Elite athletes compete for right to be Team USA at World Championship in Korea

[EAGAN, MN, February 17, 2023] — Kalamazoo has hosted the traditional four-person national championships multiple times, and now the southwest Michigan city will welcome the 2023 USA Curling Mixed Doubles National Championship from February 28th through March 5th.

An Olympic curling discipline that made its first appearance at the Games in 2018, Mixed Doubles features a fast pace, constant activity for both players, and high scoring. 

Kalamazoo has become a hotbed for championship curling, hosting three USA Curling Men’s and Women’s National Championships since 2010, despite not having its own curling club until 2008. This edition of the Nationals will be held once again at the Wings Event Center, a three-rink complex that is home to the Kalamazoo Curling Club. 

The 2023 Nationals will see 16 mixed doubles curling teams compete for the right to represent the United States at the 2023 World Mixed Doubles Championship, scheduled for April 22-29 in Gangneung, Korea. Teams will be split into two pools of eight, playing a round robin schedule within their groups. At the conclusion of pool play, six teams will advance to a single-elimination playoff round. 

This year’s Championship features the return of a handful of athletes who have found previous success in Kalamazoo. Both John Shuster and Matt Hamilton hope to replicate past victories at the Wings Event Center, having won two Men’s Championships there as teammates. Chris Plys, a champion with them in 2019, will rejoin Olympic partner Vicky Persinger for the Nationals. Sarah Anderson rounds out the list of 2023 competitors thrilled to return to Kalamazoo, having won the USA Curling Women’s National Championship in 2019. 

“I can’t wait to be back,” said Anderson, also a two-time Mixed Doubles National Champion. “The fans were great, the ice was superb, and the volunteers were fantastic. Hopefully, we can experience some of the same success I found there four years ago.”

Every single game of the Nationals will be webcast on the USA Curling YouTube channel through the USA Curling partnership with Curling Stadium. One game each draw will be offered as a feature game, presented with near-TV broadcast quality and commentary by 2018 Gold Medalist Tyler George, while the others will be shown without commentary and fixed position cameras. 

“Having competed myself in two national championships in Kalamazoo, and being a former resident of the area, I know it will be a first-class event,” remarked Interim CEO Dean Gemmell. “The growth of curling in Kalamazoo since that first championship in 2010 has been remarkable, and I hope we can continue to help them expand as they graciously host us this week.”

Tickets for the 2023 USA Curling Mixed Doubles Nationals are available for purchase here. For more information, visit USA Curling.

2023 USA Curling Mixed Doubles Nationals Field

Team Anderson/Richardson - Taylor Anderson, Ben Richardson

Team Anderson/Stopera - Sarah Anderson, Andrew Stopera

Team Birr/Birr - Regan Birr, Todd Birr

Team Bookhout/Wiza - Nicole Bookhout, Dan Wiza

Team Fountain/Kot - Melissa Fountain, Tony Kot

Team Geving/Shuster - Aileen Geving, John Shuster

Team Hamilton/Hamilton - Becca Hamilton, Matt Hamilton

Team Moores/Wheeler - Clare Moores, Lance Wheeler

Team Mullaney/Sinnett - Sydney Mullaney, Chase Sinnett

Team Nickel/Nickel - Kirstin Nickel, Gabriel Nickel

Team Persinger/Plys - Vicky Persinger, Chris Plys

Team Podoll/Parry - Ann Podoll, Nate Parry

Team Rhyme/Smith - Kim Rhyme, Jason Smith

Team Rohrbacher/Scebbi - Harley Rohrbacher, Vincent Scebbi

Team Strouse/Casper - Delaney Strouse, Danny Casper

Team Thiesse/Dropkin - Cory Thiesse, Korey Dropkin

USA Curling is sponsored by Columbia Sportswear, Twin Cities Orthopedics, Training HAUS, Brakebush, ISS (Ice, Sports & Solar), Rock Solid Productions, IHG, and Laurie Artiss. USA Curling, as the National Governing Body for the sport in the United States, is also supported by the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee.