With the Olympics in full swing, there is no shortage of athletes from Team USA to root for! Athletes from all over the world are competing in 33 different sports, all hoping to medal. The athletes on Team USA come from all over the country, some even from our area! Here are ten 2022 Olympic athletes you should root for that are all from Illinois! 

#1. Hilary Knight 

Hilary Knight is a 32 year old forward on the USA Women’s Ice Hockey Team. She lived in Lake Forest for a large portion of her childhood. She graduated from Choate Rosemary Hall in 2007 and the University Of Wisconsin in 2012. This will be Knight’s fourth time at the Olympics, where she will most likely add to her already impressive medal count of one gold and two silver.  She is also a seven – time world champion (between 2007 and 2017).

#2. Jason Brown

Jason Brown is a 27 year old athlete from Highland Park, Illinois. He is competing in his second Olympic Games, in Men’s Figure Skating Singles. At the 2014 Winter Olympics, he won the bronze medal. He graduated from Highland Park High School in 2013 and then attended the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. He even used to skate at the local Centennial Ice Arena! Brown is already an extremely accomplished skater, and will no doubt leave the Olympics even more decorated. 

#3. Casey Larson

Casey Larson is a 23 year old athlete competing in Ski Jumping. He was born and raised in Barrington, where he graduated from Barrington High School in 2017. He currently attends the University Of Utah. This is his second Olympic games, having competed in his first in 2018 when he was only 19 years old. Larson has a long career ahead of him, and will most likely compete at many more games to come. Most recently, he placed 10th in the Team Large Hill category at the World Championships. 

#4. Jesse Compher

Jesse Compher is a 22 year old forward on the Team USA Women’s Hockey Team. From Northbrook, she graduated from Glenbrook North High School in 2017. She then went on to graduate from Boston College in 2021. Compher is already an accomplished athlete, she was the second ever NCAA hockey player to surpass 60 points during a single season. She is competing in her first Olympic games, where she will no doubt add to her list of achievements. 

#5. Emery Lehman

Emery Lehman is a 25 year old athlete from Oak Park, Illinois. He attended River Forest High School, where he graduated in 2015. He then went on to attend Marquette University, and is now studying to become an engineer at Johns Hopkins University. This is Lehman’s third time at the games, where he continues to compete in Speed Skating. He has proven himself to be a serious competitor; in 2021, he was the Team Pursuit Overall Champion. 

#6. Savannah Harmon 

Savannah Harmon is a 26 year old defense player on the Team USA Women’s Hockey Team. She is from Downers Grove and graduated from Billerica Memorial High School in 2014. She then attended Clarkson University, where she graduated in 2018. She captained The Clarkson Golden Knights Women’s Team to NCAA championship titles two years in a row. This is her first time competing at the Olympics, but she will definitely make her presence known. 

#7. Kevin Bickner

Kevin Bickner is a 25 year old Ski Jumper who was born in Lake Forest, and grew up in Waucanda. He attended Waucanda High School and DeVry University. He placed 8th overall in Team Normal Hill at the World Championships. This is Bickner’s second Olympic games after competing in Pyeong Chang in 2018, and at such a young age, Bickner is sure to continue as a regular champion in the Ski Jumping world. 

#8.  Ethan Cepuran 

Ethan Cepuran is a 21 year old Speed Skater from Glen Ellyn. He graduated from Glenbard West High School in 2018, and is currently a student at the University Of Utah. In 2018, he brought home the silver medal at the Longtrack Junior Championships. This is his first time at the Olympics, where he is definitely a strong competitor.

#9.  Megan Bozek

Megan Bozek is a 30 year old defenseman on the Team USA Women’s Hockey Team. She is also a Buffalo Grove native and Stevenson High School graduate from 2009. This is her second Olympic games, and she already has a silver medal from 2014. She attended the University Of Minnesota, where she graduated in 2013. She has been playing with the Buffalo Beauts, and is the highest paid player in the team’s history. Bozek is an integral part of the US Women’s Hockey Team, and she will no doubt help lead them to victory. 

#10. Patrick Gasiencia

Patrick Gasiencia is a 23 year old Ski Jumper from McHenry. He attended Richmond Burton Community High School and then DeVry University after that. He skis for the Norge Ski club. This is his first time competing in the Olympics, but his impressive track record proves that he will be a serious challenge for his competitors at the games.