FIELD SET FOR 2024 MIXED DOUBLES NATIONALS
Photo by: Bob Weder
[EAGAN, MN, January 11, 2024] — The field is now complete for the 2024 USA Curling Mixed Doubles Nationals, scheduled for February 27th through March 3rd at the new Traverse City Curling Club in Traverse City, Michigan.
There were multiple ways teams could qualify for the 2024 Nationals. The 2023 champions and the 2023 silver medalists both earned berths. Six spots were awarded to teams based on their finishes at three qualifying events—the Colorado Cup at Rock Creek Curling, the Southern Mixed Doubles at the Charlotte Curling Association, and the MadTown DoubleDown at the Madison Curling Club. Four teams received berths through their ranking on the World Curling Federation (WCF) Mixed Doubles Rankings, while four more qualified through the WCF World Team Rankings for four-person play.
Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin, the 2023 champions, headline the field. After capturing last year’s national title, they went on to win historic gold at the 2023 World Mixed Doubles Championship. The team will also enter the 2024 Nationals full of confidence—they captured the prestigious Rocky Mountain Mixed Doubles Classic in Banff, Alberta, this past weekend.
Sarah Anderson and Andrew Stopera, silver medalists last season, will also be back, hoping to improve on their 2023 finish. Stopera and Dropkin, teammates in Men’s four-person play, will be rivals on the ice in Traverse City.
The road to the title won’t be easy for any team, as there is no shortage of talent in this field. Olympians Becca and Matt Hamilton, Team USA in Mixed Doubles at the 2018 Games and the 2022 National Champions, will seek to return to the top of the podium. John Shuster, the curler who has won more national championships than anyone in the United States and brought home gold playing with Hamilton at the 2018 Olympics, will be joined by Olympian Aileen Geving for this event, while the team of Taylor Anderson and Ben Richardson, semi-finalists last year, will be back in 2024.
The 16-team field will be divided into two pools of eight, with the top three in each pool advancing to the single-elimination playoff round. The top finisher in each pool will advance directly to the semi-finals. Berths in the 2025 Mixed Doubles Olympic Team Trials will be awarded to the top three finishers at this event.
Mixed Doubles first appeared as an Olympic discipline in 2018, and has seen its popularity grow around the world in recent years. This two-person version of curling moves quickly, and rewards players who are accomplished in all aspects of the game.
“We’re thrilled to bring this national championship to the beautiful new facility,” added USA Curling CEO Dean Gemmell. “The local organizers have been outstanding partners, and we know the Traverse City community will enjoy a first-class event featuring some of the very best curlers in the country.”
Single Game tickets, Full Event, and Weekend Passes are now available. An event schedule can be found here.
Qualified Teams
Cory Thiesse / Korey Dropkin
Sarah Anderson / Andrew Stopera
Clare Moores / Lance Wheeler
Kim Rhyme / Jason Smith
Becca Hamilton / Matt Hamilton
Taylor Anderson / Ben Richardson
Vicky Persinger / Danny Casper
Aileen Geving / John Shuster
Madison Bear / Aiden Oldenburg
BriAnna Weldon / Sean Franey
Cora Farrell / Coleman Thurston
Rebecca Wood / Tony Kot
Kristin Nickel / Gabriel Nickel
Ann Podoll / Nathan Parry
Emily Schweitzer / Blake Hagberg
Regan Birr / Todd Birr
Photo by: Bob Weder
About USA Curling
Founded in 1958 and headquartered in Eagan, Minnesota, USA Curling is the National Governing body for the Olympic sport of curling and the Paralympic sport of wheelchair curling in the United States. The mission of USA Curling is to grow, strengthen, and advocate for the Olympic and Paralympic sport of curling in the United States by prioritizing accessibility and programmatic development from grassroots to podium. USA Curling is sponsored by Columbia Sportswear, Twin Cities Orthopedics, Training HAUS, Toyota, Thorne, ISS (Ice, Sports & Solar), Rock Solid Productions, Jet Ice, and Laurie Artiss. USA Curling is a proud member of the World Curling Federation and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. To learn more, visit usacurling.org.
