Colorado University Athletics
Eight Buffs Leave Lasting Impressions at 2026 Winter Olympic Games
February 24, 2026 | Skiing, Olympians
MILANO & CORTINA, Italy – The Colorado Buffaloes presence at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games was defined not only by strong results across five disciplines and five nations, but by a collection of moments that captured the spirit of the Olympics
From the Opening Ceremonies to the final distance race, current and former Buffs delivered performances, perseverance and personality that reflected the program's global reach and competitive culture.
One of the earliest highlights came during the Opening Ceremonies, when current Buff Hugo Hinckfuss was featured dancing enthusiastically with his Australian teammates as television cameras found him, creating one of the most memorable and widely shared moments of the night.
Former Buff Cass Gray provided another fan-favorite moment away from the slopes, connecting with members of the Canadian men's hockey team and sharing the interaction on social media, where she joked about hanging out with her "new besties" and the "good ole Canadian boys."
Few moments carried more emotion than Joanne Reid's final Olympic race. Anchoring the United States in the biathlon relay, Reid fought to avoid being lapped, allowing her to enter the stadium alone and finish to a cheering crowd. The moment served as a fitting close to her remarkable comeback that made her a three-time Olympian less than a year after returning to the sport.
Resilience was also on display from Svea Irving, who returned to the halfpipe final to attempt her final run despite suffering a separated rib in a fall earlier in the competition.
The Games also produced powerful imagery for the future of the program, as veteran Alvar Alev and freshman Jakob Moch skied together during the men's 50K classic — a visual of two generations of Buffaloes competing side by side on the Olympic stage.
In alpine skiing, Ryder Sarchett shared his experience with Team USA's social media audience, highlighting his time at Colorado and crediting CU coaches Ian Lochhead and Chad Wolk for their impact on his development.
And in snowboard cross, Stacy Gaskill's Olympic appearance marked another comeback story, returning to the world's biggest stage roughly a year after a serious knee injury. And she and the US Snowboard team got to meet up with Snoop Dogg.Â
Those moments, combined with multiple top-30 finishes, an Olympic finalist and a top-15 performance, reflected the full impact of the Colorado Buffaloes Ski Team at the 2026 Winter Games.
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From the Opening Ceremonies to the final distance race, current and former Buffs delivered performances, perseverance and personality that reflected the program's global reach and competitive culture.
One of the earliest highlights came during the Opening Ceremonies, when current Buff Hugo Hinckfuss was featured dancing enthusiastically with his Australian teammates as television cameras found him, creating one of the most memorable and widely shared moments of the night.
Former Buff Cass Gray provided another fan-favorite moment away from the slopes, connecting with members of the Canadian men's hockey team and sharing the interaction on social media, where she joked about hanging out with her "new besties" and the "good ole Canadian boys."
Few moments carried more emotion than Joanne Reid's final Olympic race. Anchoring the United States in the biathlon relay, Reid fought to avoid being lapped, allowing her to enter the stadium alone and finish to a cheering crowd. The moment served as a fitting close to her remarkable comeback that made her a three-time Olympian less than a year after returning to the sport.
Resilience was also on display from Svea Irving, who returned to the halfpipe final to attempt her final run despite suffering a separated rib in a fall earlier in the competition.
The Games also produced powerful imagery for the future of the program, as veteran Alvar Alev and freshman Jakob Moch skied together during the men's 50K classic — a visual of two generations of Buffaloes competing side by side on the Olympic stage.
In alpine skiing, Ryder Sarchett shared his experience with Team USA's social media audience, highlighting his time at Colorado and crediting CU coaches Ian Lochhead and Chad Wolk for their impact on his development.
And in snowboard cross, Stacy Gaskill's Olympic appearance marked another comeback story, returning to the world's biggest stage roughly a year after a serious knee injury. And she and the US Snowboard team got to meet up with Snoop Dogg.Â
Those moments, combined with multiple top-30 finishes, an Olympic finalist and a top-15 performance, reflected the full impact of the Colorado Buffaloes Ski Team at the 2026 Winter Games.
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Players Mentioned
XC
/ Olympians
NORDIC
/ Skiing
FSK
/ Olympians
NORDIC
/ Skiing
BIA
/ Olympians
ALP
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