U.S. Paralympics Alp... News Ten athletes named t...

Ten athletes named to 2020-21 U.S. Paralympics Alpine Skiing National Team

By Annemarie Blanco | Oct. 06, 2020, 2:48 p.m. (ET)

Laurie Stephens competes at the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Paralympic Games. 

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — U.S. Paralympics Alpine Skiing today announced the 10 athletes named to the national team for the 2020-21 season. Eight athletes represented Team USA at the Paralympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018, garnering three medals for the United States.

“With an unprecedented season in our midst, we are committed to safely returning to training and international competition,” said Kevin Jardine, Director of U.S. Paralympics Alpine Skiing. “Our 2020-21 National Team is a great mix of up-and-coming athletes and Paralympians at the pinnacle of their careers. With less than two years until Beijing 2022, our program is focused on athlete development and long-term success.”

Two-time Paralympic champion and seven-time medalist Laurie Stephens (Wenham, Massachusetts) headlines the list of accomplished veterans and emerging athletes heading into the 2020-21 season. Stephens capped off the 2019-20 season with her fourth overall world cup crystal globe win. The most decorated U.S. alpine athlete at the Paralympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018, Stephens returns for her 17th season.

Team USA will begin its 2020-21 season with trip to Austria for the first meeting as a team since March 2020. The current list of World Cup events includes stops in Switzerland, Russia and China however all events are tentative due to ongoing COVID restrictions. The 2021 World Para Alpine Championships are scheduled to be held in Lillehammer, Norway from Feb. 7–20 as part of a historic first joint World Para Snow Sports Championships which will also include Nordic Skiing and Snowboarding.

National Team

Ravi Drugan (Eugene, Ore.)

Andrew Haraghey (Enfield, Conn.)*

Connor Hogan (Foxborough, Mass.)*

Allison Kunkel (Park City, Utah)*

Andrew Kurka (Palmer, Ala.)*#

Stephen Lawler (Burlington, Vt.)*

Laurie Stephens (Wenham, Mass.)*#

Thomas Walsh (Vail, Colo.)*

David Williams (Miami, Fla.)

Spencer Wood (Pittsfield, Vt.)*

* denotes Paralympian

# denotes Paralympic medalist