Following the successful launch of the Aerials Development Group (AEDG) in 2025, U.S. Ski & Snowboard is excited to announce the second cohort of athletes selected to the development project for the 2026-27 season.

The Aerials Development Group serves as the bridge between club programs and the Stifel U.S. Ski Team, creating a clear pathway for the nation's top developing aerials athletes. Athletes are selected based on head-to-head performances at NorAm events, U.S. Championships and other domestic FIS competitions. Those named to the AEDG earn invitations to national development projects throughout the season, providing additional coaching, training and performance opportunities designed to prepare them for success at the highest levels of the sport.

The AEDG was created to address a critical gap in the freestyle athlete development pipeline. Previously, many athletes were expected to transition directly from club programs into World Cup preparation. Through the development group, athletes will have a structured pathway that bridges club programs to the national team, providing the support and resources necessary for success.

The program is designed around two key phases throughout the year: a summer preparation period and a winter competition period. During the offseason, athletes will participate in national training camps focused on technical skill development, progression planning and establishing strength and conditioning standards. Throughout the winter, athletes will receive coaching support at key competitions while continuing to work alongside their home programs.

The overall mission of the AEDG is to accelerate the development of emerging aerials athletes by providing high-quality coaching, performance education and competitive opportunities that prepare them for success at both the national and international levels. The program works collaboratively with athletes' home clubs and coaches to ensure consistent development while maintaining strong partnerships throughout the pathway.

Leading the program is Jack Boyczuk, who was recently named U.S. Ski & Snowboard's aerials development head coach. Boyczuk joins the U.S. team from Park City Ski & Snowboard, where he served as the Head Aerials Coach. A former aerials athlete himself, Boyczuk transitioned into coaching following his competitive career and has worked with athletes at both the club and national development levels. In his new role, he will focus on developing the next generation of U.S. aerials athletes while strengthening the national development pipeline.

This season's Aerials Development Group features athletes from programs across the country who have demonstrated the potential to compete at the next level. The group will train alongside members of the Stifel U.S. Ski Team throughout the season, gaining exposure to national team standards while continuing to develop within their home club environments.

2026-27 Aerials Development Group
(Club; Notable Achievements)

Women

• Natalie Leitgeb (Bristol Mountain; 2026 FIS Junior World Championship team member, three top five NorAm finishes)
• Allison Patton (Bristol Mountain; 2026 FIS Junior World Championship team member)

Men

• Will Anderson (Park City Ski & Snowboard; four NorAm starts)
• Gavin Canzano (Bristol Mountain; 2026 FIS Junior World Championships bronze medal, aerials team, two World Cup starts)*
• Jackson Chapman (Bristol Mountain; 2026 FIS Junior World Championship team member)
• JP Kane (Mont Chalet; two NorAm starts)
• Liam Laraba (Holiday Valley; two NorAm starts)
• Ian Leitgeb (Bristol Mountain; four NorAm starts)

*indicates previous World Cup starts

Following the successful launch of the Moguls National Development Group in 2025, U.S. Ski & Snowboard is excited to share the second cohort of athletes participating in the development project this season. 

The Moguls National Development Group is a pool of the best developmental moguls athletes in the country based on head-to-head performance at NorAms, U.S. Championships, and other domestic FIS events. Athletes selected for the MONDG are recognized with an invitation to national development projects during the 2026-27 season. MONDG programming aims to propel athletes toward the Stifel U.S. Ski Team. Strategic training opportunities will be organized during the preparation and competition periods to emphasize technical and tactical development in each athlete. An emphasis on conditioning will provide the backbone for advancement throughout the winter. The MONDG’s overall mission is to provide consistent, top-tier support for the growth of our next-generation athletes. The program will collaborate with the athletes’ current program and coaches to ensure athletes receive the best possible training, support and resources. 

MONDG athletes will work with U.S. Ski & Snowboard coach Chuck Martin, who will serve as the Head Coach of the moguls development group. The development group athletes will work in parallel with the national team athletes this season. Martin will serve as their head coach while collaborating with Rob Kober, the new head coach of the Stifel U.S. Freestyle Ski Team moguls team. Additionally, Vlad Lebedev and Bobby Aldigehri will serve as subject matter experts to help dial in the athletes' jumping and aerial skills. 

The second group of athletes selected for the MONDG comprises the best up-and-coming moguls skiers in the country - many with great international and domestic success, including multiple Junior World Championship and U.S. Championship medalists. This season’s camps kick off in June at the Utah Olympic Park. 

2026-27 Moguls National Development Group

(Club; Notable Achievements)

Women

• Anabel Ayad (Park City Ski & Snowboard; 3rd, Junior World Championships dual moguls team, 2025; Four NorAm podiums)
• Victoria Johnson (Killington Mountain School; 3rd, Junior World Championships dual moguls, 2026; 4th, U.S. Championships dual moguls, 2025)
• Ava Keenan (Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 3rd, U.S. Championship moguls, 2026; Three NorAm top-10 finishes)
• Eden Kruger (Killington Mountain School; 2nd, Junior World Championships dual moguls team, 2026; One World Cup start)*
• Alivia Martin (Winter Park Competition Center; Two Junior World Championships starts)
• Dory Michaud (Park City Ski & Snowboard; 3rd, U.S. Championship dual moguls, 2026; Six NorAm top-10 finishes)

Men

• Jiah Cohen (Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; Junior World Champion, dual moguls team, 2025; 3rd, Youth Olympic Games dual moguls team, 2024)*
• Jack Egan (Wasatch Freestyle; 2nd, Junior World Championship dual moguls, 2026; One NorAm podium)
• Porter Huff (Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 2nd, Junior World Championship moguls, 2026; 2024 Youth Olympic Games gold medalist, dual moguls team; Two time Youth Olympic Games medalist)*
• Camden Lewis (Gould Academy; Two-time Junior World Championship medalist, 2026; 2nd, U.S. Championship dual moguls, 2026)*
• Chase Littlefield (Wasatch Freestyle; 3rd, Junior World Championship dual moguls team, 2025; One NorAm podium)
• Freddie Mickel (Wasatch Freestyle; Five Junior World Championship starts; One NorAm podium)*

* indicates previous World Cup starts

Abby McLarnon, hailing from Steamboat Springs, Colorado, is the youngest and newest athlete on the Stifel U.S. Freestyle Ski Team moguls team, representing the strong pipeline in U.S. moguls skiing. Despite not starting to compete in moguls skiing until she was 13, McLarnon is a lifelong skier and spent her younger years learning multiple ski disciplines. In 2024, she represented Team USA at the Youth Olympic Winter Games in Gangwon, South Korea and brought home two bronze medals in dual moguls and dual moguls team. She continued her upward trajectory with a bronze medal performance at the 2025 FIS Junior World Championships in dual moguls. She ended the season with two third-place finishes at the Toyota U.S. Championships, earning her a spot on the Stifel U.S. Ski Team for the 2025-26 season. 

This season, McLarnon took her opportunity and ran with it, earning her first World Cup starts, a silver medal at Junior Worlds and finished the year ranked third in the overall NorAm Cup standings. This season, Abby is looking to continue growing both on and off the snow. Learn more from the rookie below.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s “On the Rise” series, presented by Zions Bank, highlights athletes throughout the season. Through community service, sponsorships and charitable donations, Zions Bank is committed to fueling economic growth and enhancing the quality of life in Idaho, Utah and Wyoming.

Q: What initially drew you to the sport? 
Abby McLarnon: I was initially drawn to the sport through the desire to try something new. I always loved skiing but was never competitive until I was 13. Being on a team that did everything, I was able to try out most of the different disciplines. The more I learned about mogul skiing, the more I fell in love with it.

Q: When you were younger and getting into the sport, what were your goals? 
AM: When I was younger, I always wanted to be on the U.S. Ski Team. Watching the other girls on the team continuously crushing it in competition and on social media always drove me to learn new things. I am so grateful to be able to call myself their teammate now and push myself to become the best athlete I can be. 

Q: What is your biggest accomplishment?
AM: My biggest accomplishment is not only making the team, but how my previous season went. I was able to get to know my teammates and grow a bond with them while also progressing and having my best competition season thus far. I was able to progress a lot while continuing to get the results I was in search of.

Q: What is your ultimate goal?
AM: My ultimate goal is to ski at the Olympics. I hope to be able to compete for my country on the ultimate stage. I would also like to be an advocate for youth athletes who are getting into the sport. Being a role model for young girls specifically would be incredibly fulfilling.

Q: Who are your heroes? Both in & out of the sport?
AM: My heroes within the sport are some of my coaches; specifically, Bobby Aldighieri, Freddy Mooney, Josh Kober, Bryon Wilson and Bryan Zemba. Without their continuous support and encouragement, I would not be where I am today and continuing to improve the way I am. 

Outside of the sport, it would be my parents. Growing up in a strong female household taught me to always believe in myself. My mom is my ultimate hero, and I am so grateful for everything she has done for me. My dad comes to as many of my competitions as he can and is my biggest supporter. Without him teaching me how to ski when I was young, I would never have gained the experiences I have through mogul skiing.

Questions sponsored by Zion's Bank.

Q: You win $5,000 in prize money: what do you do with it?
AM: I would make sure to put some into a savings account, one that earns interest and accrues over time. I would also make sure to use it to take care of my mental and physical wellbeing. Taking care to make sure you're happy is the most important thing of all.

Q: Do you have a budget or follow a spending structure?
AM: I am not financially independent yet, but I am learning more and more about budgeting! I don't budget things out yet, but I should start. It is definitely useful to get into the habit of doing!!

Q: What's one money habit you follow?
AM: One money habit I follow and will continue to follow is making sure to always put money into my savings account. Having money available if I need it is important to me.

Follow Abby McLarnon on social media. 

The Stifel U.S. Freestyle Ski Team moguls team has announced key staffing changes ahead of the 2026-27 season. 

Bryon Wilson has announced his retirement from moguls coaching after serving as the team’s head coach for the last four seasons, and leading them to four Nations Cups, four World Championship medals and four Olympic medals. 

Taking over the head coaching position for the Stifel U.S. Freestyle Ski Team moguls team is Rob Kober, hailing from Canada. Kober led the Canadian Men’s Moguls Team for over 15 years, and helped them find success time and time again, including four Olympic medals, 17 World Championship podiums and countless World Cup wins. His impressive resume on the snow helped him earn the prestigious Jack Donohue Coach of the Year Award presented by the Coaching Association of Canada. Beyond his 20+ years of coaching experience, Kober has earned degrees in Adolescent Studies and High Performance coaching, building a strong foundation in fostering athlete relationships, developing specialized programs and strong leadership. 

In addition to hiring a new head coach, the staffing structure is expanding to include a new development coaching position. Chuck Martin will take the helm of the Moguls National Development Group, which brings together the next generation of moguls athletes from around the country to help bridge the gap between clubs and the U.S. team. Martin comes from Winter Park, where he served as the Head FIS Moguls Coach for the Winter Park Competition Center for the last three seasons. Martin has coached for 39 years after transitioning from his professional skiing career. During his time on the U.S. team, Martin earned one World Cup win, eight podiums, a World Championship bronze medal, and was named to the 1992 Olympic Team. In this new position, he will focus on building the up-and-coming moguls athletes to strengthen our pipeline across the country. 

"Bryon Wilson has had a tremendous impact on our moguls program over the last four seasons; under his leadership, the team achieved remarkable success," said Matt Gnoza, U.S. Ski & Snowboard Freestyle Sport Director. "Beyond the results, Wilson helped foster a team atmosphere that will continue to lead our program for years to come. We are incredibly grateful for his dedication and wish him all the best in his next chapter.

As we look to the future, we're excited to welcome Rob Kober as our new head coach. Rob brings an exceptional track record of success at the highest levels of our sport, along with a deep commitment to athlete development and team culture. His experience, leadership and vision make him an outstanding fit to lead our moguls program into the next Olympic cycle.

We are equally excited to add Chuck Martin to a newly created coaching role within the Moguls National Development Group. Chuck's experience as both an elite athlete and coach gives him a unique perspective that will be invaluable as we strengthen our athlete pipeline. The creation of the National Development Group reflects our commitment to building long-term success by providing greater support and opportunities for the next generation of U.S. moguls athletes. Together, these additions position us well for continued success both today and in the years ahead."

The team’s performance in the 2025-26 season was nothing short of incredible, earning the Nations Cup, securing four Olympic medals and 18 World Cup podiums despite a shortened season. These achievements will set the standard heading into a World Championship year.