Michigan in the Olympics
2026 - Milano - Torino
Five U-M alums participated in Milano-Torino Olympics and all came home with a gold medal, all for the U.S. Evan Bates and partner Madison won gold in the ice dancing team competition and also took silver in the ice dancing pairs event. Dylan Larkin, Quinn Hughes, Zach Werenski and Kyle Connor helped the U.S. win gold in ice hockey for the first time in 46 years.Ice Dancing
Ice dancer Evan Bates returned for his fifth Olympic Competition, his fourth with partner and spouse Madison Chock. Bates and Chock had won four consecutive U.S national titles and the World championships in 2023, 2024, 2025 and were favored to win the gold. They were edged out the gold medal by the French pair of Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron in controversial decision in which a French judge scored them significantly lower than the average of all other judges' scores.
Bates and women's ice hockey gold medalist Hilary Knight were selected a the U.S flag bearers for the closing ceremony.
Bates was U-M's sole medalist in 2022 in Beijing, claiming the gold medal in the Ice Dancing Team Event. (Almost two years after the Beijing games, the U.S. moved up to first place after a Russian skater was disqualified.) Bates was the first U.S figure skater to compete in four Olympic games. Bates and Chock, who is making her fourth Olympic appearance, clinched a spot on the US team by winning their fifth consecutive US national title in January.
Chock and Bates, ice dance gold medal winners at 2026 U.S. Nationals
Bates (U-M 2013, Organizational Studies) was a U-M sophomore in 2010 when he teamed with fellow U-M sophomore Emily Samuelson in Vancouver. Bates and Chock finished in 8th place in 2014, 9th in 2018 and 4th in 2022.
Ice Hockey
NHL players returned to the games in Milano-Torino and four U-M alums, Kyle Connor (Winnipeg Jets), Dylan Larkin (Detroit Red Wings), Zach Werenski (Columbus Blue Jackets) and Quinn Hughes (Vancouver Canucks/Minnesota Wild), were selected for Team USA. In a much anticipated showdown with Canada in the gold medal game, Werenski had an assist on Jack Hughes' gold medal goal in overtime to give the U.S. its first Olympic ice hockey title since the "Miracle on Ice" in 1980. Defenseman Quinn Hughes logged more ice time than any U.S. player, scored the winning goal in overtime in the quarterfinal game against Sweden and led the U.S. in scoring. Larkin tallied two goals and an assist playing mostly in defensive situations. He anchored the U.S. line that was 18-18 in penalty kills.
Kyle Connor Dylan Larkin
Kyle Connor, U-M 2015/16. Connor grew up in Shelby Township, Michigan, where he learned to skate at age 4 and played youth hockey in Detroit. In his sole varsity season he was named a First Team All-American, AHCA National Rookie of the Year and was finalist for the Hobie Baker Award. He was Big Ten Player and Freshman of the Year and led the nation in scoring with 71 points (35 goals, 36 assists). Connor was selected in the first round of the 2015 NHL Draft by the Winnipeg Jets and has spent his entire career with the team. He was named the Lady Byng Memorial Award in 2022, which is awarded to the player who has exhibited the best type of sportsmanship. Connor played for the U.S. at the 2016 IIHF Men's World Championships and was selected to represent Team USA for the 2025 4-Nations Face-Off.
Dylan Larkin, U-M 2014/15. The Waterford, Michigan native was a Second Team All-American, First Team All-Big Ten and Big Ten Freshman of the Year at forward in his one varsity season. He made his international debut for the U.S. at the 2013 U-17 World Hockey Challenge, He played in the World Juniors in 2015, the World Championship five times (2015-19), and the 4 Nations Face-Off in 2014. Larkin also played for Team North America at the World Cup of Hockey in 2016. The Detroit Red Wings made him the 15th pick in the 2014 NHL entry draft. Larkin made his NHL debut with the Wings in 2016 and was named team captain in 2021.
Quinn Hughes Zach Werenski
Quinn Hughes, U-M 2017/18 - 2018/19. Hughes was born in Orlando Florida but grew up in Boston and then Toronto, where his father was director of player development for the Maple Leafs. Hughes played two seasons with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program, based in Plymouth MI, before enrolling at U-M as a Sports Management major. He set a team freshman record with 24 assists and was named 2nd team All-Big Ten and Freshman of the Year in 2018. The Vancouver Canucks made him the 7th overall pick in the 2018 NHL Draft. Despite speculation that he would turn pro, Hughes returned for his sophomore year. He earned first team AHCA/CCM All-American and Big Ten first team honors, leading Big Ten defensemen in points and assists. His career totals were 62 points on 10 goals and 52 assists. Competing for the U.S. in the IIHF World Junior Championships, Hughes won a bronze medal in 2018 and a Gold Medal in 2017 U-18 World Championship. Hughes made his Vancouver debut in 2019 and played 7.5 seasons with the Canucks before being traded to the Minnesota Wild in December 2025.
Zach Werenski, U-M 2014/15 - 2015/16. In two season's at U-M, the Grosse Pointe, Michigan native became one of the Wolverines great defenseman. He was a ACHA First Team ACHA All-American, First Team All-Big Ten and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 2016. His 35 points (11 goals and 25 assists in 36 games) led the Big Ten and was second in the nation for defensemen. He was selected eighth overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the first round of the 2015 NHL draft. He made his NHL debut with the Blue Jackets in 2016. He was runner-up in voting for 2025 NHL James Norris Memorial Award for the league's best defenseman. In international competition he represented the United States at the 2015 and 2016 World Junior Championships, he was captain of the 2016 that won a bronze medal. In 2025 and the 4 Nations Face-Off last season. In 2025, when the U.S. won the World Championship for the first time since 1933, he had six points (one goal, five assists) in seven games and was named the tournament’s best defenseman.
USOPC Staff
Geoff Burns worked his second Olympic games as a sports physiologist for the U.S. Olympic Paralympic Committee, working primarily with the U.S. paralympic cross country and biathlon teams. Burns holds threee degrees from U-M: undergrad (2013) and masters (2013) in biomedical engineering and doctorate (2020) in kinesiology). He is An adjunct professor in the School of Kinesiology and a research affiliate at the U-M Human Performance and Sports Science center. Burns describes his role at USPOC as "all-purpose scientist." He helps devise individualized training programs for athletes, using metabolic metrics to show physiologic responses to training. He also develops training protocols for adjusting to environmental and climate conditions -- extreme heat and humidity for the paratriathlon team at the at the World Chamionships in Abu Dhabi, altitude in Cortina. Burns himself competes in ultra-marathons.
The U-M Results - 2026
| Madison Chock and Evan Bates (U.S) | ||
| Ice Dancing | silver | |
| Ice Dancing Team Event | gold | |
| Quinn Hughes (U.S) | ||
| Ice Hockey | gold |
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| Dylan Larkin (U.S.) | ||
| Ice Hockey | gold |
|
| Zach Werenski (U.S.) | ||
| Ice Hockey | gold |
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| Kyle Connor (U.S) | ||
| Ice Hockey | gold 4 games |
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| Geoff Burns (U.S., Paralympics) | ||
| sports physiologist | ||