Olympic gold medallist John Shuster will have a revamped roster when he returns to the ice.
USA Curling announced on Wednesday its national program teams for next season.
Shuster, who captured gold at Pyeongchang 2018, has linked up with third Andrew Stopera, second Mark Fenner and lead Lance Wheeler.
Changes were expected for Team Shuster as third Chris Plys and second Colin Hufman had already decided to step back from competitive curling. Former Team Shuster lead Matt Hamilton will remain in the national program, playing mixed doubles with his sister Becca.
Stopera skipped during the second half of last season after Korey Dropkin opted to focus on mixed doubles with Cory Thiesse ahead of the Olympic Winter Games in Milano Cortina.
Dropkin and Thiesse earned silver in Milano Cortina and will continue in the mixed doubles program next season.
Danny Casper, who skipped the U.S. men’s team at Milano Cortina, will keep his lineup intact with third Luc Violette, second Ben Richardson and lead Aidan Oldenburg.
Sweeping changes have come on the women's side. None of the members of Tabitha Peterson's team that represented the U.S. in Milano Cortina will return to the program in four-player curling. Reigning national women’s champion Delaney Strouse also announced last week she was taking a break from the sport.
Former Team Strouse third Anne O’Hara will move up to skip and continue to play alongside second Sydney Mullaney. Anya Normandeau and Ella Fleming have joined at third and lead, respectively.
Elizabeth Cousins retains her lineup with third Annmarie Dubberstein, second Allison Howell and lead Liz Janiak. Cousins finished runner-up to Peterson at the Olympic trials and to Strouse at nationals last season.
The news comes a month after USA Curling named Brad Gushue as high performance director.
"We are confident in the talent and potential of these teams, and look forward to a successful season," Gushue said in a release. "With the 2026 Games behind us, the first year of this quad also presents a critical opportunity to try new approaches and generate fresh momentum. We are investing in the women’s talent pipeline, introducing a new national coaching structure, and establishing elite-level protocols."
Below are the teams that will be part of the national program next season.
Men's Division
Team Casper: Danny Casper, Luc Violette, Ben Richardson, Aidan Oldenburg
Team Shuster: John Shuster, Andrew Stopera, Mark Fenner, Lance Wheeler
Team Tuma: Kevin Tuma, Sam Strouse, Coleman Thurston, Connor Kauffman
Women's Division
Team Cousins: Elizabeth Cousins, Annmarie Dubberstein, Allison Howell, Liz Janiak
Team Hagenbuch: Bella Hagenbuch, Addison Neill, Megan Stopera, Morgan Zacher
Team Johnson: Allory Johnson, Gianna Johnson, Ella Wendling, Bailey Vaydich
Team McMakin: Christine McMakin, Sara Olson, Tessa Thurlow, Abby Lin
Team O’Hara: Anne O'Hara, Anya Normandeau, Sydney Mullaney, Ella Fleming
Mixed Doubles
Team Bear/Oldenburg: Madison Bear, Aidan Oldenburg
Team Hamilton/Hamilton: Becca Hamilton, Matt Hamilton
Team Thiesse/Dropkin: Cory Thiesse, Korey Dropkin
Junior Men's Division
Team Hebert: Caden Hebert, Jackson Bestland, Benji Paral, Jack Wendtland, Daniel Laufer
Junior Women's Division
Team Pekowitz: Julia Pekowitz, Kalina Petrova, Lila Farwell, Alexa Pekowitz, Addison Neill
