The Haydenettes and the Skyliners were selected to represent Team USA at the ISU World Synchronized Skating Championships 2024 in Zagreb, Croatia, April 5-6.
The most decorated synchronized skating team in U.S. Figure Skating history, the Haydenettes punched their ticket to Croatia after clinching their 31st U.S. title and 14th straight gold at the 2024 U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships in Las Vegas, Nevada. They have represented Team USA at every World Championships.
“We have big goals this season and we’re really honored to have the opportunity to show how much harder we can work after this event,” second-year Haydenette Rosa Hahn said. “We want to show the best that our country can offer and do the best that we can. We don’t care about results or scores. We just want to skate for us and have every opportunity we can to show how much we can grow.”
The Skyliners have been named to the World Team for the first time since 2020 after securing the silver medal. They have finished in the top three every year the U.S. Championships has been held since 2015.
“Obviously, [the World Team] is the goal. The goal is to always do your best, but knowing that a World spot is on the line, you dream and hope for that, and you work for that every day that you come to practice, so to know [that’s] in the future feels really good.”
Miami University has been named as the first alternate with Adrian College as the second alternate.
Earlier in the day, Miami University earned the collegiate title, the 22nd in the program's history. Teams Elite also claimed both the intermediate and novice titles. They have now won four golds at the U.S. Championships, becoming the second-ever team to sweep the junior, novice, intermediate and juvenile championships.
SENIOR
The last time the Haydenettes didn’t win the U.S. title was 2009. Winning their 31st total and 14th straight U.S. championship, the team out of The Skating Club of Boston earned the top score in the free skate and overall with 154.23 and 234.42 points, respectively.
Skating to “Who Wants to Live Forever" by The Tenors featuring Lindsey Stirling, the Haydenettes claimed 10.93 points for their group lift, which was the highest scoring element of competition, and received Level 4 marks on another six elements.
"It feels great. This is actually my hometown, so having such a supportive crowd with friends, family, everyone here cheering us on has been really amazing and really magical,” said Autumn Coulthard, who is in her fifth year with the Haydenettes. “This is just the beginning for us and we're going to keep working hard."
Clinching their best result since 2020 with the silver, the Skyliners earned their best-ever score at the U.S. Championships with a two-day total of 221.58 points.
Their Romeo and Juliet-themed program was awarded Level 4 designations on seven elements for a free skate score of 150.82.
The Skyliners have now finished in the top three every year the event has been held since 2015.
"I think that was what we've been working for all season and for that to come and be the performance that we put out, we just feel so great,” third-year Skyliners skater Emily Schneider said.
Miami University took home the bronze medal, finishing in the top three for the third straight year.
They received 123.18 points for their free skate with a mermaids and sailors theme. Although the RedHawks suffered two falls on their pair element, they ended strong with a Level 4 intersection with a Level 4 point of intersection. Their total score was 191.08.
"I think we have a lot to be proud of from that run,” said Melissa Marchetti, a third-year skater with Maimi University. “There was a lot of fight and resilience out there. [It wasn't] the skate we had hoped for, but still super proud."
Adrian College returned to the podium in Las Vegas, earning the pewter medal for the second time in the last three years. Their “Fix You” program featured four Level 4 elements to score 109.24, giving them a total score of 165.74.
"We really showed who we are as a team,” second-year Adrian College skater Hannah-Grace Enriquez said. “Adrian College to me has always been about family and being together, and I think that skate encapsulated what we want to represent as a team and as a college."
COLLEGIATE
Miami University’s run as the most dominant collegiate team continued as they dominated their way to title No. 22.
With a cabaret theme fit for Las Vegas, the RedHawks were awarded Level 4s on their first three elements as well as their second intersection, which featured a Level 4 point of intersection, tallying 117.04 points – a new record for the highest collegiate score at the U.S. Championships.
"It felt absolutely amazing,” junior Miami University skater Josephine Clark said. “We went out there and did our job and had so much fun. We really turned up the performance and had fun with each other and the crowd. It was unforgettable."
The silver medal was decided by just 0.10 with Western Michigan University overtaking the Northernettes 108.37 to 108.27.
The silver marked Western Michigan University’s best result since 2019 and fourth medal in the last five years that the U.S. Championships have been held.
Their free skate to a medley of Kesha songs started with their two strongest elements – a pivoting block and Level 4 twizzle element.
"The skate today was absolutely amazing,” senior Western Michigan University skater Dana Kozlowski said. “We really have been working hard on increasing our speed and working on power and unison, speed and flow, and as seniors, we just wanted to go out there and have a lights out skate and I think we did that."
Securing bronze in their first year competing in the collegiate division, the Northernettes skated to a medley of Prince songs. They opened their performance with a Level 4 synchronized spin and recorded a score of 108.27.
“It felt great,” senior Northernettes member Hope Werstler said. “We were so happy to get out there, put on the performance we know we can give and we're so happy to be here and proud of ourselves and our team."
Earning the last spot on the podium was Trine University with a score of 105.61. In their free skate with a Romeo and Juliet theme, Trine University attempted a group lift for the first time. Their highest scoring element was their synchronized spin.
They have earned the pewter medal for the second straight year.
"The skate felt pretty confident,” senior Trine University member Kellan Chwojko-Frank said. “I'm super proud of how far we've gotten this entire season, so I'm happy with it."
NOVICE
Teams Elite winning the novice title has started to become the norm.
The team from Northbrook, Illinois, clinched their fourth straight U.S. championship in record fashion. Skating first, they became the first team to break 100 points, setting the record for the highest score at the U.S. Championships by nearly 15 points with a final score of 109.40.
Their Irish-themed performance featured six Level 4 elements, including a Level 4 intersection with a Level 4 point of intersection that earned 9.64 points – the highest scoring element of the competition.
“It was amazing,” second-year Teams Elite skater Leena Bader said. “We worked so hard this whole season, and we really didn’t want to care about the score. We just tried to put our best performance out there, and I think we achieved that today.”
The Crystallettes earned silver while the Skyliners and Team Image claimed bronze and pewter, respectively. All three teams secured their best-ever score at the U.S. Championships.
Also hitting 100 points at 104.73, the silver marks the Crystallettes’ best result at the U.S. Championships since 2017. They kicked off their skate, themed to “the race against time,” with a Level 4 intersection with a Level 4 point of intersection, the first of six Level 4 elements.
With the bronze, the Skyliners have now finished on the podium 10 of the last 11 years the U.S. Championships have been held. Performing to music from The Little Mermaid, they started their routine with a strong Level 4 synchronized spin and Level 4 twizzle element, going on to tally 99.97 points.
The race to pewter came down to hundredths of a point with Team Image edging out the Northernettes by 0.06.
Their second straight pewter medal, Team Image kicked off their performance with a Level 4 synchronized spin. With four total Level 4 elements, their outer space-themed free skate was awarded 98.96 points.
INTERMEDIATE
Although Teams Elite skated first, their score held throughout the competition. With 85.30 points, they scored 0.01 under the best-ever total at the U.S. Championships, winning their third U.S. title and second in three years.
Skating to a disco theme, Teams Elite earned Level 4 marks on two elements, including a Level 4 intersection with a Level 4 point of intersection that was the highest-scoring element of the competition at 9.54 points.
“I think that the disco energy really keeps us motivated and keeps us having energy throughout the program,” said Stella Shepley, who has competed with Teams Elite for four seasons. “My favorite part is ‘It’s Raining Men’ because it’s the final push of the program and it brings the audience’s energy up and it really engages people into our program.”
Capital Ice Chips, the silver medalists, have now finished in the top three seven of the past eight years the event has been held.
They scored 83.95 points for their performance to a medley of Pitbull songs, receiving the highest component scores of the competition and a Level 4 on their move element.
Tallying 81.76 points for their free skate to old-school hip-hop music, Team Image Black secured their best-ever score at U.S. Championships, resulting in the bronze and a second straight podium finish.
Team Image Black’s performance was highlighted by their Level 3 intersection with a Level 3 point of intersection that scored more than eight points.
Rounding out the podium with the pewter medal was Wisconsin Inspire. They tallied 77.69 points thanks to five Level 3 elements.
For more information on the 2024 U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships, including full results, news and more, visit the event page.
