2026 U.S. Nationals Gala Making The Team

[dorispulaski]

2026 U.S. NATIONALS
.
2026 U.S. NATIONALS
Enterprise Center
1401 Clark Ave
St. Louis, MO USA 63103
.
MAP
.
Gala / Exhibition
Xfinity Making the Team

Sunday, January 11, 2026
13:00 - 15:00 CST (UTC -6)
.
Time in Other Places
.
.
Event Info ​

• Event Page
•  Schedule, Including Practices
• Tickets
• Where Are You Watching? (NBC)
• Detailed Results and Protocols

Description of this Event:​

"Sunday, Jan. 11

Session 9– 1:00 P.M. [CST]– Making the Team presented by Xfinity
Witness the live reveal of the figure skaters selected to represent Team USA at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan. Enjoy inspiring, non-competitive programs that highlight each skater’s artistry, athleticism, and personality. This family-friendly event offers a unique chance to see all the 2026 U.S. champions on the ice as America’s first Olympic city gives the country’s top skaters a grand send-off to the Milan Games!

*Included in Weekend Ticket Package

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

OMG! It's so important to commercialize everything related to the Olympics. So the gala post Nationals now becomes a team reveal event. Hopefully, the skaters will already have been informed in advance.

 

[moonvine]

2026 U.S. NATIONALS
.
Centene Community Ice Center
750 Casino Center Dr, Maryland Heights, MO 63043
USA
.
MAP
.
Gala / Exhibition
Xfinity Making the Team

Sunday, January 11, 2026
13:00 - 15:00 CST (UTC -6)
.
Time in Other Places
.
.
Event Info ​

• Event Page
•  Schedule, Including Practices
• Tickets
• Where Are You Watching? (NBC)
• Detailed Results and Protocols

Description of this Event:​

"Sunday, Jan. 11

Session 9– 1:00 P.M. [CST]– Making the Team presented by Xfinity
Witness the live reveal of the figure skaters selected to represent Team USA at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan. Enjoy inspiring, non-competitive programs that highlight each skater’s artistry, athleticism, and personality. This family-friendly event offers a unique chance to see all the 2026 U.S. champions on the ice as America’s first Olympic city gives the country’s top skaters a grand send-off to the Milan Games!

*Included in Weekend Ticket Package

It’s going to be at Centene? How do we know where to sit?

 

[dorispulaski]

Stub Hub now says Enterprise

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The seating info should be in the weekend pass section of your ticket package-I assume these are all digital these days?

 

[moonvine]

Stub Hub now says Enterprise

US Figure Skating Championships Tickets

US Figure Skating Championships tickets - Buy and sell US Figure Skating Championships tickets at StubHub

www.stubhub.com

The seating info should be in the weekend pass section of your ticket package-I assume these are all digital these days?

It is there, I was just freaking that it (said) Centene.

 

[figureskatingandrainbows]

This event will be where the US Olympic Team is announced, but it will be on a skater-by-skater basis over the course of two hours. Expect gala programs and a lot of fluff pieces as each skater/team is introduced, and I believe they will announce each skater/team individually, as opposed to the entire pairs or women's team. We will not find out the Olympic Team beforehand; the selection committee allegedly signed NDAs and while they will inform individual athletes, the athletes won't disclose their Olympic status until after the Making the Team event is finished. Afterwards, the official press release with the Olympic team will be sent out (around 4pm EST), as well as the Worlds and 4CC team announcements.

Regarding Alisa/Misha, I believe that they are ineligible to make the team because USOPC rules require an athlete to have a US passport at the time of Olympic selection. Despite the SCOB and the team's best efforts, it appears that they were unable to get citizenship in time and so even if Alisa gets citizenship here in the next few months, she will not be eligible for the Olympics per USOPC and IOC rules.

The Olympic selection criteria essentially takes the top skaters at Nationals and over the course of the past season through a variety of mathematical criteria, who are then grouped into a pool. From there, the deliberation team will select the team based on consistency, results, and momentum over the past 12 months. This is the "body of work" argument, but I find it very important to note that only the past 12 months are counted in the body of work.

 

[slider11]

Hoping that alternates will get the 4C assignments. It makes no sense to me for US athletes headed to the Olympics to make the trek to China in 2 weeks.

 

[Kevin Uxbridge]

Hoping that alternates will get the 4C assignments. It makes no sense to me for US athletes headed to the Olympics to make the trek to China in 2 weeks.

I wonder how they'll juggle 4CC and WOG alternates? If they send a WOG alternate to 4CC, then they get called up to WOG, then they will not have gotten much rest at all. They be exhausted from back to back NATS and 4CC. So, basically if nobody gets sick or injured, then the WOG alternate will not get to do anything (if held back from 4cc). The only way around that I can think of is to assign Jacob Sanchez as WOG Alternate (robbing him of 4CC) but giving him WJC.

 

[YuBluByMe]

The Olympic selection criteria essentially takes the top skaters at Nationals and over the course of the past season through a variety of mathematical criteria, who are then grouped into a pool. From there, the deliberation team will select the team based on consistency, results, and momentum over the past 12 months. This is the "body of work" argument, but I find it very important to note that only the past 12 months are counted in the body of work.

Good to know. I wasn’t sure how far back the selection committee would go. Last 12 months equals Nationals 2025 to present.

BREAK

This is all from memory from what I watched this season and last:

Andrew: now two-time US Nationals silver medalist. Bottom five at last year’s Worlds. Won a silver at a challenger earlier this season and placed in top half in one GP and bottom half in another.

Naumov: 4th last year and bronze medal this year. Bottom half in both GPs.

Sanchez: Top 10 at last year’s Nationals, top 5 at Junior Worlds, Top 5 at Golden Spin with a low score, bottom half in his sole GP.

Hiwatashi: 6th at Nationals last year, 5th this year. Terrible at 4CC last year. Top 5 in one GP with a PB, bottom half in the other.

Brown: Withdrew from last year’s Nationals, top 10 at Worlds, top 5 in both GPs, top 10 at Nationals with a disastrous free skate

I didn’t watch any of the smaller competitions this year so I know I’m missing details. I know who I want on the team: Ilia, Andrew, and Naumov. That’s literally my dream team comprising my three favorite American men, with Andrew being my favorite. But….

…it’s looking like Naumov could be on the chopping block when I look at what’s on paper. Hiwatashi may be selected over him and there’s no justification for Naumov to be selected over Andrew.

I think Sanchez will be named to 4CC and will be an alternate for both Olympics and Worlds and that Worlds and Olympic teams will be split in some way. Hoping for an Ilia, Andrew, and Naumov Olympic team, though.

 

[Kevin Uxbridge]

For those who'd like a visual comparison...




Everyone had serious dip in the mid to late season, but Torgashev's was the deepest and most worrying one. But to balance that out, his redemption skate after that dip was equally more impressive than the others' recovery skate.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

This event will be where the US Olympic Team is announced, but it will be on a skater-by-skater basis over the course of two hours. Expect gala programs and a lot of fluff pieces as each skater/team is introduced, and I believe they will announce each skater/team individually, as opposed to the entire pairs or women's team. We will not find out the Olympic Team beforehand; the selection committee allegedly signed NDAs and while they will inform individual athletes, the athletes won't disclose their Olympic status until after the Making the Team event is finished. Afterwards, the official press release with the Olympic team will be sent out (around 4pm EST), as well as the Worlds and 4CC team announcements.

Regarding Alisa/Misha, I believe that they are ineligible to make the team because USOPC rules require an athlete to have a US passport at the time of Olympic selection. Despite the SCOB and the team's best efforts, it appears that they were unable to get citizenship in time and so even if Alisa gets citizenship here in the next few months, she will not be eligible for the Olympics per USOPC and IOC rules.

The Olympic selection criteria essentially takes the top skaters at Nationals and over the course of the past season through a variety of mathematical criteria, who are then grouped into a pool. From there, the deliberation team will select the team based on consistency, results, and momentum over the past 12 months. This is the "body of work" argument, but I find it very important to note that only the past 12 months are counted in the body of work.

Good grief. They can't just make a complete announcement and then have the gala. They gotta stretch things out with over-hype, inane interview questions, and disruptive ads, as usual.

 

[museksk8r]

OMG! It's so important to commercialize everything related to the Olympics. So the gala post Nationals now becomes a team reveal event. Hopefully, the skaters will already have been informed in advance.

Oh, I would really hope this is not a 2004 Olympics gymnastics team situation where their initial reactions are televised.

 

[Sabsi]

Anybody with a qq link?

 

[cheerknithanson]

Torgashev confirmed

 

[Arigato]

Go Andrew!

 

[museksk8r]

Well, they reveal perhaps one of the biggest question marks off the top: Andrew Torgashev is on the Olympic team.

 

[moonvine]

I told yall! Torgashev!!

 

[museksk8r]

I have to wonder if he will be selected for Worlds though; will the USFSA risk him bombing for a 3rd time when next year’s quotas are in jeopardy?

 

[Arigato]

That's his Mom!

 

[Sabsi]

Anybody with a qq link?

Just found one

https://m.live.qq.com/10154004