Lindsey Vonn has been named Athlete of the Year 2026 by the Stifel U.S. Alpine Ski Team — voted there by her own teammates and coaches. The 41-year-old alpine skiing legend was named both Athlete of the Year and Best Comeback for the Stifel U.S. Alpine Ski Team in the annual Stifel Awards, which recognize standout athletes, coaches, and staff members across U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s eight disciplines.
Unlike traditional awards decided by media or sponsors, the Stifel Awards are voted on by athletes, teammates, and staff members — making the recognition a reflection of the respect Vonn earned within the U.S. ski racing community during her return to competition.
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Vonn’s comeback was one of the most closely followed stories in skiing during the 2025-26 season. After returning to World Cup racing following years away from the sport, she became one of the oldest athletes competing regularly on the circuit and proved she could still race alongside the world’s best. Sadly, her incredible season ended prematurely at Cortina d’Ampezzo during the Olympic downhill — but the wins, the podiums, and the votes of her peers belong to the full body of work, not just how it ended.
She shared Alpine Athlete of the Year honors with Ryan Cochran-Siegle, whose season highlight was an Olympic silver medal in super-G — his second Olympic medal in the discipline. Erik Arvidsson joins Vonn as a co-recipient of the Best Comeback award, having returned from a knee injury that kept him off the circuit for the entire 2024-25 season. By February 2026 he had posted his second-best World Cup result ever.
Notable Winners Across the Disciplines
Cross-country standout Jessie Diggins was voted Athlete of the Year for the women’s Stifel U.S. Cross Country Ski Team in what turned out to be her final competitive season. Diggins officially retired at the conclusion of the 2025-26 campaign as the most decorated cross-country skier in U.S. history — four overall World Cup titles, three Olympic medals, 29 World Cup victories — and closed the chapter with an Olympic bronze in Milan. Ben Ogden earned the men’s cross-country Athlete of the Year award and also takes Best Comeback, a sign of the American men’s program building momentum for the post-Diggins era.
In freestyle skiing, Grace Henderson and Mac Forehand received Athlete of the Year honors for the Stifel U.S. Freeski Team, while Chris Lillis was recognized as Athlete of the Year for aerials and overall season crystal globe winner Olivia Giaccio earned the same distinction in moguls.
Several rising athletes were also recognized through Rookie of the Year awards. Alpine racers Elisabeth Bocock and Jevin Palmquist received rookie honors, while Sammy Smith and Murphy Kimball were recognized by the cross-country team.
The awards also highlighted athletes who battled back from adversity. Freeskier Rell Harwood, aerialist Winter Vinecki, mogul skier and 2026 Olympic Champion Liz Lemley, Nordic combined athlete Tara Geraghty-Moats, and ski jumper Kevin Bickner were among those recognized with Best Comeback honors.
Coaches were acknowledged across the organization, with Alpine coach Kip Spangler, Cross Country coach Matt Whitcomb, and Freeski coach Ryan Wyble among those receiving Coach of the Year recognition.
Now in its fourth year, the Stifel Awards provide cash prizes to recipients and recognize achievements across the Stifel U.S. Ski Team’s alpine, cross-country, freestyle, freeski, ski jumping, Nordic combined, and para-alpine programs.
For many athletes, the most meaningful aspect of the awards may be that they come from the people who see their work every day: teammates, coaches, and support staff. And this year, no athlete earned more recognition from those peers than Lindsey Vonn.
2026 Stifel U.S. Ski Team Award Winners — Full Results
Stifel U.S. Alpine Ski Team
| Award | Women | Men |
|---|---|---|
| Athlete of the Year | Lindsey Vonn | Ryan Cochran-Siegle |
| Rookie of the Year | Elisabeth Bocock | Jevin Palmquist |
| Most Improved | Mary Bocock | Kyle Negomir |
| Best Comeback | Lindsey Vonn | Erik Arvidsson |
| Coach of the Year | Kip Spangler |
Stifel U.S. Cross Country Ski Team
| Award | Women | Men |
|---|---|---|
| Athlete of the Year | Jessie Diggins | Ben Ogden |
| Rookie of the Year | Sammy Smith | Murphy Kimball |
| Most Improved | Kendall Kramer | Zak Ketterson |
| Best Comeback | Novie McCabe | Ben Ogden |
| Coach of the Year | Matt Whitcomb |
Stifel U.S. Freeski Team
| Award | Women | Men |
|---|---|---|
| Athlete of the Year | Grace Henderson | Mac Forehand |
| Best Comeback | Rell Harwood | Hunter Hess |
| Most Improved | Avery Krumme | Konnor Ralph |
| Rookie of the Year | Avery Krumme | Henry Townshend |
| Coach of the Year | Ryan Wyble |
Stifel U.S. Freestyle Ski Team — Aerials
| Award | Winner |
|---|---|
| Athlete of the Year | Chris Lillis |
| Rookie of the Year | Kyra Dossa |
| Most Improved | Connor Curran |
| Best Comeback | Winter Vinecki |
| Coach of the Year | Walter Crijanovschi |
Stifel U.S. Freestyle Ski Team — Moguls
| Award | Winner |
|---|---|
| Athlete of the Year | Olivia Giaccio |
| Rookie of the Year | Abby McLarnon |
| Most Improved | Landon Wendler |
| Best Comeback | Liz Lemley |
| Coach of the Year | Bryon Wilson |
Stifel U.S. Nordic Combined Team
| Award | Women | Men |
|---|---|---|
| Athlete of the Year | Alexa Brabec | Niklas Malacinski |
| Best Comeback | Tara Geraghty-Moats | Erik Lynch |
| Most Improved | Alexa Brabec | Niklas Malacinski |
| Coach of the Year | Emil Vilhelmsen |
Stifel U.S. Para Alpine Ski Team
| Award | Winner |
|---|---|
| Athlete of the Year | Patrick Halgren |
| Rookie of the Year | Meg Gustafson |
| Most Improved | Anna Soens |
Stifel U.S. Ski Jumping Team
| Award | Women | Men |
|---|---|---|
| Athlete of the Year | Annika Belshaw | Kevin Bickner |
| Best Comeback | Josie Johnson | Kevin Bickner |
| Most Improved | Sandra Sproch | Jason Colby |
| Rookie of the Year | Josie Johnson | Jason Colby |
| Coach of the Year | Karl Vegard Andersen |