Hometown stars shine at Sochi
| 2 min read
There are many winter Olympians with ties to Michigan—here are a few to cheer on when the games begin on February 6th!
It’s no surprise that there are some local stars on the men’s ice hockey team. When the roster was announced at Michigan Stadium earlier this month, familiar names included Ryan Miller from East Lansing (he plays for the Buffalo Sabres), Cam Fowler, who grew up in Farmington Hills (he’s on the Anaheim Ducks) and Livonia-born Ryan Kesler, who plays for the Vancouver Canucks.
Ice dancing may not get the coverage that figure skating does, but it’s just as exciting. One of the favorites is a team that trains in Canton and whose members attend the University of Michigan—Meryl Davis and Charlie White. They won silver in 2010 and hope to beat that this year. They aren’t the only Wolverines making a go for it. Brother-sister duo Alex and Maia Shibutani will also be vying for a medal.
Speedskating will also feature a few Michigan residents: Jessica Smith from Melvindale and Travis Jayner, who has lived in Midland. And Detroit-born skier Lindsey Van will be part of the first ever women’s ski jumping event in the Olympics. The most recent addition to the U.S. Olympic Team (it was just announced this weekend)? Snowboarder and Iron River resident Nick Baumgartner.
Photo credit: TylerIngram
