Last updated: November 1, 2026
We refreshed this guide to Michigan Olympic colleges with results from the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Games, where Michigan-connected athletes won at least 11 gold medals. We also trimmed outdated program details and added the schools whose alumni actually competed in Italy.
Quick summary
- More than a dozen Michigan-connected athletes competed at the 2026 Winter Olympics, and at least 11 won gold.
- University of Michigan alumni Quinn Hughes, Dylan Larkin, Zach Werenski and Kyle Connor won gold with the U.S. men’s hockey team.
- Ice dancer Evan Bates, a U-M alum, won team-event gold and an ice dance silver with Madison Chock.
- Smaller Michigan Olympic colleges also had a presence: Eastern Michigan, Michigan Tech and Northern Michigan each had a former athlete at the Games.
Why Michigan Olympic colleges stand out after 2026
Michigan’s cold winters, deep youth hockey system and strong college programs make the state a steady source of Winter Olympians. The 2026 Games in Italy proved it again. According to Bridge Michigan, more than a dozen athletes with Michigan ties competed, and at least 11 came home with gold.
Many of those athletes grew up in Michigan and trained at clubs and rinks around Detroit, but several also built their careers at Michigan Olympic colleges. Below is a school-by-school look at who represented each program. Women’s hockey also had a strong Michigan presence: Farmington Hills native Megan Keller scored the overtime winner against Canada, and Plymouth-raised Kirsten Simms also won gold.
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan had the strongest showing. The Bentley Historical Library’s U-M Olympic records list four Wolverine hockey alumni on the gold-medal U.S. men’s team: Quinn Hughes, Dylan Larkin, Zach Werenski and Kyle Connor. Bridge Michigan reported that Hughes scored the overtime winner against Sweden in the quarterfinals.
Figure skating added more medals. Evan Bates, who grew up in Ann Arbor and is a U-M alum, won gold in the team event and silver in ice dance with partner Madison Chock.
Why U-M hockey matters for the Olympic pipeline
The Wolverines’ men’s ice hockey program regularly develops NHL players, and NHL players now make up the U.S. Olympic roster. Fans who follow the current team are often watching future Olympians. For names to know this winter, see our list of college hockey players to watch in 2026-27.
Michigan Tech and Northern Michigan
The Upper Peninsula schools are known for Nordic sports as well as hockey. Biathlete Deedra Irwin, a Wisconsin native, competed for Michigan Tech in college and raced five events in Italy. Cross-country skier Zak Ketterson, a former Northern Michigan athlete, competed in four events. Neither won a medal, but both show how these smaller Michigan Olympic colleges help athletes reach the world stage in sports that rarely get national TV time.
Eastern Michigan and Michigan State
Jasmine Jones, a former track athlete at Eastern Michigan, won bronze in the two-woman bobsled. Track-to-bobsled moves are common because bobsled teams need sprinters and power athletes for the push start.
Michigan State also has a long Olympic history across summer and winter sports. Spartan fans can follow current athletes in hockey, track and swimming who could reach future Games.
Summer sports pathways
Michigan Olympic colleges are not only about winter sports. Swimming, track and field, wrestling and gymnastics programs across the state feed national teams for the Summer Games. Swimmers interested in how they can earn during college can read our guide to NIL for swimmers, and our article on whether NIL is hurting Olympic sports looks at the pressure these programs face.
How to follow Michigan’s next Olympians
- Follow school and athlete profiles on RallyFuel, including athlete pages for current college stars.
- See how Michigan schools rank on the RallyFuel NIL Score leaderboard.
- Read our national roundup of NCAA Winter Olympians in 2026.
🗳️ Vote: Make your prediction for this week’s college games on RallyFuel
FAQ
How many Michigan athletes won gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics?
Bridge Michigan reported that at least 11 Michigan-connected athletes won gold medals at the 2026 Milan Cortina Games.
Which University of Michigan alumni won Olympic gold in 2026?
Quinn Hughes, Dylan Larkin, Zach Werenski and Kyle Connor won gold in men’s hockey, and Evan Bates won gold in the figure skating team event.
Which smaller Michigan colleges had Olympians in 2026?
Eastern Michigan (Jasmine Jones, bobsled bronze), Michigan Tech (Deedra Irwin, biathlon) and Northern Michigan (Zak Ketterson, cross-country skiing) all had former athletes at the Games.
Do you need to attend a Michigan college to become an Olympian?
No. Many 2026 Olympians with Michigan ties, such as Jack Hughes and Megan Keller, are linked to the state through their hometowns or youth programs. College programs are one pathway, alongside clubs, national team programs and pro leagues.
Follow College Athletes on RallyFuel
Track the next generation of Olympians on RallyFuel. Browse athlete profiles, make free predictions each week and see who is rising in the RallyFuel NIL Score.
