Best of luck to the Seawolves competing at the 2022 Olympics in Beijing

UAA will have several Seawolves at the Beijing Olympics in February. Representing the U.S. are current Seawolf skier JC Schoonmaker and former Seawolf skier Hailey Swirbul. The pair was named to the U.S. Nordic Ski Team on Jan. 18. Joining them on the team will be UAA civil engineering major and Alaska Winter Stars athlete Gus Schumacher. Close by will be Zuzana Rogers, B.S. ’99, a natural sciences alumna and board-certified sports physical therapist serving on the medical staff for the U.S. Nordic Ski Team. 

Physical education alumna and former Seawolf ski member Casey Wright, B.S. ’19, is representing Australia. Natural sciences alumnus and former Seawolf hockey player Mat Robinson, B.S. ’09, is playing for Canada.

"It's a crazy feeling being named to the team," said Schoonmaker. "It really feels like a dream come true, and I'm so pumped to get over there and race. At the same time, it's pretty stressful trying to dodge COVID. It'll be worth it though, and from here on out I'm just focusing on racing the best I can."

Schoonmaker is making his Olympic debut in Beijing. The native of Tahoe City, California, has made 17 appearances on the World Cup, with a career-best finish of seventh in the classic sprint in Ruka, Finland, in November 2021. He collected three podium finishes at the L.L. Bean U.S. Cross Country Skiing National Championships in January. Schoonmaker won gold in the freestyle sprint and a pair of bronze medals in the classic sprint and 15-kilometer classic race. He represented the U.S. at the FIS World Championships and the FIS World Junior Championships. Schoonmaker has twice represented UAA at the NCAA Championships earning All-American honors in the 10-kilometer freestyle in 2020. He is studying natural sciences with a concentration in pre-health professions.

"We are thrilled that JC made the Olympic team," said Associate Head Coach Trond Flagstad. "A lot of skiers have the Olympics as the ultimate goal and to make it as a 22-year-old is pretty amazing. He made it a goal this spring when he planned out his summer and fall training. Watching videos from last year's World Cup races to learn technique and tactics from the best helped, and learning from mistakes he has made and then to try to improve both tactically and physically."

Swirlbul competed for the Seawolves for two seasons (2016-18) earning two All-American honors, including a runner-up finish in the 15-kilometer freestyle in 2018. A native of El Jebel, Colorado, she has over 40 World Cup starts with a career-best finish of third in the 10-kilometer freestyle in Davos, Switzerland, in 2020. She is a three-time U.S. National Champion and was a CoSIDA Academic All-American. This is her Olympic debut.

This is Wright’s second Olympics. A Melbourne native, she finished 63rd in the classic sprint and 81st in the 10-kilometer freestyle at the Pyeongchang Olympics and has made 13 appearances at the World Cup. During her time at UAA, she earned All-American and Academic All-American honors and was named the Elite 90 winner.

 This is the second Olympics for Robinson, who earned bronze with Team Canada at the 2018 Pyeongchang games. A Calgary native, the defenseman was a four-year letterwinner at UAA recording 44 points (9 goals, 35 assists) in 143 games. He served as team captain and was a member of the WCHA All-Academic Team. He has played professionally in the ECHL, AHL, SEL and KHL. Robinson has played the last nine seasons in the KHL, winning the Gagarin Cup with CSKA Moscow in 2019. He is a three-time KHL All-Star and currently has 10 points (3 goals, 7 assists) in 35 games with St. Petersburg SKA.

Rogers has worked with the U.S. ski team at numerous Olympic, World Championship and World Cup events. She has skied for UAA and was a three-time All-American. Rogers was inducted into the UAA Sports Hall of Fame in 2011.

Beijing Olympics Nordic Ski Schedule (all times Alaska)
Feb. 4 – 10:45 p.m. – Women's Skiathlon
Feb. 5 – 10 p.m. – Men's Skiathlon
Feb. 7 – 11 p.m. – Sprint Freestyle Qualifying
Feb. 8 – 1:30 a.m. – Sprint Freestyle Finals
Feb. 9 – 10 p.m. – Women's 10-Kilometer Classic
Feb. 10 – 10 p.m. – Men's 15-Kilometer Classic
Feb. 11 – 10:30 p.m. – Women's 4x5K Relay
Feb. 12 – 10 p.m. – Men's 4x10K Relay
Feb. 16 – 12 a.m. – Team Classic Sprints
Feb. 18 – 9 p.m. – Men's 50K Freestyle
Feb. 18 – 9:30 p.m. – Women's 30K Freestyle

Beijing Olympic Hockey Schedule (all times Alaska)
Feb. 10 – 4:10 a.m. – Canada vs. Germany
Feb. 11 – 7 p.m. – Canada vs. U.S.
Feb. 13 – 4:10 a.m. – Canada vs. China
Feb. 14 – TBA – Qualifying Round Game
Feb. 15 – TBA – Qualifying Round Game
Feb. 16 – TBA – Quarterfinal Game
Feb. 17 – TBA – Semifinal Game
Feb. 18 – TBA – Semifinal Game
Feb. 19 – 4:10 a.m. – Bronze Medal Game
Feb. 19 – 7:10 a.m. – Gold Medal Game

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A version of this story originally appeared on GoSeawolves.com.

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