New Jersey’s Historic Olympians – Who Shined in 2026?

Participating in the Olympics is a great accomplishment. Winning an Olympic medal is the pinnacle for some. With the 2026 Winter Olympics underway, who from New Jersey is going, and who has a chance to win or place? We also started thinking: Who are some of the greatest Olympians who hail from the Garden State? The MLH project got to work.

Jersey Medal History

Games	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
Summer	56	20	14	90
Winter	7	2	2	11
Total	63	22	16	101

Will Jersey Shine in Milan?

---

Jersey 2026 Winter Olympians

Each of these athletes brings a distinct narrative to the Winter Games: from the young dreamer gliding on ice to the experienced slider commanding a skeleton sled, from snowboarding’s airborne artistry to the raw power behind a bobsled push start. Together, they represent the diversity of paths New Jersey athletes have taken onto the world’s biggest winter sports stage.

Kelly Curtis, 37 — Skeleton (women’s singles) Princeton Kelly’s journey began in the fields and tracks around Princeton, New Jersey, where she excelled in track and field before discovering the rush of sliding sports. Now 37, she’s a seasoned veteran of skeleton’s icy runs, training with the U.S. team through the Air Force’s World Class Athlete Program and traveling to world cups and training centers across Europe and North America. Milano Cortina 2026 is her second Olympics after debuting in Beijing 2022. Her story blends military discipline, athletic evolution, and a hard-earned expertise in navigating courses at breakneck speeds. In Milano Cortina 2026, she placed 12th in the women’s skeleton event and did not medal, delivering a strong performance in her second Olympic appearance.

Jess Perlmutter, 16 — Snowboarding (slopestyle and big air) Millburn Jessica “Jess” Perlmutter hails originally from Millburn, New Jersey, and though still in her teens, has already carved a path into one of snowboarding’s most thrilling disciplines. A standout in both slopestyle and big air, she honed her skills at snow parks and training facilities focused on aerial and technical tricks, pushing her limits on jumps and rails. At 16, she’s among the youngest snowboarders on the U.S. Olympic team, and Milano Cortina 2026 is her first Olympics, a dramatic leap from local New Jersey slopes to the global spotlight. In Milano Cortina 2026, she finished 6th in the women’s slopestyle final and did not medal, an impressive Olympic debut at just 16 after also competing in big air earlier in the Games.

Jess Perlmutter, 16 — Snowboarding (slopestyle and big air) Millburn Jessica “Jess” Perlmutter hails originally from Millburn, New Jersey, and though still in her teens, has already carved a path into one of snowboarding’s most thrilling disciplines. A standout in both slopestyle and big air, she developed her skills at snow parks and training facilities focused on aerial and technical tricks, pushing her limits on jumps and rails. At 16, she’s among the youngest snowboarders on the U.S. Olympic team, and Milano Cortina 2026 is her first Olympics, a dramatic leap from local New Jersey slopes to the global spotlight. In Milano Cortina 2026, she finished 6th in the women’s slopestyle final and did not medal, an impressive Olympic debut at just 16 after also competing in big air earlier in the Games.

Brianna Schnorrbusch, 20 — Snowboarding (snowboard cross) Monroe Township Brianna “Bri” Schnorrbusch grew up in Monroe Township, New Jersey, before moving north to refine her snowboarding at Gould Academy in Bethel, Maine, known for strong winter sports training. At 20, she has already risen through the ranks from the U.S. Snowboard Cross Pro Team to international world championship competition, where her speed and strategy over mixed terrain have drawn attention. Milano Cortina 2026 marks her Olympic debut, a culmination of years of racing down courses and mastering split-second decisions. In Milano Cortina 2026, she finished 19th in the snowboard cross competition and did not medal, marking her Olympic debut against the world’s top racers.

Bryan Sosoo, 29 — Bobsled (push athlete) East Rutherford Though Bryan grew up in Maryland, his athletic rise brought him to New Jersey and Monmouth University, where he excelled in track events before transitioning into bobsled. As a push athlete, he trains intensively with the U.S. bobsled program, often in Lake Placid, New York, and at other national team facilities, where he sharpens explosive starts and synchronized team bursts. At 29, Milano Cortina is his first Olympics, a milestone that reflects a late-blooming but rapid ascent in one of winter sports’ most team-oriented events. In Milano Cortina 2026, he finished 12th with Team USA in the four-person bobsled competition, earning a medal and completing a remarkable journey from collegiate track athlete to Olympian.

---

How ’bout Those Devils…The NHL was BACK

NHL players from the New Jersey Devils are part of the 2026 Winter Olympics ice hockey tournament in Milano and Cortina. The NHL is participating in the Olympics for the first time since 2014, and the Devils are one of the league’s most-represented clubs at the Games, with players competing for five different countries.

The NHL’s New Jersey Devils players show how a single NHL club can shape the Olympic sport across multiple nations. Some are embracing their first Olympic moment, others are adding to past international achievements, but all share the honor of representing their countries on the world’s biggest winter stage.

Jack Hughes, 24: Forward for Team USA
Jack’s rise from a standout youth player to one of hockey’s brightest talents has taken him from his Michigan roots to becoming captain of the New Jersey Devils in the NHL. At 24, he’s now wearing the Red, White, and Blue, suiting up for Team USA’s Olympic hockey squad as one of its key forwards, blending elite speed, creativity, and goal-scoring instincts. This is his first Olympics, a dream stage elevated by the return of NHL players to the Games, a chance to show his skill against the world’s best while carrying the pride of his club and country.

Jesper Bratt, 26: Forward for Team Sweden
From sunny Stockholm to the icy rinks of New Jersey, Jesper has become a dynamic offensive force with a blend of slick passing and clutch scoring. At 26, he wears the Swedish blue-and-yellow at the Olympics, showcasing his high-tempo attacking style against top international competition. Representing Sweden at his first Olympics, Bratt’s journey reflects the global reach of Devils talent and the honor of wearing his national colors in Italy.

Jacob Markström, 35: Goaltender for Team Sweden
A seasoned veteran between the pipes, Markström brings calm leadership and elite reflexes to Sweden’s Olympic roster. At 35, his experience as a top NHL goaltender gives him a steady presence in net, guiding his team through pressure-packed moments. For Markström, it’s his first Olympics, a late-career milestone that crowns years patrolling NHL creases with the intensity and poise of a championship-caliber goalie.

Nico Hischier, 27: Centre for Team Switzerland
Nico’s journey from Swiss junior star to NHL captain mirrors the evolving rise of hockey in Switzerland. Now 27, he leads a Swiss Olympic team with savvy playmaking and two-way excellence that define his NHL role. Competing in his first Olympics, Hischier carries the hopes of a nation that has long punched above its weight on the global hockey stage.

Timo Meier, 28: Winger for Team Switzerland
A skilled winger with power and finesse, Timo brings 28 years of age and peak performance to Switzerland’s Olympic attack. Known in the NHL for his scoring touch and physical presence, Meier will blend into Switzerland’s strategic style as he chases Olympic hardware. This is another Olympic debut — a special chance to add international distinction to his established professional career.

Jonas Siegenthaler, 28: Defenseman for Team Switzerland
At 28, Siegenthaler anchors the blue line with size, positional discipline, and a steady defensive mind. His Olympic journey with Switzerland represents a major international test, bringing his NHL experience into a tournament where every shift counts. Like his Swiss teammates, he’s stepping onto the Olympic ice for the first time, ready to outthink opponents with smart, physical defense.

Šimon Nemec, 22: Defenseman for Team Slovakia
Nemec’s story is already remarkable: drafted second overall by the Devils, he became a cornerstone of his young NHL career while helping Slovakia to international success. At 22, he returns to the Olympics not as a newcomer to elite international hockey — he won bronze for Slovakia at the 2022 Games — but now as an NHL-honed force on the blue line. His blend of poise and playmaking makes him a centerpiece of Slovakia’s Olympic dreams.

Ondřej Palát, 33: Forward for Team Czechia
Though Palát signed with New Jersey more recently, he’s a veteran Czech star whose smooth skating and scoring instincts have defined a long NHL career. At 33, Palát brings seasoned leadership to Team Czechia’s Olympic roster, infusing experience and clutch ability into key offensive situations. This is also his first Olympics, a capstone to years of professional excellence.

Past Jersey Olympians

MLH dug in to share 50+ Olympians who hailed from the Garden State. Let us know if you know any of them. Scroll through the names and years on the New Jersey Olympians page, and one thing becomes obvious very quickly. Across decades, hometowns, and generations, the same sports continue to produce New Jersey athletes at the Olympic level.

• Swimming sits at the center of that story. It produces more New Jersey Olympians than any other sport and the most medalists. The careers of Tom Dolan, Gary Hall Jr., and Jenny Thompson reflect a long-running, multi-generational pipeline. No other sport in the data comes close to swimming in both participation and total medals.
• Track and field is the next strongest summer pathway. It consistently places New Jersey athletes into Olympic competition, but with fewer total athletes and fewer medals than swimming.
• Soccer tells a different but equally important story. Its impact comes from team success. New Jersey players repeatedly appear on medal-winning Olympic squads, with Carli Lloyd standing as one of the clearest examples of that influence.
• Winter participation is much smaller and far more concentrated. Snowboarding is both the most common and the most successful winter sport in New Jersey. Shaun White’s medal record largely defines that success. Other winter sports appear only occasionally, such as luge, through Erin Hamlin.
• The overall pattern is clear. New Jersey’s Olympic strength is overwhelmingly driven by summer sports, led by swimming, followed by track and field and soccer, with winter success defined almost entirely by snowboarding.

Name	Hometown	Season	Event	Games Years	Medaled	Achievements
Tom Dolan	Arlington Virginia born in Lakewood New Jersey	Summer	Swimming	1996 2000	Yes	2 time Olympic gold medalist 1996 200 m IM and 400 m IM
John Smith	Asbury Park	Summer	Track and Field Long Jump	1952	Yes	Olympic silver medalist 1952
Dagmara Wozniak	Avenel	Summer	Fencing Sabre	2008 2012 2016	Yes	Olympic team bronze medalist 2008
Frank Molinaro	Barnegat	Summer	Wrestling	2016	Yes	Olympic bronze medalist 2016
Tobin Heath	Basking Ridge	Summer	Soccer	2008 2012 2016 2020	Yes	2 time Olympic gold medalist 2008 and 2012 bronze medalist 2020
Juliene Brazinski Simpson	Bernardsville New Jersey born in Elizabeth raised in Roselle Park New Jersey	Summer	Basketball	1976	Yes	1976 Olympic silver medalist captain of the USA 1976 Olympic Womens Basketball Team inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and the Womens Basketball Hall of Fame
Irv Hall	Camden	Summer	Rowing	1924	Yes	Olympic gold medalist 1924 Mens Eight
Steve Vai	Carle Place New York grew up in Morristown New Jersey	Summer	Archery	1976	No	Competed in the Olympics 1976
Gary Hall Jr	Cincinnati Ohio moved to New Jersey as a child	Summer	Swimming	1996 2000 2004	Yes	10 time Olympic medalist 5 gold 3 silver 2 bronze
Esther Kim	Cliffside Park	Summer	Fencing Epee	2020	No	Competed in the Olympics 2020
Jenny Thompson	Danvers Massachusetts attended college in Dover New Jersey	Summer	Swimming	1992 1996 2000 2004	Yes	12 Olympic medals 8 gold 3 silver 1 bronze
Briana Scurry	Dayton	Summer	Soccer	1996 2000 2004	Yes	2 time Olympic gold medalist 1996 and 2004
Edwin Moses	Dayton Ohio attended college in Plainfield New Jersey	Summer	Track and Field 400 m hurdles	1976 1984	Yes	2 time Olympic gold medalist
Carli Lloyd	Delran	Summer	Soccer	2008 2012 2016 2020	Yes	2 time Olympic gold medalist 2008 and 2012 bronze medalist 2020
Eddie Eagan	Englewood	Both	Boxing and Bobsleigh	1920 1932	Yes	Olympic gold medalist 1920 boxing and Olympic gold medalist 1932 bobsleigh
Jamie Van Horn	Denville	Summer	Swimming	1996	No	Competed in the Olympics 1996
Tom Wilkens	Dover	Summer	Swimming	2000	Yes	Olympic bronze medalist 2000
Joetta Clark Diggs	East Orange	Summer	Track and Field 800 m	1988 1992 1996 2000	No	Competed in 4 Olympic Games
Andrew Valmon	East Orange	Summer	Track and Field 400 m and 4x400 m relay	1988 1992 1996	Yes	2 time Olympic gold medalist 1992 relay and 1996 relay
Rebecca Soni	Freehold	Summer	Swimming	2008 2012	Yes	6 time Olympic medalist 3 gold 1 silver 2 bronze
Mark Eddiva	Freehold	Summer	Swimming	2008	No	Competed in the Olympics 2008
Josh Pauls	Green Brook	Winter	Ice Sledge Hockey Paralympic	2010 2014 2018	Yes	3 time Paralympic gold medalist
Erin Donohue	Haddonfield	Summer	Track and Field Middle distance	2008	No	Competed in the Olympics 2008
Dennis Mitchell	Haledon	Summer	Track and Field Sprint	1988 1992 1996	Yes	Olympic gold medalist 1992 4x100 m relay
Amanda Beard	Irvine California born Newport Beach raised in New Jersey	Summer	Swimming	1996 2000 2004 2008	Yes	7 time Olympic medalist 2 gold 4 silver 1 bronze
Cullen Jones	Irvington	Summer	Swimming	2008 2012 2016	Yes	4 time Olympic medalist 2 gold 2 silver
John Harkes	Kearny New Jersey	Summer	Soccer	1988 1992	No	Competed in the Olympics 1988 and 1992
Julie Culley	Lebanon Township	Summer	Track and Field Distance	2012	No	Competed in the Olympics 2012
Jadon Sancho	London England lived in Kenilworth New Jersey	Summer	Soccer	2020	Yes	Olympic bronze medalist 2020
Lisa Fernandez	Long Beach California born in Lakewood New Jersey	Summer	Softball	1996 2000 2004 2008	Yes	4 time Olympic gold medalist 1996 2000 2004 2008
Glen Davis	Long Branch	Summer	Track and Field 400 m and 4x400 m relay	1952 1956	Yes	2 time Olympic gold medalist
Peter Commette	Mantoloking	Summer	Sailing	1976	No	Member of the 1976 Olympic Sailing Team finished 11th overall would have competed in 1980 but the Olympic boycott prevented him
Ibtihaj Muhammad	Maplewood	Summer	Fencing Sabre	2016	Yes	Olympic bronze medalist 2016
Eddie Alvarez	Westwood	Both	Baseball and Speed Skating	2014 2018	Yes	Olympic silver medalist 2014 short track speed skating
Leah Nugent	Montclair	Summer	Track and Field Hurdles	2016	No	Competed in the Olympics 2016
Ajee Wilson	Neptune	Summer	Track and Field 800 m	2016 2020	No	Competed in multiple Olympic Games
Peter Westbrook	Newark	Summer	Fencing Sabre	1976 1980 1984 1988 1992	Yes	Olympic bronze medalist 1984
Lloyd Valberg	Newark	Winter	Figure Skating	1936	Yes	Olympic bronze medalist 1936
Milt Campbell	Plainfield	Summer	Track and Field Decathlon	1952 1956	Yes	Olympic gold medalist 1956
Craig Masback	Plainfield	Summer	Track and Field Middle distance	1984	No	Competed in the Olympics 1984
Marilyn King	Plainfield	Summer	Track and Field Pentathlon	1972	No	Competed in the Olympics 1972
Gail Marquis	Montclair	Summer	Basketball	1976	Yes	Olympic silver medalist 1976
Erin Hamlin	Remsen New York born in Springfield New Jersey	Winter	Luge	2006 2010 2014 2018	Yes	Olympic bronze medalist 2014
Ryan Callahan	Rochester New York raised in Cape May New Jersey	Winter	Ice Hockey	2010 2014	Yes	Olympic silver medalist 2010
Lauryn Williams	Rochester Pennsylvania grew up in New Jersey	Both	Track and Field Sprint and Bobsleigh	2004 2012 2014	Yes	Olympic gold medalist 2012 track silver medalist 2004 track and 2012
Mia Hamm	Selma Alabama moved to Basking Ridge New Jersey	Summer	Soccer	1996 2000 2004	Yes	2 time Olympic gold medalist 1996 and 2004 silver medalist 2000
Jordan Burroughs	Sicklerville	Summer	Wrestling	2012 2016	Yes	Olympic gold medalist 2012
Renee Montgomery	St Albans West Virginia attended high school in New Jersey	Summer	Basketball Coaching Staff	2020	Yes	Olympic gold medalist 2020 as assistant coach
Todd Frazier	Toms River	Summer	Baseball	2020	No	Competed in the Olympics 2020
Lloyd Mangrum	Trenton	Summer	Golf	1952	Yes	Olympic bronze medalist 1952
Ronald Freeman	Tuckerton	Summer	Track and Field Sprints	1964 1968	No	Competed in the Olympics 1964 and 1968
Chris Campbell	Westfield	Summer	Wrestling	1976 1980 1992	Yes	Olympic bronze medalist 1992
Carl Lewis	Willingboro	Summer	Track and Field Sprints and Long Jump	1984 1988 1992 1996	Yes	9 time Olympic gold medalist 1 silver 2 bronze
Sarah Scherer	Woburn Massachusetts attended college in New Jersey	Summer	Shooting	2012	No	Competed in the Olympics 2012

Our Readers’ Top 10 MLH Posts this Week