USA Announces Cross-Country Ski Team – Could This Be Jessie Diggins’ Final Season?

U.S. Ski & Snowboard officially announced its 21-athlete cross-country ski team for the 2025–26 season.

Etusuora: 16.10.2025 12:12Cross-country skiing

Photo: Teemu Moisio / PTB Creative (Ruka Nordic)

Jessie Diggins.

Leading the A Team in the 2025–26 Cross-country skiing World Cup is Jessie Diggins, three-time Olympic medalist and seven-time World Championship medalist.

Attention is particularly focused on the U.S. superstar, with speculation that this could be her final competitive season. The year is especially significant, as the season will culminate not only with the Winter Olympics but also at the Stifel Lake Placid World Cup, where Diggins is reportedly planning to finish her career.

No official statement has yet come from Diggins regarding her retirement. The rumors reported by several media outlets originated from comments by FIS official Simon Caprini in the Nouvelle Trace podcast.

Joining Diggins under the U.S. flag next season are Julia Kern, along with Rosie Brennan, Gus Schumacher, Ben Ogden, JC Schoonmaker, and Sophia Laukli.

“The Stifel U.S. Cross Country Ski Team is very excited to be entering a season with not only the Winter Olympic Games in February but the Stifel Lake Placid Finals in Lake Placid, New York in March.”

“The Stifel U.S. Cross Country Ski Team is very excited to be entering a season with not only the Winter Olympic Games in February but the Stifel Lake Placid Finals in Lake Placid, New York in March,” said Chris Grover, Program Director of the Stifel U.S. Cross Country Ski Team.

“It’s been a very productive preparation season for the team, with excellent conditions for training and increased on-snow training opportunities with the return of the Eagle Glacier facility in Alaska. This team has so many athletes who are poised for personal bests and career-defining results. As a staff, we’ve been working on several new projects to ensure that these incredible athletes have every tool they need to succeed.”

The U.S. team is extremely strong and competitive across relay, team sprint, and individual events. While the U.S. struggled with waxing at the 2025 Trondheim World Championships, they still earned two medals — and their performance at the Milan-Cortina Olympics could be even more impressive.