U.S. Ski Team Announces It's First-Ever Freeride Roster

It hasn’t worn off yet and probably won’t wear off until the 2030 Olympics have come and gone. Freeride is headed to the biggest stage and, duly, U.S. Ski and Snowboard has put together a team. 

The roster includes regular Freeride World Tour contenders and some skiers who rip but have only recently returned to the competition scene, like Kai Jones. The names were based on the team’s selection criteria, which account for FWT performance and qualification for last winter’s inaugural 2026 World Freeride World Championships.

Similar to other U.S. ski teams, Stifel, the financial services company, has its name attached to the freeride squad.

“Stifel has been a committed partner to our athletes, and we are grateful they chose to stand behind this team from the start,” said Sophie Goldschmidt, president and CEO of U.S. Ski & Snowboard, in a release. “We are delighted to have the Stifel U.S. Freeride Team on board and can’t wait to see what these incredible athletes will achieve.”

Without further ado, here’s who could represent the red, white, and blue come 2030. Notably, though, this isn’t the 2030 Olympic team. The roster can change each season, and U.S. Ski and Snowboard will make its final Olympic selections in the lead-up to the 2030 Games.

Stifel U.S. Freeride Team Roster

Women

• Molly Armanino (Placerville, CA; University of California Santa Cruz; 5/5/1993)
• Lily Bradley (they/them) (Lake Tahoe, CA; Olympic Valley Freestyle Freeride Team; University of California Berkeley; 3/7/2002)
• Wynter McBride (Ogden, UT; Snowbasin Sports Education Foundation; 1/10/2000)

Men

• Kelly Hilleke (Glenwood Springs, CO; Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club; 12/29/2005)
• Kai Jones (Jackson Hole, WY; 5/5/2006)
• Joey Leonardo (Edwards, CO; Montana State University; 3/3/2003)
• Toby Rafford (Sun Valley, ID; Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation; 3/23/2003)
• Ross Tester (Truckee, CA; University of Utah; 1/5/1999)

On the women’s side, Molly Armanino’s been an FWT regular since 2023. That year, during her first Tour outing, she placed second overall and earned a reputation for gutsy, fast skiing. Lily Bradley and Wynter McBride have both nabbed podiums in recent seasons. Bradley’s latest win came after they faced down a huge cliff at the 2025 Fieberbrunn Pro. 

Last winter, Toby Rafford and Ross Tester took second and third overall, respectively, on the FWT after remarkably consistent performances. Kai Jones—already a well-known film skier—jumped back into competitive freeride at World Champs last winter and placed third. Kelly Hilleke, a rookie, caught a raft of bad luck that included an unexpected ski ejection at World Champs but still proved, without a doubt, that he’s one to keep your eye on. Joey Leonardo, also a rookie last winter, earned second with a smooth and stylish run at the Val Thorens Pro.

In short, it’s a stacked crew. We’re stoked to see what they pull off this coming season.

Related: The Best All-Mountain Skis of 2027