Milano Cortina 2026: Get to Know Team USA

The Para ice hockey competition at the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games promises to deliver fast-paced action, emotional storylines, and world-class competition as the world’s best teams gather from 7 to 15 March. With the medals to be decided on the final day of the Games, the tournament is set to be one of the marquee events of the Paralympic programme.

All games will be played at the newly built Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, a state-of-the-art venue designed to showcase the speed and physicality of the sport. The compact schedule and single-venue format will create an intense atmosphere, with multiple high-stakes matchups unfolding across nine days of competition.

The eight qualified teams will be divided into two preliminary-round groups of four. Each team will play three round-robin games within its group, with the top two advancing to the semifinals. The remaining teams will move into classification games to determine fifth through eighth place. With little margin for error in a short tournament, every shift — and every point — will matter.

Here’s a look at No. 1-seeded USA.

Background

The United States enter the 2026 Games seeking an unprecedented fifth consecutive Paralympic gold medal in Para ice hockey. As the sport’s modern dynasty, Team USA has set the standard for excellence, combining elite scoring talent, structured defensive play and world-class goaltending depth. In total, Team USA owns a record six world and five Paralympic titles, and have not missed a World Championships podium in 26 years. The last time USA failed to win Paralympic gold was actually in Italy — 20 years ago in Torino.

Their roster for these Games is headlined by five-time Paralympian Josh Pauls, whose leadership and championship experience anchor the squad, alongside four-time Paralympians Declan Farmer, Jen Lee and Brody Roybal, all of whom bring additional veteran poise and offensive firepower. Kayden Beasley and Liam Cunningham, meanwhile, will make their Paralympic debuts at Milano Cortina.

🗣️ “Every Paralympian has overcome a lot in their life and what is really cool about the #Paralympics is it is a collection of people from all kinds of different backgrounds," says Declan Farmer is one of the biggest names in #ParaIceHockey. https://t.co/oD0qUjT5Z2

— Paralympic Games (@Paralympics) February 26, 2026

Roster Breakdown

Forwards: Kayden Beasley, Brett Bolton, Travis Dodson, David Eustace, Declan Farmer, Malik Jones, Kevin McKee, Joshua Misiewicz, Evan Nichols, Brody Roybal

Defenders: Liam Cunningham, Noah Grove, Josh Pauls, Landon Uthke, Jack Wallace

Goaltenders: Griffin Lamarre, Jen Lee

Paralympic Winter Games History 

2022: Gold
2018: Gold
2014: Gold
2010: Gold
2006: Bronze
2002: Gold
1998: 6th place

Athlete to Watch

Josh Pauls has been a cornerstone of Team USA for more than a decade, and his grandfather was born just outside of Naples, Italy. He is the longest-tenured member of the U.S. roster in his 17th season, bringing championship pedigree, composure, and an unmatched competitive edge every time he takes the ice. At the Beijing 2022 Gams, he became the the all-time U.S. leader in career Paralympic appearances with 19 games played on the Paralympic stage, and will extend that record in Italy.

Matchup to Watch

USA vs. Italy Saturday, 7 March: The five-time defending Paralympic champions will open their Milan-Cortina campaign against the host nation and eager to improve their bronze-medal finish from two decades ago in Italy. Both teams will likely need 15 minutes to get out opening match jitters before settling in and putting on a show for what is expected to be an enthusiastic crowd.