                Discretion         29th Oberhof 10 km C

Ben Ogden                                Discretion         29th Toblach 20 km C

John Hagenbuch                       Alternate          14th OWG 10 km F

JC Schoonmaker                        Alternate          29th Toblach 5 km F

Reid Goble                                Alternate          1st Wirth SuperTour 10 km C

 

Women

Hailey Swirbul                           Objective          25-26 Overall SuperTour Leader

Jessie Diggins                            Objective          25-26 Overall World Cup Leader

Julia Kern                                  Discretion         16th Goms 20 km C

Novie McCabe                          Discretion         22nd Goms 20 km C

Rosie Brennan                          Discretion         24th Ruka 10 km C

Kendall Kramer                         Discretion         27th Goms 20 km C

Sammy Smith                            Discretion         3rd US Nationals 10 km C

Ava Thurston                            Discretion         4th US Nationals 10 km C

Emma Albrecht                         Alternate          1st Wirth SuperTour 10 km C

Alayna Sonnesyn                       Alternate          2nd Wirth SuperTour 10 km C

Lauren Jortberg                        Alternate          2nd Anchorge SuperTour 10 km C

Samantha Smith (USA) racing the individual World Cup sprint in Drammen (NOR) in 2024. (Photo: Modica/NordicFocus)

Drammen Sprint C

Men

Zach Jayne                                Objective          25-26 Overall SuperTour Leader

Ben Ogden                                Objective          5th 25-26 Sprint World Cup

Gus Schumacher                       Objective          21st 25-26 Sprint World Cup

Jack Young                                Objective          26th 25-26 Sprint World Cup

JC Schoonmaker                        Objective          28th 25-26 Sprint World Cup

Zak Ketterson                           Discretion         18th Val di Fiemme TDS Sprint C

John Schwinghamer                  Discretion         1st US Nationals Sprint C Qualification

Kevin Bolger                             Alternate          15th Toblach Sprint F

Zanden McMullen                     Alternate          20th Oberhof Sprint F

 

Women

Hailey Swirbul                           Objective          25-26 Overall SuperTour Leader

Jessie Diggins                            Objective          25-26 Overall World Cup Leader

Julia Kern                                  Objective          22nd 25-26 Sprint World Cup

Rosie Brennan                          Discretion         15th Ruka Sprint C

Sammy Smith                            Discretion         19th OWG Sprint C

Lauren Jortberg                        Discretion         30th OWG Sprint C

Alayna Sonnesyn                       Discretion         27th Davos Sprint F

Ava Thurston                            Discretion         3rd US Nationals Sprint C Qualification

Erin Bianco                               Alternate          4th US Nationals Sprint C Qualification

Jessie Diggins (USA) on her way to a podium finish during the first women’s 50k version of the famed Holmenkollen in Oslo (NOR) in 2023. (Photo: NordicFocus)

Holmenkollen 50 km F Mass 

Men

Zach Jayne                                Objective          25-26 Overall SuperTour Leader

Gus Schumacher                       Objective          18th Distance World Cup

Zak Ketterson                           Objective          26th Distance World Cup

John Hagenbuch                       Discretion         14th OWG 10 km F

Ben Ogden                                Discretion         20th Toblach 5 km F

JC Schoonmaker                        Discretion         29th Toblach 5 km F

Zanden McMullen                     Discretion         18th Oberhof 10 km C

Brian Bushey                             Alternate          4th US Nationals 20 km F

Hunter Wonders                       Alternate          24th Oberhof 10 km C

 

Women

Hailey Swirbul                           Objective          25-26 Overall SuperTour Leader

Jessie Diggins                            Objective          25-26 Overall World Cup Leader

Julia Kern                                  Discretion         10th Toblach 5 km F

Luci Anderson                           Discretion         25th Davos 10 km F

Alayna Sonnesyn                       Discretion         27th Ruka 20 km F

Novie McCabe                          Discretion         22nd Goms 20 km C

Rosie Brennan                          Discretion         24th Ruka 10 km C

Kendall Kramer                         Discretion         27th Goms 20 km C

 

The above discretionary selections were nominated by a 15-person working group that included:

James Southam                         Athlete Rep

Ida Sargent                               Athlete Rep

Perry Thomas                           Mansfield Pro Nordic Team

Chad Salmela                            Team Birkie

Andy Newell                             Bridger Ski Foundation

Erik Flora                                  Alaska Pacific University

Pepa Miloucheva                      Craftsbury GRP

Colin Rodgers                            SMS T2

Peter Holmes                            SVSEF Gold Team

Sophie Caldwell                        Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club

Eliška Albrigtsen                        Denver University

Chris Grover                             USST

Matt Whitcomb                        USST

Jason Cork                                USST

Kristen Bourne                          USST

 

The nominations were then approved by a discretionary selection review group comprised of:

 

Tyler Kornfield                          U.S. Ski & Snowboard Athlete Rep

Anouk Patty                              U.S. Ski & Snowboard Chief of Sport

Bryan Fish                                 U.S. Ski & Snowboard Development Director

 

The above discretionary selection process will be repeated for each period of World Cup this coming season.  As always, if you have questions or concerns about this process, feel free to contact me directly.

 

Sincerely,

 

Chris Grover

Cross Country Program Director, U.S. Ski Team

chris.grover@usskiandsnowboard.org

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