THE 2024 JUNIOR U21 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS TO GET UNDERWAY MONDAY
Photo by: Becky Duffy
[EDEN PRAIRIE, MN, March 22, 2024] — The top junior curlers in the country will hit the ice on Monday as the 2024 Junior U21 National Championships are set to begin at the Eau Claire Curling Club in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, running March 25th-30th.
The Eau Claire Curling Club will host the Junior Nationals for the second time, having welcomed the championship inside its doors only four years ago. Teams skipped by Delaney Strouse and Luc Violette came out on top at those Nationals, and have parlayed that success into national medals on the adult level. Eight men’s and eight women’s teams will try to follow in the footsteps of those accomplished curlers and claim junior titles of their own.
“We’re excited to bring our finest young athletes to Eau Claire for a week of fierce competition,” remarked USA Curling CEO Dean Gemmell. “There is a wealth of skilled junior curlers in our country and I cannot wait to see who makes their mark at this championship.”
On the men’s side, Wes Wendling will seek to defend his 2023 national title, following a fourth place finish at the World Junior Men’s. He’ll compete with a new lineup in 2024, joining forces with members of Team Cenzalli, the 2023 bronze medalists. The rink will face stiff competition from an up-and-coming field, highlighted by the reigning U18 champion and 2023 runner-up Team Hebert, who will look to prevent a repeat winner.
In the women’s event, Miranda Scheel and Tessa Thurlow will both attempt to win their third junior championship in a row, but will not be able to do so together, having joined separate teams for this year’s nationals. It will not be easy for either as they will face a wide array of talented junior curlers, including recent Youth Olympic Games Mixed Doubles Bronze Medalist Ella Wendling and Team Pekowitz, the current U18 champions.
Teams in both the men’s and women’s championships will compete in respective round robins before the top four teams advance to the playoffs. The victorious men’s team will represent the US at the 2025 World Junior Curling Championships, while the winning women’s team will head to the World Junior B Curling Championships, still needing to qualify themselves for the Worlds later that season.
Each game of every draw at the event will be streamed on the USA Curling YouTube channel thanks to partnership with Curling Stadium. One feature game each draw will be provided with commentary by 2018 Olympic Gold Medalist Tyler George.
Junior Men’s Teams
Team Brenden: Zach Brenden, Connor Grabow, Miles Grabow, Owen Nelson
Team Cenzalli: Wesley Wendling, Nicholas Cenzalli, Daniel Laufer, Shaheen Bassiri, Dylan Ciapka
Team Church: Ryan Church, DJ Neill, Taylor Pendleton, Andrew Picard
Team Fitzgerald: Aiden Fitzgerald, Jackson Askew, Carter Mitchel, Jake Ring
Team Guentzel: Mason Guentzel, Will Podhradsky, Leighton Hines, Stuart Strack
Team Hebert: Caden Hebert, Jackson Bestland, Benji Paral, Jack Wendtland, Shane Nelson
Team Lannoye: Matthew Lannoye, Ethan Macomber, Brody Weichman, Joey Dobbs
Team Rose: Caiden Rose, Avery Wilson, Brock Sando, Tate Reeder-Holman
Junior Women’s Teams
Team G. Berg: Gracia Berg, Demi Black, Brooklyn Saiger, Raelynn Trask
Team N. Berg: Nia Berg, Solveig Berg, Carol Chance, Lauren Erickson
Team Giroux: Allie Giroux, Ella Flemming, Tessa Thurlow, Brooke Giroux, Savannah Koch
Team Johnson: Allory Johnson, Gianna Johnson, Morgan Zacher, Bailey Vaydich
Team Pekowitz: Julia Pekowitz, Addison Neil, Megan Stopera, Alexandra Pekowitz
Team Schapman: Ava Schapman, Jessica Margan, Clare Schapman, Frances Schapman, Lila Farwell
Team Scheel: Miranda Scheel, Bella Hagenbuch, Rilee Kraft, Mae Hagenbuch
Team Viau: Claire Viau, Emily Rubenzer, Megan McPhee, Ella Wendling
About USA Curling
Founded in 1958 and headquartered in Eagan, Minnesota, USA Curling is the National Governing body for the Olympic sport of curling and the Paralympic sport of wheelchair curling in the United States. The mission of USA Curling is to grow, strengthen, and advocate for the Olympic and Paralympic sport of curling in the United States by prioritizing accessibility and programmatic development from grassroots to podium. USA Curling is sponsored by Columbia Sportswear, Twin Cities Orthopedics, Training HAUS, Toyota, Thorne, ISS (Ice, Sports & Solar), Rock Solid Productions, Jet Ice, and Laurie Artiss. USA Curling is a proud member of the World Curling Federation and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. To learn more, visit usacurling.org.
