Women’s figure skating has long defined American Olympic success, but the United States has not won a women’s singles medal since 2006. That drought dates back to Sasha Cohen’s silver medal in Turin, following Sarah Hughes’ gold and Michelle Kwan’s bronze in 2002.
As the 2026 Winter Olympics approach in Milan Cortina, Team USA arrives with renewed expectations behind Amber Glenn, Alysa Liu, and Isabeau Levito.
NBC commentator and Olympic gold medalist Tara Lipinski recently said to Yahoo Sports, “I don’t think I have seen a team this good in decades.” She added, “We have a team that is really looking strong for the podium,” and even suggested, “There’s a part of me that could see a possible U.S. sweep happening.”
The trio, nicknamed the “Blade Angels,” all rank inside the top five of the International Skating Union world rankings. They each medaled at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in St. Louis and represent different regions of the country. Fellow commentator Johnny Weir said, “It’s very special that there’s a woman from figure skating representing each section of the country.”
Amber Glenn: Defending Champion With Technical Power
Glenn enters Milan as a three-time defending U.S. national champion. She learned to skate at a suburban Dallas mall, and her family worked extra shifts and purchased secondhand skates to support her career.
Glenn missed the 2022 Olympics after testing positive for COVID before the U.S. championships. Since then, she has captured three consecutive national titles and built one of the strongest technical resumes in the world.
“She’s landing consistent triple axels. She’s leading the world in many ways in terms of that technical side of our sport and the artistic side,” Weir said. Lipinski added, “She is so special and important for our sport, the way that she’s so open and vulnerable about her mental-health issues and struggles.”
Glenn said, “As long as we do our programs to the best of our abilities, we cannot control the outcome. But I think the US ladies have come so, so far in the last two decades.”
Alysa Liu: Olympic Return After Stepping Away From Women’s Figure Skating
Liu brings a different path to Milan. She became the youngest U.S. champion in history in 2019 at age 13 and competed at the 2022 Beijing Olympics. After stepping away from the sport in 2023, Liu returned in 2024 and quickly reestablished herself at the top level, winning a world championship and earning her second Olympic berth.
Lipinski said, “She’s so relatable and so authentic in the way that she performs and competes.” Weir added, “She doesn’t feel like her life is on the line anymore when she skates.”
Liu said of her Olympic return, “I’m so excited. ’Cause, you know, last Olympics was COVID Olympics and really different. I had a lot of fun at that one, but everyone’s saying, ‘Listen, that one’s nothing compared to what a real Olympics is like.’”
Isabeau Levito: Precision and Elegance on the Ice
Levito began skating after watching the 2010 Vancouver Olympics at age 3. She developed into a junior champion and claimed a U.S. title by 2023.
Lipinski described her style by saying, “She is that quintessential ballerina that was put on ice.” Weir emphasized her precision, noting, “She is one of those skaters that can tell you, and count on one hand, how many times she’s fallen that week.”
Levito will skate in Milan to music honoring Italian film legend Sophia Loren, reflecting her own heritage. After earning bronze at the U.S. championships, she said, “Honestly, I am just so excited and stoked about the [Olympic] village. I just know it’ll be the time of my life.”
The women’s figure skating event at the 2026 Winter Olympics takes place on February 17 at 12:30 p.m. ET at the Milano Ice Skating Arena.
The 2026 Winter Olympics women’s figure skating long program (free skate) is scheduled for Thursday, February 19, 2026, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. ET.
Fans can watch live coverage on NBC and USA, with streaming available on Peacock, DirecTV, and other platforms.
Meet Team USA’s Women’s Figure Skaters: Amber Glenn, Alysa Liu, and Isabeau Levito Aim to End 20-Year Olympic Medal Drought