Going for Paralympic Gold

Wildcat athletes at the Winter Games

Wednesday, March 7, 2018

USA sled hockey team member Noah Grove '21 is competing in the Winter Paralympics in PyeongChang, South Korea.

Just as UNH had a small but mighty presence at the 2018 Olympics (Kacey Bellamy ’09 was a member of the USA women’s hockey team that won the gold), so, too, will Wildcats, past and present, during the 2018 Paralympic Games March 9-18 in PyeongChang, South Korea.

UNH Wildcats on 2018 Paralympic Teams

Noah Grove ’21 is a member of the 2018 U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey Team. A freshman in the College of Life Sciences and Agriculture, this is his first appearance at the Paralympics. In PyeongChang he will take the ice with veteran teammates, eight of whom played on the gold-medal winning team at Sochi in 2014. Grove was a member of the team that won a silver medal at the 2017 Para Sled Hockey World Championship in Gangneung, South Korea.

Laurie Stephens ’07, a monoskier on the U.S. Paralympic Alpine Skiing Team, is a four-time Paralympian with six medals to her name. She started skiing at age 12. By 15, she was racing and in 2004, she was the slalom World Cup champion. Stephens won gold medals in downhill, Super G and giant slalom at the 2006 Paralympic Winter Games in Torino and a bronze medal at the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Games in the downhill super-G.

Tyler Walker ’08, a monoskier from Franconia, New Hampshire, is competing in his fourth consecutive Paralympics with the U.S. Paralympic Alpine Skiing Team. Walker grew up skiing in adaptive programs and later joined the New England Disabled Ski Team. He was the World Cup overall runner-up for giant slalom when he was only 19 years old. The following year he captured the same title at the 2004 Paralympic Winter Games. Walker won gold medals in the monoskier cross event in the X Games in 2010 and 2009.

Natalie Bilynsky ’16 joins the athletes in PyeongChang through a study abroad program that will have her meeting with members of the International Paralympic Committee, elite athletes and event organizers. Bilynsky is a graduate student in recreation, management and policy with a minor in adaptive sports option. She will conduct her field practicum at the Paralympic Games.