Olympics
The Stifel U.S. Ski Team is thrilled to announce the first four athletes to qualify for the 2026 Olympic team: two from the Stifel U.S. Freeski Team and two from the Stifel U.S. Freestyle Ski Team. 2022 Olympic gold medalist Alex Hall qualified for slopestyle and big air and two-time Olympic medalist Alex Ferreira qualified in halfpipe. 2022 Olympic silver medalist Jaelin Kauf qualified in moguls and dual moguls and two-time world champion Quinn Dehlinger in aerials.
The four athletes secured their spots by ranking among the top three athletes on the 2026 FIS Base List based on their 2024-25 season results. Both Hall and Ferreira won the top spots in slopestyle and halfpipe, respectively, while Kauf took the top spot in moguls, dual moguls and overall after the best season of her career, and Dehlinger finished third following his World Championships success.
FREESKI
Ferreira Seeks Third Olympic Medal
After winning every contest he entered in the 2023-24 season and finishing last season in the top spot of the FIS Base List, Ferreira kept the momentum going in 2024-25 to secure his Olympic spot. He ended the season of seven events with two victories and seven podiums, with his biggest victory this season at the Toyota U.S. Grand Prix in his hometown of Aspen, Colorado. He also went on to place third at the World Championships in Engadin, Switzerland, his second consecutive World Championships medal.
Ferreira has been on the podium at every FIS event since January 2023: 13 and counting. His dominance led to his second consecutive halfpipe Crystal Globe, cementing him as the overall winner of the season. Securing the Olympic spot was no easy feat, with a stacked Stifel U.S. Freeski Team challenging Ferreira for victories and podiums at every step.
“It means the world to be prequalified for the Olympics,” said Ferreira, who holds two halfpipe medals from the 2018 and 2022 Olympic Games. “It’s a huge weight off my shoulders. Usually I’m coming in, skidding in, to the very last spot. So to be the first person on the team is really, really rewarding. I worked extremely hard for it, so I’m grateful to have a more tranquil incoming to the Games. I’m ecstatic. Milano Cortina is going to be a great competition, probably the best competition ever hosted, and definitely the highest level of progression thus far. I’m going to give it my all, and I’m excited to battle it out with everyone.”
Alex Ferreira at Calgary after winning the fifth out of 5 halfpipe competitions. | Image: Alex Ferreira Instagram
Hall has 16 total World Cup podiums, spanning eight years of competition. He also had tough American competition this season, with teammates Mac Forehand and Colby Stevenson rivaling him at each step of the way.
“I’m super stoked to qualify for Milano Cortina a year early,” said Hall. “I feel like I had a great season and ended up winning the slopestyle Crystal Globe, so it felt really good to lock in my spot that way. I’m looking forward to the Olympics in Italy; I think it’s going to be sweet. My mom is Italian, so it’s going to feel a bit like a home Olympics for me as well. It will be amazing over there.”
FREESTYLE
Kauf’s Road to The Games
The 2024-25 season was nothing short of historic for Kauf. Known as the fastest woman on the World Cup circuit, Kauf quickly rebounded from a tough start to the season to make history time and time again throughout the year. In Bakuriani, Georgia, mid-December, Kauf landed on her first podium of the season, kicking off a podium streak that continued throughout the season, earning 14 consecutive podiums and never finishing lower than third again. Eight of those 14 podiums were wins, almost doubling her career win count in one year. Her dominance and determination led her to win all three FIS Freestyle Crystal Globes: moguls, dual moguls and the overall, becoming the first American to win a freestyle globe since 2015.
Kauf also had a great showing at the 2025 FIS Freestyle World Championships in St. Moritz, Switzerland, earning the title of 2025 dual moguls world champion. Kauf returns to the games as the 2022 Olympic silver medalist in moguls, and this time around, she’ll also have the opportunity to compete in dual moguls, newly added to the Olympic schedule for 2026.
“It’s super crazy to be qualified for the Olympics already” said Kauf. “[There is] still a whole lot of work to be put in before then, but it’s a bit of a weight off, especially with how insanely good this women’s team is. It’s also been a dream to compete dual moguls at the Olympics for a long time, so I am extra excited to be a part of the sport’s Olympic debut this time around!”
Dehlinger’s First Olympic Team
“Making the Olympic team is a dream come true,” said Dehlinger. “I’ve dreamed of going to the Olympics since I was a little boy. To have qualified for the 2026 Olympics brings me joy that words can’t describe!”
The remaining Olympic spots for freestyle and freeski will be filled based on upcoming World Cup events throughout the 2025-26 FIS Freestyle World Cup season. The rest of the Olympic ski team will be named during and after the 2025–26 FIS World Cup season, where dozens of other U.S. athletes are still vying for their shot.
But for now, these four names have set the tone. They won’t just be going to the Olympics. They’ll be leading Team USA into Milan-Cortina as proven medal contenders—before the Games even begin.
