U.S. Paralympics Nordic Skiing Names 2024-25 National and Development Teams

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO – U.S. Paralympics Nordic Skiing today announced the seven athletes who have been named to its 2024-25 national team roster. Additionally, four athletes – including three first-timers – earned spots on the team’s development roster.

Coming off a 2023-24 season that saw Team USA’s Para Nordic skiers win eight medals at the 2024 IBU Para Biathlon World Championships in March, U.S. Paralympics Nordic Skiing athletes are training this offseason for a full competition slate in their 2024-25 campaign as the team builds to the Paralympic Winter Games Milan Cortina 2026.

“We have so many incredible veterans of the sport on this team, and we will be looking to them to lead the way for some of our up-and-coming athletes as we approach another Games,” Eileen Carey, director of U.S. Paralympics Nordic Skiing, said. “As a program, we are excited about the depth of talent and work ethic within this group of individuals.”

Returning to the National A team are dual-sport Paralympic medalists Oksana Masters (Louisville, Kentucky) and Kendall Gretsch (Downers Grove, Illinois), who combined for seven of the team’s eight biathlon world championships medals in March. Masters, a 17-time Paralympic medalist and the most decorated U.S. Winter Paralympian in history, is first seeking a berth to this summer’s Paralympic Games in cycling, while Gretsch, the reigning paratriathlon Paralympic gold medalist, is heading to Paris in her summer sport. Masters and Gretsch also teamed up to win the first-ever biathlon world championships team sprint in Prince George.

Also earning slots on the National A team are Paralympic medalists Jake Adicoff (Sun Valley, Idaho) and Sydney Peterson (Lake Elmo, Minnesota). Both cross-country skiing specialists, Adicoff and Peterson were both Paralympic champions in Beijing, and both podiumed at the most recent edition of the FIS Para Nordic Skiing World Championships, which were held in 2023 in Sweden. Adicoff also won the men’s visually impaired cross-country overall world cup title last season.

World champion Aaron Pike (Park Rapids, Minnesota) has also qualified for Paris after a standout performance at the 2023 TCS New York City Marathon, where he became one of the first four Para athletes to qualify for Team USA. Pike, who brought home world championships bronze in biathlon sprint pursuit in March, will be competing in his seventh Paralympic Games this summer.

Paralympians Dan Cnossen (Topeka, Kansas) and Dani Aravich (Boise, Idaho) return to the National C team. Cnossen, a seven-time Paralympic medalist, is eyeing his fourth career Paralympic Games in Milan Cortina, while Aravich, who has competed in both the Summer and Winter Paralympic Games for track and field and Nordic, respectively, is seeking her third berth.

Paralympian Max Nelson (Mahtomedi, Minnesota) leads a group of four athletes named to the 2024-25 development team. It is the first roster nod for sit skiers Nicole Zaino (Brookfield, Connecticut) and Michael Kneeland (Bozeman, Montana) and standing skier Jack Berry (Missoula, Montana).

For media requests and photo inquiries, please contact Kristen Gowdy at Kristen.Gowdy@usopc.org.

2024-25 U.S. Paralympics Nordic Skiing National Team

National A Team
Jake Adicoff
Kendall Gretsch
Oksana Masters
Sydney Peterson
Aaron Pike

National C Team
Dani Aravich
Dan Cnossen

2024-25 U.S. Paralympics Nordic Skiing Development Team
Jack Berry
Michael Kneeland
Max Nelson
Nicole Zaino