(WXYZ) — The 2026 Winter Olympics kick off this week from Italy, and more than a dozen people from Michigan will be competing in the event for Team USA.
According to the Team USA website, there are 15 Michiganders on the team, which is tied for the fifth-most athletes.
Ahead of Michigan are Colorado (32), Minnesota (26), California (21) and Utah (17). Some are competing for the first time, while others are already medalists.
Watch below: Michigan snowboarder Jake Vedder chases Olympic dreams
Evan Bates - Northville - Figure Skating
This will be Bates' fifth Olympics. He won a gold medal in Team - Mixed in Beijing in 2022.
Nick Baumgartner - Iron River - Snowboarding
Baumgartner, 44, is a four-time Olympian and won a gold medal with the snowboard cross team at the 2022 Olympics in Beijing.
Christina Carreira - St. Clair - Figure Skating
The 25-year-old specializes in ice dancing and this will be her first Olympics.
Kyle Connor - Shelby Township - Ice Hockey
Connor plays for the Winnipeg Jets.
Watch below: Ice dancers heading to Olympic games in Milan
Connor Hellebuyck - Commerce Township - Ice Hockey
Hellebuyck is a goaltender for Team USA. He was born in commerce Township and plays for the Winnipeg Jets.
Jack Hughes - Canton - Ice Hockey
Jack Hughes' family moved to metro Detroit for high school and he played with the U.S. National Development Team in Plymouth.
Quinn Hughes - Canton - Ice Hockey
Quinn Hughes, Jack's older brother, played hockey at the University of Michigan before being drafted to the NHL. He plays for the Minnesota Wild.
Megan Keller - Farmington Hills - Ice Hockey
Keller will be competing in her third Olympics for US Women's Hockey. She won a gold medal in 2018 and a silver medal in 2022.
Kaila Kuhn - Boyne City - Freestyle Skiing
Kuhn grew up in Northern Michigan and this will be her second Olympics. She placed 8th in Aerials in 2022.
Dylan Larkin - Waterford - Ice Hockey
The Detroit Red Wings captain will be a player to watch on Team USA.
Kirsten Simms - Plymouth - Ice Hockey
Simms plays for the University of Wisconsin and will make her Olympic debut at Milan Cortina.
Jake Vedder - Pinckney - Snowboarding
Vedder, 27, will compete with a specialist in men's snowboardcross. This will be his first Olympics.
Winter Vinecki - Gaylord - Freestyle Skiing
This will be Vinecki's second Olympics. She competed in 2022 and placed 15th in Aerials.
Zach Werenski - Grosse Pointe Woods - Ice Hockey
Werenski played at U-M and plays for the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Emila Zingas - Grosse Pointe Farms - Figure Skating
Zingas specializes in ice dancing and this will be the 23-year-old's first time in the Olympics.
