Massachusetts Connection Behind USA’s Historic Curling Medal

It was a historic day 4 at the Milano Cortina Olympic Winter Games for Team USA, with athletes winning medals in events for the first time in decades, some for the first time ever.

While many people were watching Ilia Malinin back-flipping on the ice during the Men's Figure Skating short program, some of the lesser-hyped sports were having epic moments as well.

For the mixed doubles curling team, Korey Dropkin and Cory Thiesse, it was a first-ever medal in the event for the United States. And it all started in a Wayland, MA curling club.

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From Massachusetts Rinks to Olympic Ice

30-year-old Korey Dropkin was born and raised in Southborough, MA. As a boy he would follow his older brother, Stephen Dropkin, to curling practice at Broomstones Curling Club just 12 miles from his home.

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It was there that Korey's own love of the sport grew and he eventually relocated to Duluth, Minnesota to chase his Olympic dreams.

Chasing An Olympic Dream

Dropkin unfortunately failed to make the 2022 Beijing Olympic Team, but it was that moment that made him realize he needed a new mixed doubles partner. He found it in his former classmate at the University of Minnesota Duluth, Cory Thiesse.

Since 2022, the pair have been competing (and winning) in mixed doubles curling around the world and at the 2025 World Championships, qualified to represent the US at the 2026 Olympics.

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The pair did not disappoint their fans across the country, eventually earning Team USA's first-ever gold medal game appearance in mixed doubles curling.

The Winning Run and Historic Medal

In a nail-biter of a final end during that gold medal match, Team USA lost to Swedish siblings Isabella and Rasmus Wranaa 6-5 and came away with the silver medal.

Though they might have hoped for more, it marked numerous firsts for the U.S. team. Not only was it the first time America made the gold medal match in mixed doubles, it was their first-ever medal of any kind in the event. Plus it marked the first-ever medal in curling for a female on Team USA for Thiesse.

So many firsts for a curler who started his career in the sport at the largest curling club in Massachusetts.