New Era in American Curling: Team Casper Claims Olympic Trials Victory
Team Casper has dethroned curling legend John Shuster, winning the 2025 U.S. Olympic Curling Trials and ending a remarkable 20-year winning streak
November 7, 2025 – A new chapter in American curling has begun. Team Casper, led by 24-year-old skip Danny “Cardiac” Casper, defeated five-time Olympian John Shuster’s rink in a thrilling best-of-three finals series to claim the 2025 U.S. Olympic Team Trials championship on Sunday, November 16.
The decisive Game 3 victory, with a final score of 7-5, secured Team Casper’s place at the upcoming Olympic Qualification Event in Kelowna, Canada, scheduled for December 5-18. More significantly, it ended Shuster’s unprecedented streak of Olympic appearances that stretched back to Turin 2006.
A Battle for the Ages
The championship series showcased the highest level of curling competition. After emerging from the round-robin phase with a 4-2 record, Team Casper faced an undefeated Team Shuster in the finals. The young upstarts claimed a narrow 7-6 victory in Game 1, only to see the veteran squad respond with an identical 7-6 win in Game 2, forcing a winner-take-all showdown.
Game 3 delivered drama worthy of the occasion. Team Casper seized early momentum by stealing a point in the opening end despite Shuster holding the hammer. After five ends, the match stood deadlocked at 3-3. That’s when Casper’s rink elevated their play, scoring two points in the sixth end and following with another deuce in the eighth to build a commanding 7-4 advantage.
The ninth end presented Shuster with a familiar scenario reminiscent of his legendary gold medal performance at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics. With stones positioned for a potential five-point hammer throw, the 43-year-old veteran had a chance to reclaim momentum. However, a crucial double peel by Team Casper’s Luc Violette disrupted the setup, limiting Shuster to a single point. Casper’s rink kept the house clear in the tenth end to seal their historic triumph.
Overcoming Adversity
The victory represents more than just athletic achievement for Danny Casper and his team. The current roster formed during one of the most challenging periods of their skip’s life, when he was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré Syndrome in March 2024. The disorder, in which the body’s immune system attacks the nerves, left Casper bedridden for weeks, unable to walk or use his hands.
Throughout the 2024-25 season, Casper managed to compete in only approximately 15 of his team’s 60 matches, forcing the rink to constantly rotate replacements. “We had a million different people on our team and they’d still go out and play well and put us in a position to be here,” an emotional Casper said after the win.
With improved treatment and physical therapy heading into the 2025-26 campaign, Casper returned to full participation. The team responded by reaching their highest world ranking ever at eighth overall, making them the top-ranked U.S. national team.
A Team Built on Trust
The championship roster features Luc Violette (third), Ben Richardson (second), Aidan Oldenburg (lead), and Rich Ruohonen (alternate) alongside skip Danny Casper. Each member brought unique strengths to the ice throughout the trials.
“These are the best teammates that I could ever hope for,” sweeper Ben Richardson reflected. “We’re all different in our own unique ways, but we make it work. We always go out and fight with everything we have, and we’ve always got each other’s backs.”
For newest member Aidan Oldenburg, the victory completed a remarkable journey. “It’s been a bit of a wild ride, going from four years ago losing to Danny in the junior nationals, to now being on his team and winning the Olympic trials,” he said.
Heading into the trials, Casper expressed unwavering confidence in his squad. “We’re the best team in the U.S.,” he declared. “We think that we have the best foundation in terms of team dynamics and communication and mental fortitude.”
End of an Era
For John Shuster, the defeat marks a bittersweet moment in an illustrious career. This was his first Team Trials loss in two decades and breaks his streak of five consecutive Winter Olympics appearances.
“Obviously, this one’s going to take a while to get over,” Shuster remarked. “I thought we did all the right things to prepare to be ready for this, and we showed it too. We played great all week, went through the round-robin undefeated and earned some hammers. But credit Team Casper, they’re an incredible curling team.”
Team Shuster sweeper Colin Hufman, who delivered exceptional performances throughout the week, acknowledged the emotional weight of the loss. “Four or five of your friends are losing their opportunity to chase a dream,” he said. Despite his disappointment, Hufman encouraged fans to rally behind Team Casper: “They’re amazing people and they deserve it. So get behind them and push them.”
While Chris Plys had previously indicated that Milano Cortina 2026 would likely be his final Olympics, and Matt Hamilton remains uncertain about his competitive future, Shuster himself hasn’t ruled out a return. “I’m not counting me out necessarily because I got nothing else to do. I got no job,” he joked, before adding a more serious note: “We are going to be here to support all of our athletes who are obviously working their butt off.”
The Road to Milano Cortina
Team Casper’s Olympic journey is far from complete. They will join Team Peterson at the Olympic Qualification Event in Kelowna, Canada, where they must finish in the top two among eight competing nations to secure one of the final quota spots for the men’s curling event at Milano Cortina 2026.
The international qualifier runs from December 5-18 and represents the last opportunity for teams to earn their place on sport’s biggest stage. After their impressive trials performance, Team Casper enters as a confident contender ready to realize their Olympic dreams.
As one chapter closes and another begins in American curling, all eyes will be on Kelowna to see if the young rink that dethroned a legend can complete their remarkable story by punching their ticket to the Winter Olympics.
The Olympic Qualification Event will take place December 5-18 in Kelowna, Canada.
