New York doesn’t exactly scream “winter sports powerhouse.”
No towering Alps, no endless frozen tundra—just crowded rinks, backyard hills, and a lot of grit.
And yet, when the 2026 Winter Olympics kick off in Italy this weekend, the Empire State will be everywhere. 🗽
From Long Island plumbers’ kids to Manhattan speedskaters and from Lake Placid legends to a Caesar-salad-reviewing goalie, these are the New Yorkers heading to Team USA—and the surprisingly local stories that make them worth waking up at 5 am for.
🏒 Ice Hockey
- Charlie McAvoy (Long Beach): Charlie McAvoy’s path to Olympic ice quite literally started with a wrench. His father is a fourth-generation plumber in Long Beach—and helped install the rink at Long Beach Arena, where McAvoy first learned to skate. Fast-forward a few decades and he’s now an alternate captain for the Boston Bruins, anchoring Team USA’s blue line with pure Long Island toughness.
- Aerin Frankel (Chappaqua): Yes, she’s one of the most dominant goaltenders in women’s hockey and plays for the PWHL’s Boston Fleet. But Frankel is also quietly one of New York’s most niche food influencers. Her Instagram account, @painbyromaine, is dedicated entirely to reviewing Caesar salads across the country. Brick wall in the crease, brutally honest about croutons.
- Haley Winn (Rochester): A Rochester native and Bishop Kearney grad, Winn is part of a growing pipeline of Western New York talent making waves in the PWHL. She brings defensive edge and hometown pride to Team USA’s blue line.
- Hayley Scamurra (Getzville): A Buffalo-area favorite and returning Olympian, Scamurra is already a familiar name in Western New York rinks. The Montreal Victoire forward brings veteran energy—and serious local fan backing—to another Olympic run.
🎿 Skiing & Ski Jumping
- Christopher Lillis (Rochester): The reigning Olympic gold medalist in Freestyle Aerials is back to defend his title—and yes, he trained at Bristol Mountain. Proof that you don’t need the Rockies to launch yourself 50 feet into the air.
- Dylan Walczyk (Rochester): Another Bristol Mountain product, Walczyk is a freestyle moguls veteran who grew up perfecting controlled chaos on icy New York slopes.
- Tate Frantz (Lake Placid): Lake Placid isn’t called the Olympic Capital of the World for nothing. Frantz is one of Team USA’s rising ski jumping stars, trained by the New York Ski Education Foundation and raised in a town where Olympic history is basically wallpaper.
🛷 Luge
- Sean Hollander (Lake Placid): When people say Lake Placid kids grow up with an Olympic track in their backyard, they’re not exaggerating. Hollander competes in Men’s Doubles and is a product of one of the most elite sliding programs in the world.
- Jonny Gustafson (Massena): A Massena High School graduate, Gustafson is a returning Olympian competing in the Men’s Singles.
- Sophia Kirby (Raybrook): Making her Olympic debut in Luge Doubles, Kirby is another product of the North Country’s elite sliding programs.
- Emily Fischnaller (Lake Placid): This is the most cinematic storyline of the Games. Fischnaller survived a devastating crash at the 2018 Olympics, rebuilt her career, and is now a three-time Olympian and World Championship medalist. The twist? She recently married Italian luge star Dominik Fischnaller. With the 2026 Games in Italy, she’s essentially competing in her second home—and plans to move there permanently after the Games.
⛸️ Speedskating & Curling
- Clayton DeClemente (Poughkeepsie): A Short Track speedskater who graduated from Arlington High School. He dedicated himself to full-time training after graduating in 2017.
- Kamryn Lute (New York City): A NYC native who started training in short track speedskating at just five years old.
- Daniel Casper (Briarcliff Manor): Representing Team USA in Curling, Casper is a graduate of the Hackley School and got his start at the Ardsley Curling Club.
🗓️ The Essential Info (Because Italy is 6 hours ahead)
Opening Ceremony: Friday, February 6, 2026 (today)
Competition Window: February 4 – February 22, 2026
Closing Ceremony: Sunday, February 22, 2026
📺 How to watch the 2026 Olympics
- Live coverage: Roughly 2 am – 5 pm ET
- Primetime: NBC’s nightly 8 pm ET recap show
- Streaming: Peacock (every event, every sport, no spoilers avoided)
⏰ When to watch the New Yorkers
- Luge: Feb 7–12 (early mornings, 5–9 am ET)
- Ice Hockey: Feb 5–22 (Women’s Gold: Feb 19 / Men’s Gold: Feb 22)
- Freestyle Skiing: Feb 7–21 (late mornings)
- Speedskating: Feb 10–20 (around 10 am ET)
- Curling: Feb 4–22 (all-day, perfect background viewing)