U.S. Men 2025-26 Discussion - Quad God and the Mere Mortals

[YukiNieve]

So, someone asked me if any of you know or remember what the criteria are for participating in the World Team Trophy next spring. I vaguely remember it being the top two from each discipline, but top two of what? WS?

 

[Capt. DeSoto]

So, someone asked me if any of you know or remember what the criteria are for participating in the World Team Trophy next spring. I vaguely remember it being the top two from each discipline, but top two of what? WS?

Based on my very quick scan of the 2025 Announcement, it looks like it's based on World Standing points (excluding CS/IC/JIC points -- the two rightmost columns in the traditional points view). It could be more nuanced than that -- I only skimmed it briefly.

 

[TanithandBenFan]

Great Blades and Banter interview with Jacob Sanchez:

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

youtu.be

 

[Karen-W]

So, someone asked me if any of you know or remember what the criteria are for participating in the World Team Trophy next spring. I vaguely remember it being the top two from each discipline, but top two of what? WS?

Based on my very quick scan of the 2025 Announcement, it looks like it's based on World Standing points (excluding CS/IC/JIC points). It could be more nuanced than that -- I only skimmed it briefly.

The points are are earned the same way as the Olympic TE with one major difference - instead of just the top placing skater/team in every discipline, it's the top 2 skaters placements in the singles disciplines.

There are two categories of points awarded - 1) ISU Championships and 2) Grand Prix.

ETA - whoops - I thought we were talking about how teams qualify but it looks like we're talking about the selections for WTT. There are two separate sections - one is how the ISU Members earn points (which does exclude JGPF/CS/IC/IJC points), and the other is the Confirmation of Participation & Entries of Skaters/Couples.

The second section is what governs who is selected by each ISU Member to participate and it is, in theory, supposed to be the "best ranked skaters/couples (in the ISU WS valid after Worlds)". I say "in theory" because in 2025, the USFS sent Alysa & Amber even though Alysa was ranked lower in the WS than Isabeau even after winning Worlds. I presume, if Ilia decides to sit out the entirety of next season that the US will send our top 2 men from Worlds, though they may ask Ilia if he wants to do WTT since he'll certainly still be the highest ranked US man in the WS.

 

[YukiNieve]

There are two categories of points awarded - 1) ISU Championships and 2) Grand Prix.

Can they earn these points just over one year (2026-2027) or past 2 years?

 

[Karen-W]

Can they earn these points just over one year (2026-2027) or past 2 years?

Just the 2026-27 season.

 

[YukiNieve]

Thank you!

 

[YukiNieve]

Skaters from Boston were giving seminars in Thailand and Evan Lysacek (I think he lives there) came to the rink, too.

thailand_fsat on Instagram: "#FigureSkatingUpdate | 🤩 A special surprise at Bangkok 2026 International Seminar. 🥇 Olympic Champion Evan Lysacek is here ! #ThailandFigureSkating #ฟิกเกอร์สเก็ตติ้ง #สปีดสเก็ตติ้ง #FigureSkatingUpdate"

143 likes, 2 comments - thailand_fsat on May 28, 2026: "#FigureSkatingUpdate | 🤩 A special surprise at Bangkok 2026 International Seminar. 🥇 Olympic Champion Evan Lysacek is here ! #ThailandFigureSkating #ฟิกเกอร์สเก็ตติ้ง #สปีดสเก็ตติ้ง #FigureSkatingUpdate".

www.instagram.com

 

[TanithandBenFan]

Misha Ge posted an IG story of Jacob skating to Moonlight Sonata, but I can’t tell if it’s a program announcement.

 

[Wyliefan]

I hate it when they're coy like that!

 

[Allskate]

Misha Ge posted an IG story of Jacob skating to Moonlight Sonata, but I can’t tell if it’s a program announcement.

I took it as a program announcement, especially because it looks choreographed and the next slide names the music and musician. But, I couldn't tell if it was part of the short or part of the long. I wouldn't be surprised if Misha does a separate post because he has been doing that lately with other skaters and identifying their program music.

 

[Wyliefan]

This is it: https://www.instagram.com/stories/mishage8/3909306354707793423/

Still doesn't say SP or FS, but it gives the music and the composer (I guess it's based on Moonlight Sonata, but not actually Moonlight Sonata).

 

[YukiNieve]

It is an arrangement of Moonlight Sonata by Sofiane Pamart.

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

www.youtube.com

 

[Allskate]

This is it: https://www.instagram.com/stories/mishage8/3909306354707793423/

Still doesn't say SP or FS, but it gives the music and the composer (I guess it's based on Moonlight Sonata, but not actually Moonlight Sonata).

Yes, this is the story I was discussing above. Hopefully, Jacob or Mishe will make it clearer in a subsequent post whether this is a short program or long program.

ETA: Nevermind. @YukiNieve and I were posting at the same time. We posted the same info and link.

 

[YukiNieve]

Some competitions in which ISP skaters were participating took place this weekend:

Colonial Open (May 28-31, 2026)

2026 Colonial Open

Event Results for 2026 Colonial Open

ijs.usfigureskating.org

Jr Men Hitonari Tani, Henry Gao, Zachary LoPinto
Sr Men (SP only) Patrick Blackwell

All Year Open (May30-31, 2026)

2026 All Year Open

Event Results for 2026 All Year Open

ijs.usfigureskating.org

Jr Men Kirk Haugeto, Ryedin Rudedenman, Michael Jin, Louis Mallane, Jesse Zhong
Sr Men Taira Shinohara, Vaclav Vasquez

 

[YukiNieve]

Lucas Broussard is in Kobe, Japan (Sysmex - Karori Sakamoto's rink) and practicing there, jumping 4T.

Lucas on Instagram: "Account/quad toe revival?"

122 likes, 4 comments - lucas._.broussard on May 31, 2026: "Account/quad toe revival?".

www.instagram.com

 

[Rukia]

omg is lucas really returning home from the war

 

[Capt. DeSoto]

omg is lucas really returning home from the war

It isn't going to be easy for him (previous injuries notwithstanding). I tried doing a heavy engineering courseload and a sport that required 2-3 hours per day my freshman year. I was on the freshman squad and didn't even have to travel yet, so I had it easier in that sense. Let me tell you... things DID NOT go well for me academically. I couldn't afford to do 5 years of college in order to take a reduced courseload. I also wasn't an elite athlete, so, dropping the sport was a no-brainer. I get the impression his family can afford an extended college experience if necessary, so, maybe he'll be able to make it work. Best of luck to him. Engineering isn't an easy field to major in.

 

[skatfan]

The only skater I can think of who was able to combine both well was Nathan, and even he took time off before the Olympics.

 

[azcalder]

The only skater I can think of who was able to combine both well was Nathan, and even he took time off before the Olympics.

Matt Savoie was a student 1999-2005. He graduated summa cum laude from Bradley University in 2002, with a political science major and biology minor. He earned his master’s degree in urban planning from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2005. He delayed his acceptance to Cornell Law School for a year to train for the 2006 Olympics. He graduated in 2009.

 

[skatfan]

Matt Savoie was a student 1999-2005. He graduated summa cum laude from Bradley University in 2002, with a political science major and biology minor. He earned his master’s degree in urban planning from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2005. He delayed his acceptance to Cornell Law School for a year to train for the 2006 Olympics. He graduated in 2009.

Thanks for the post- impressive!

 

[Maximillian]

I mean Debi Thomas was in the middle of her freshman year at Stanford when she won her first Worlds and National titles in 1986. She was second at Nats and Worlds her sophomore year, but took a leave of absence for the Olympic year, which she has subsequently said she regrets doing.

 

[kwanfan1818]

Then there were the Harvard boys: Button, Petkevich, Wylie.

 

[mtnskater]

I’m beyond excited Lucas is skating again. Sure hoping he will stay injury free this year and come back to competing!

 

[ice coverage]

Very glad that Broussard shared a skating video.

In her freshman year at Harvard, Christina Gao won silver at Skate America; qualified for GPF; and placed fourth at Four Continents.

Skaters from Boston were giving seminars in Thailand and Evan Lysacek (I think he lives there) came to the rink, too.

thailand_fsat on Instagram: "#FigureSkatingUpdate | 🤩 A special surprise at Bangkok 2026 International Seminar. 🥇 Olympic Champion Evan Lysacek is here ! #ThailandFigureSkating #ฟิกเกอร์สเก็ตติ้ง #สปีดสเก็ตติ้ง #FigureSkatingUpdate"

143 likes, 2 comments - thailand_fsat on May 28, 2026: "#FigureSkatingUpdate | 🤩 A special surprise at Bangkok 2026 International Seminar. 🥇 Olympic Champion Evan Lysacek is here ! #ThailandFigureSkating #ฟิกเกอร์สเก็ตติ้ง #สปีดสเก็ตติ้ง #FigureSkatingUpdate".

www.instagram.com

Lysacek and his wife also hosted a dinner for the Boston-based group visiting for the latest seminars.
They have hosted dinners for Team USA contingents at JGPs in Thailand too. And Evan has presented medals at JGP Thailand at least once, IIRC.
Nice that he stays connected to the sport.

 

[Vagabond]

The only skater I can think of who was able to combine both well was Nathan, and even he took time off before the Olympics.

Plenty of top Japanese skaters are or were full-time university students while competing. Kaori Sakamoto and Shizuka Arakawa come to mind. Arakawa went to Waseda, which is one of Japan's best.

 

[Aaron MB Fan]

Lysacek and his wife also hosted a dinner for the Boston-based group visiting for the latest seminars.
They have hosted dinners for Team USA contingents at JGPs in Thailand too. And Evan has presented medals at JGP Thailand at least once, IIRC.
Nice that he stays connected to the sport.

Evan was in Milano to watch the Olympics as well. In one of the events, I think it might have been the Pairs SP or LP, we had seats very close to his.

 

[Capt. DeSoto]

Evan was in Milano to watch the Olympics as well.

Not only to watch, he was also a member of the official U.S. delegation, along with PenceVance and Rubio. I’m not sure if there were more members of the delegation, those were just the three members I heard mentioned on The Runthrough.

 

[ice coverage]

Not only to watch, he was also a member of the official U.S. delegation, along with Pence and Rubio. I’m not sure if there were more members of the delegation, those were just the three members I heard mentioned on The Runthrough.

Other Olympic champions who were members of the official U.S. delegation: short track speed skater Apolo Ohno; and the Lamoureux sisters from ice hockey.

p.s. You mean Vance, not Pence.

 

[Capt. DeSoto]

p.s. You mean Vance, not Pence.

I just re-listened to the episode today while mowing the lawn (just 30 minutes before posting) and thought it was a little odd that it was Pence and didn't think any deeper into it. OF COURSE it wouldn't be Pence. My ears deceived me (the loud mower didn't help). Thanks for the correction.