Kerri Walsh Jennings
Kerri Walsh Jennings redefined excellence in the sport of beach volleyball, winning three consecutive gold medals (2004, 2008, 2012) and a bronze in 2016.
Olympic ice hockey and Paralympic sled hockey are fast-paced, high-energy sports played on ice where two teams compete to score the most goals by shooting a puck into the opponent’s net. Each team has six players in the ice rink at a time—five skaters and one goaltender—competing across three 20-minute periods.
With its thrilling mix of speed, skill, and strategy, ice hockey and sled hockey are among the most exciting and celebrated events at the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
Men’s Olympic ice hockey made its first appearance as a seven-a-side event at the 1920 Antwerp Summer Games, before becoming a permanent feature at the 1924 Chamonix Winter Olympics, where the modern six-a-side format was introduced.
Women’s ice hockey was officially added to the Olympic program decades later, making its historic debut at the Nagano 1998 Winter Games.
Today, Olympic ice hockey continues to showcase speed, skill, and international talent. At the upcoming Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games, fans can look forward to two exciting events: the men’s tournament and the women’s tournament.
Mike Eruzione
Captain of the 1980 U.S. men’s hockey team, Eruzione scored the iconic game-winning goal in the “Miracle on Ice” victory over the Soviet Union at the 1980 Lake Placid Olympic Winter Games.
Jim Craig
The standout goaltender of the 1980 squad, Craig’s performance helped secure Olympic gold at the 1980 Lake Placid Winter Games, in what is remembered as one of the greatest upsets in sports history.
Mike Modano
Considered one of the greatest American-born hockey players, Modano is a three-time Olympian (1998, 2002, 2006) and helped Team USA capture a silver medal at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic Winter Games.
Sled hockey (also known as para ice hockey or sledge hockey) is the Paralympic version of ice hockey, designed for athletes with lower-body disabilities. Players sit on a double-bladed sled and use two shortened sticks to propel themselves and pass or shoot the puck. Like traditional hockey, it’s played with six players per team over three periods with the same goal: outscore the opponent.
Sled hockey made its Paralympic debut at the 1994 Lillehammer Winter Games, and since 2010, women have been eligible to participate in Paralympic tournaments.
The U.S. Paralympic sled hockey teams emerged as a powerhouse, winning multiple gold medals and thrilling fans with speed, intensity, and incredible athleticism.
Steve Cash
Cash was a goaltender legend who helped lead Team USA to three Paralympic gold medals (2010, 2014, 2018) and one bronze (2006). He earned recognition as one of the best sled hockey goalies in history.
Declan Farmer
Widely considered one of the best sled hockey players in the world, Farmer scored game-winning goals in multiple Paralympics, including the gold-medal clincher against Canada in PyeongChang 2018.
Josh Pauls
Nicknamed “Captain America”, Pauls has been a leader on the Team USA sled hockey team, leading the team to four consecutive Paralympic gold medals (2010, 2014, 2018, 2022).
Dive deeper into the stories of athletes who changed history.
Kerri Walsh Jennings redefined excellence in the sport of beach volleyball, winning three consecutive gold medals (2004, 2008, 2012) and a bronze in 2016.
Susan Hagel, a six-time Paralympian, competed in wheelchair basketball, Para archery, and Para track and field between 1976 and 1996, earning four gold and two bronze medals.
Mike Krzyzewski served as head coach of the U.S. Men’s Olympic Basketball Team, guiding them to gold medal victories at the Olympic Games Beijing 2008, London 2012, and Rio 2016.
Muffy Davis competed in Paralympic alpine skiing and para cycling, winning a total of seven Paralympic medals, three of which are gold medals.
After losing use of his legs in a farming accident, Randy Snow once again became an elite athlete, winning two Paralympic gold medals and one bronze.
Nicknamed “Team Night Train,” the 2010 U.S. four-man bobsled team made history at the Olympic Winter Games Vancouver 2010 with a gold-medal performance.
The “Forgotten” Miracle On Ice team won a gold medal at the Squaw Valley 1960 Olympic Winter Games.
The 1980 U.S. Men’s Ice Hockey Team of college players and minor leaguers pulled perhaps the biggest upset ever in Olympic history, pulling off the “Miracle On Ice” to win the gold medal at the Lake Placid 1980 Olympic Winter Games.
The U.S. Women’s Ice Hockey Team’s gold medal at the Nagano 1998 Olympic Winter Games had a lasting impact.
The Paralympic sled hockey team won gold at the Salt Lake City 2002 Games. They are the first Paralympic team inducted into the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame.
The last player cut from the 1960 U.S. Olympic Team that won gold at Squaw Valley, Herb Brooks played in the next two Olympics and was the coach of the 1980 Miracle On Ice gold-medal winning team.
