Eight Buffs bound for Winter Olympics

Colorado skier Ryder Sarchett is one of eight Buffaloes set to qualify for February's Winter Olympics in Italy. (Photo by Talus Schreiber/Sko Buffs Sports)

Two, four, six, EIGHT past and present Colorado Buffaloes are competing in this year's Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics. Whether it’s the six current students or the two graduates, the Buffs are ready to bring their all.

Skiing is a popular trend among most of these CU Olympians, with six of the eight athletes competing in some form of the sport. 

Ryder Sarchett: Alpine Skiing, Team USA

Sarchett, a sophomore and a skier in the U.S. Alpine Ski Team, earned his qualification at the beginning of the new year. He has already made a strong impact in his collegiate career. During his freshman year, he earned Second-team All-American honors in slalom and competed in the Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Ski Association.

“I love CU. It’s the best place,” Sarchett told Sko Buffs Sports. “It helps me because I can go back to Boulder and have nothing to do with skiing.”

Jakob Moch: Cross-Country Skiing, Germany

Moch, a 19-year-old freshman from Germany, is the 45th Olympian in Colorado ski team history.  This isn’t his first time on an Olympic team, however. He competed in the 2024 Youth Olympic Games in Korea, winning the 7.5 km classic race, placing second in the freestyle sprint and contributing to Germany's victory in the 4x5 km relay.

Svea Irving: Freestyle Skiing, Team USA

A CU alumna, Irving has had great success in her career so far. She is a bronze medal-holder from the 2023 Winter X Games and has made the podium in three World Cup competitions. Not only will Irving be representing her country, but she’ll be doing it with her brother by her side. Twenty-six-year-old Birk Irving is also a freestyle skier and will be representing Team USA for his second time, his first being in the 2022 Winter Olympics. 

Cass Gray: Alpine Skiing, Canada

As another alum, Gray will be making her second appearance in the Winter Olympics, representing Canada. She competed in the 2022 Winter Olympics as the youngest member on her team. She skied for CU in 2021 and took home the NCAA National Championship in the giant slalom. 

Hugo Hinckfuss: Cross-Country Skiing, Australia

Hinckfus will be representing Australia. The senior has quite a resume from his time at CU so far. He’s been on the National Collegiate All-Academic Ski Team (2023), an NCAA Championships Qualifier (2023, '24, '25) and a finalist for CU Freshman of the Year (2023 CUSPYs), just to name a few. 

Alvar Alev: Cross-Country Skiing, Estonia

Alev is another skier making his return to the Winter Olympics after debuting in the 2022 Winter Olympics. The 32-year-old alum has competed internationally since 2012.

Stacy Gaskill: Snowboarding, Team USA

A Colorado-grown snowboarder, Gaskill makes her return to the Winter Olympics after recovering from a torn ACL. She is a current Buff studying Ecology and Evolutionary Biology while excelling in another sport… ultimate frisbee. Gaskill is a three-time world ultimate frisbee champion and a member of the CU Boulder Women's Ultimate A team. 

Joanne Reid: Biathlon, Team USA

Reid is headed to her third Winter Olympics to represent Team USA. This impressive CU alum competed in both the 2018 and 2022 Olympics. She has an incredibly long and impressive resume, but some may say it's in her blood. Reid is the daughter of 1980 Olympic speedskating bronze medalist Beth Reid and niece of Eriv Heiden, a five-time Olympic gold medalist in speedskating.

CU is no stranger to producing Olympians, but this year, fans will have many to root for. For CU students, there is a chance in just over two weeks that they could be sitting next to an Olympic medalist in class.