On Monday, June 5, U.S. Ski and Snowboard formally announced its roster of 40 athletes who have been nominated to represent the Stifel U.S. freeski team in both halfpipe and slopestyle for the upcoming 2023-24 competition season. 

The roster of athletes is composed of several talented athletes, many of whom call Colorado home and have represented the United States on a global stage.

Among the list of returners to the team, former Team Summit athlete Jay Riccomini has been nominated again for the U.S. women’s big air and slopestyle rookie team after being a member of the team since the 2021-22 season.

After tearing his ACL the season prior, Riccomini — who identifies as male but is required to compete in women’s competitions — had an incredible 2022-23 competition season. Riccomini placed first overall in his first competition back at Copper Mountain Resort and continued to flourish throughout the rest of the season, which led to him being crowned the Nor-Am Cup circuit champion at the conclusion of the season.

Riccomini will be joined by Kate Gray, Ellie DeRosier and Bella Bacon who are all primed to make their debut on the U.S. women’s rookie team.  

The nominations for the U.S. men’s and women’s slopestyle and big air pro team is full of seasoned talent including Grace Henderson, Mac Forehand, Alex Hall, Hunter Henderson and Colby Stevenson.

The men’s and women’s freeski halfpipe team is mostly composed of Colorado natives, many of whom have represented their country and state at the Olympic level.

Basalt’s Hanna Faulhaber and Winter Park’s Svea Irving are the only women nominated for the women’s freeski halfpipe team. Faulhaber, 18, made her Olympic debut at the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing. She placed sixth in the Olympic freeski halfpipe final and most recently won gold at the 2023 World Championships in Georgia. 

At only 21-years-old, Irving also has several accolades to her name. She placed third in the women’s halfpipe at the 2023 Winter X Games and has five top-10 world cup finishes to her name.

On the men’s side, pro team nominations have six Colorado locals including Crested Butte’s Aaron Blunck, Boulder’s Lyman Currier, Aspen’s Alex Ferreira, Winter Park’s Birk Irving, Aspen’s Cassidy Jarell, Lakewood’s Dylan Ladd and Aspen’s Tristan Feinburg. 

The freeski halfpipe rookie team nominations include Oak Creek’s Riley Jacobs on the women’s side as well as Carbondale’s Nick Geiser, Lakewood’s Connor Ladd, Aspen’s Eugene Morris and Avon’s Matt Labaugh on the men’s side.

The 2023-24 world cup calendar will feature 15 freeski world cup competitions, including five halfpipe, six slopestyle and four big air events. Three World Cups will be held in the United States with the Toyota U.S. Grand Prix and Visa Big Air competitions returning to Copper Mountain Resort this winter.