HEBERT AND PEKOWITZ CLAIM U20 NATIONAL TITLES
Photo by: Layn Muddder
[EDEN PRAIRIE, MN, April 6, 2026] — When the 2026 USA Curling Junior Men’s & Junior Women’s National Championships concluded on April 4th in Bismarck, ND, it was Team Hebert (Caden Hebert, Jackson Bestland, Benji Paral, Jack Wendtland, Coach Mike Peplinski) and Team Pekowitz (Julia Pekowitz, Kalina Petrova, Lila Farwell, Alexa Pekowitz, Coach Evan Workin) winning their divisions and earning the right to represent the United States at the 2027 World Junior Curling Championships.
For Hebert and his teammates, the defending national champions coming into the event, the win in Bismarck capped an extraordinary season. In September, the young group from Eau Claire earned the final berth in the November U.S. Olympic Team Trials, and they captured the World Junior Men’s Championship in early March in Tarnby, Denmark. Paral, who plays second on the team, also won the 2026 Junior Mixed Doubles National Championship with Ella Wendling.
Team Hebert was, however, thoroughly tested. They finished at the top of the standings after round-robin play, and defeated Team Grabow (Connor Grabow, Stuart Strack, Miles Grabow, Wesley Henry, Coach Dave Jensen) in the Page 1 vs. 2 Game to advance to the final. But in the championship game, they faced Team Grabow again, and needed all of their skill and experience to win gold. After blanking ends five, six and seven, Hebert was able to use last-rock advantage to score a deuce in the eighth to win the game by a score of 5-2.
The men’s bronze medal went to Team McMullin (Carson McMullin, Daniel Laufer, Will Podhradsky, Ethan Macomber, Coach Jenna Burchesky). The only squad to beat Team Hebert during round-robin play, McMullin earned a berth in the 3 vs 4 Page Playoff game, defeating Team Church (Ryan Church, D.J. Neill, Lucas Berube, Ryan Trout, Coach Dayton Neill) by a score of 7-5 to advance to the semi-final against Grabow. In that game, McMullin jumped out to an early lead, but consecutive steals of two in the fourth and fifth ends propelled Team Grabow to an 8-6 victory.
On the women’s side, Pekowitz navigated the round-robin with two losses, and earned the #1 ranking entering the playoffs. In the 1 vs. 2 Page Playoff game, they faced Team Stopera (Megan Stopera, Addison Neill, Ella Wendling, Savannah Koch, Coach Mike Moore). Trailing by one heading into the eighth end, skip Pekowitz used last-rock advantage to secure two and earn the berth in the championship game.
With the loss in the 1 vs. 2 Game, Stopera dropped into the semi-final to play Team Berg (Nia Berg, Ella Willford, Solveig Berg, Carol Chance, Coach Jeremy Berg). The Berg rink advance to the semi-final after defeating Team Treyor (Karina Treynor, Alice Mihm, Kate Stevenson, Aanya Goenka, Violet Bartels, Coach Sarah Walsh) in the 3 vs. 4 Game. In the semi-final, Berg and her teammates used last rock advantage to score two in the final end, securing the victory and a place in the championship game against Pekowitz.
In the final, Pekowitz took control of the game early and held a 4-1 lead at the midway point, and then navigated the scoreboard en route to a 5-3 victory, running Team Berg out of rocks in the last end. For Pekowitz and her teammates, this is their first junior nationals title.
“Not only was the play on the ice impressive, but the venue was outstanding,” said USA Curling CEO Dean Gemmell. “Many thanks to Ryan and Jillian Lagasse, who spearheaded the effort to put this event in the Wachter Arena with the support of countless volunteers from the Capital Curling Club. All the teams in the event enjoyed first-class treatment, and we know the experience will help our winners at next season’s World Junior Curling Championships.”
Every game was covered by Stadium Sports Network and remain available on the USA Curling YouTube channel. Full results—including final standings and Draw Shot Challenge scores—can be found in the Event Hub on the Junior Nationals page.
MEN’S TEAMS
Team Hebert-Defending Champion (Caden Hebert, Jackson Bestland, Benji Paral, Jack Wendtland)
Team Lannoye-2025 Runner-Up (Matthew Lannoye, Sawyer Koch, Ryan McCallum, Joey Dobbs, Owen Nelson)
Team McMullin-Eau Claire Qualifier (Carson McMullin, Daniel Laufer, Will Podhrasky, Ethan Macomber)
Team Church-Broomstones Qualifier (Ryan Church, DJ Neill, Lucas Berube, Ryan Trout)
Team Rose-Fargo Qualifier (Caiden Rose, Mason Guentzel, Adam Hein, Tate Reeder-Holman, Brock Sando)
Team Grabow-Four Seasons Qualifier(Connor Grabow, Stuart Strack, Miles Grabow, Wesley Henry)
Team Meyer-Four Seasons Qualifier (Charlie Meyer, Zach Thompson, Tanner Holmes, Luke Leonhardt, Gavin Agre)
Team Kadlec-Points Leader (Austin Kadlec, Kyle Warring, Zac Hess, Davin Britton, Ryan Best)
WOMEN’S TEAMS
Team Johnson-Defending Champion(Allory Johnson, Gianna Johnson, Morgan Zacher, Bailey Vaydich)
Team Stopera-2025 Runner-Up(Megan Stopera, Addison Neill, Ella Wendling, Savannah Koch)
Team Berg-Eau Claire Qualifier (Nia Berg, Ella Willford, Solveig Berg, Carol Chance)
Team Pekowitz-Broomstones Qualifier (Julia Pekowitz, Kalina Petrova, Lila Farwell, Alexa Pekowitz)
Team Hagenbuch-Fargo Qualifier (Bella Hagenbuch, Heidi Holt, Rilee Kraft, Mae Hagenbuch)
Team Biesecker-Four Seasons Qualifier (Zoe Biesecker, Clare Schapman, Frances Schapman, Madeline Muscatell)
Team Miller-Four Seasons Qualifier (Greta Miller, Lindsay Hofmeister, Audrey Campbell, Lois Buckingham)
Team Treynor-Points Leader ( Karina Treynor, Alice Mihm, Violet Bartels, Aanya Goenka)
About USA Curling
Founded in 1958 and headquartered in Eden Prairie, 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, the Dale’s family of beers, Twin Cities Orthopedics, Training HAUS, Ice, Sports & Solar (ISS), Rock Solid Productions, Jet Ice, and Laurie Artiss. USA Curling is a proud member of World Curling and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. To learn more, visit usacurling.org.
