Above: Amber Glenn shows her deep conviction at the ISU Grand Prix Final. Photo credit: Getty Images
By Jackie Wong
At last month’s Grand Prix Final in France, three of the four senior titles went to American skaters, and the junior skaters grabbed three more medals themselves. The U.S. is riding a wave of momentum heading into the second half of this pre-Olympic season. This month at the 2025 Prevagen U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas, the stakes become even higher. Those skaters who qualify for the World Championships in Boston in March will help determine how many Olympic berths Team USA will receive in 2026. Here’s a look at what to expect in Wichita.
A Powerhouse Women’s Event
Newly crowned ISU Grand Prix Final champion Amber Glenn comes to defend her U.S. title at a different level than anything we’ve seen from her in her more-than-decade-long career. With a reliable triple Axel in her arsenal, the Texas native has been perfect this season, including two Grand Prix Series event wins. She’s facing one of the strongest fields in recent memory; there are three different U.S. champions competing in Wichita. Alysa Liu is back for a third title after a two-year retirement, while Bradie Tennell returns after injuries hampered her last two seasons.
But Wait, There’s More!
The three former U.S. champions are just the tip of the iceberg for the women’s event. Sarah Everhardt has been a consistent force in her debut senior season after taking fourth at the U.S. Championships last year. Elyce Lin-Gracey still has one of the top scores internationally this season from her win at Nebelhorn Trophy. Josephine Lee and Lindsay Thorngren have both done well at the U.S. Championships before; Lee, especially, has had a history of peaking at the right time here.
A More Mature Kam and O’Shea
When Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea won their first U.S. Championships together last year, it was not a foregone conclusion, nor were they necessarily satisfied with their performances. But in the end, their all-around strength as a pair carried them through. This season has been one of tremendous growth, as they have firmly established their place as a top pair internationally and believe in their own potential. They go for their second title this week, with the biggest competition coming from Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov and Emily Chan and Spencer Howe.
Malinin Looks For Three in a Row
It’s hard to imagine anyone else but Ilia Malinin taking the top spot in the men’s event, but perhaps most top of mind for him is that he has not skated to his ability in his two previous U.S. Championships wins, both times producing subpar free skates. He comes into this event undefeated since the 2023 Grand Prix Final. A third U.S. title and an overall performance he is satisfied are within this superstar’s grasp.
But Who Else Goes to Worlds?
While Malinin has been a constant, no one else looks like a lock for the other two World Team spots. This closest to that is Andrew Torgashev, the only American man other than Malinin to win a medal in the Grand Prix Series. He appears to be finding his stride after years of potential and injuries. Jason Brown and Camden Pulkinen have been inconsistent this season, and Maxim Naumov has been a wildcard on the biggest U.S. stage.
Chock and Bates Go for Number Six
In the history of U.S. ice dance, there have been a handful of five-time winners, but win six and you’re in a much more exclusive club. Madison Chock and Evan Bates are looking to do just that. They are favored to claim their sixth title, which would tie them with 2014 Olympic champions Meryl Davis and Charlie White for the most U.S. ice dance titles in history. Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko look solid for another podium finish, but a slew of other teams could make their way there. If last year’s rollercoaster event was any indication, expect this dance podium to be ultra-competitive.
A Slew of Talent for the Junior Women
The talent is there for the American junior women, but like past years, the question is who will find their consistency. At the beginning of the season, Emilia Nemirovsky had a tremendous skate at Cranberry Cup. During the fall, Sophie Joline von Felten became the first American woman to win a Junior Grand Prix event in three years. Annika Chao, Jiaying Ellyse Johnson, Jessica Jurka and Cleo Park have all had a strong competition this season.
Looking Ahead for the Juniors
With Jacob Sanchez and the ice dance team of Katarina Wolfkostin and Dimitry Tsarevski opting to compete at the senior level in Wichita, the sole Junior Grand Prix Final medalists left in the junior ranks are Olivia Flores and Luke Wang, who look to defend their pairs title. Patrick Blackwell, fresh off a strong Junior Grand Prix series, is favored for the men’s crown. The ice dance event will be a face-off among Hana Maria Aboian and Daniil Veslukhin, Caroline Mullen and Brendan Mullen, and Elliana Peal and Ethan Peal.
Jackie Wong is a figure skating analyst at Rocker Skating. He has been involved in figure skating for more than 25 years as a skater, coach, choreographer and judge. You can follow him at rockerskating.com and on Twitter and Instagram @rockerskating for comprehensive coverage of figure skating event all season long.
