Minnesota leads in Olympic participation with 20 athletes. Would have been 21, but Paul Martin withdrew due to injury. New York is second with 18.
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David Backes, 25, Blaine, hockey. A durable, gritty forward for the St Louis Blues, Backes is making his first Olympic appearance. Skated for Minnesota State Mankato for three years. Has logged 23 games with the U.S. national team over the past three years. Backes' appeal to Team USA general manager Brian Burke is obvious: He's tough and persistent.
Tony Benshoof, 34, White Bear Lake, luge. A three-time Olympian, Benshoof finished fourth in Turin in 2006. That was the highest-ever Olympic finish by a U.S. male in singles. Has won more international luge medals (37) than any other American. Moved from his hometown of White Bear Lake to Hugo, where he works as a bartender. Had back surgery in late 2008 and has struggled through a long, painful recuperation. Came on strong at the end of 2009. Often discounted but always a threat.
John Benton, 40, St. Michael, curling. The oldest member of the U.S. Olympic team, Benton is making his first appearance at the Games. Qualified in the Olympic trials and will be the lead. Began curling when he was 6. A self-professed "computer geek" who works as a systems analyst for Fairview Health Services of Minnesota. Is out of the St. Paul Curling Club.
Rebekah Bradford, 26, Apple Valley, speed skating (long track). Bradford wiped out near the finish of her 1,000-meter race at the Olympic trials in December. But the judges offered her another chance, allowing her to skate by herself against the clock. The stipulation was that her time would not qualify for the national title but could be used to earn an Olympic spot. She made the team with that do-over. She has been competing in international speed skating since 2002. Studying psychology and exercise sports science at the University of Utah. First-time Olympian flying under the medals radar.
Caitlin Compton, 29, Minneapolis, Nordic skiing. Born in New City but calls Minneapolis home. Has been chasing Olympic dream for all of her adult life and will make her debut in Vancouver. One of very few U.S. athletes to compete at world championships in two sports: 2007, 2009 cross country; 2008 biathlon. No American woman has won an Olympic medal in Nordic skiing.
Natalie Darwitz, 26, Eagan, hockey. Three-time Olympian who has won just about everything there is to win in women's hockey except an Olympic gold medal. Captain of the 2010 team. An eight-time member of the national team and winner of three world championships. Won two NCAA titles at University of Minnesota. Scored 312 goals in 102 games at Eagan High School. Finished first year as assistant coach with Gophers. She'll lead the charge against archrival Canada.
Jeff Isaacson, 26, Duluth, curling. Working as the second, this will be Isaacson's first Olympics. He is out of Mesabi East High School in Aurora and is known for his appreciation of the sport's history. Quit curling in 2007 to get on with his career as a high school chemistry teacher, but returned in 2008. Also coaches curling in Minnesota.
Erik Johnson, 21, Bloomington, hockey. Big, fluid defensemen expected to see plenty of ice time for Team USA. Has a wicked shot from the point. One of just five Americans to be drafted No. 1 overall in the NHL. Teammate of fellow Olympian David Backes on the St. Louis Blues. Played one year at the University of Minnesota. Will see plenty of power-play time in Vancouver.
Garrott Kuzzy, 27, Minneapolis, Nordic skiing. Twin Cities-raised Kuzzy lives in Hayward, Wis. Originally interested in ski jumping and Nordic combined before settling on cross country. Making Olympic debut and likely will compete in one of the shorter distances, perhaps the 15 kilometers. A top-10 finish would be considered quite an achievement.
Maria Lamb, 24, River Falls, Wis., speed skating (long track). Born in St. Paul, Lamb skated in the 1,500 meters and team pursuit in Turin. The women's team isn't particularly strong, and any medal would be an unexpected bonus.
Jamie Langenbrunner, 34, Cloquet, hockey. Captain of the 2010 team. After 13 years in the NHL, scored his first career hat trick this season while playing against the Wild in St. Paul. Participated in the 1998 Games in Nagano. A two-time Stanley Cup winner and captain of the New Jersey Devils, Langenbrunner was picked as much for his leadership as for his hockey skills. A solid if unspectacular two-way player, he'll be charged with keeping things running smoothly in the dressing room as Team USA tries to sneak in for a medal.
Gigi Marvin, 22, Warroad, hockey. First-time Olympian, Marvin was a four-year star for the University of Minnesota. Scored 55 goals as a senior at Warroad High. Granddaughter of Cal Marvin, who coached the 1958 U.S. men's team and is a member of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame. Will be counted on to supply firepower as the United States tries to win gold for the first time since 1998. Has a degree in broadcast journalism.
Natalie Nicholson, 33, Bemidji, curling. Nicholson, out of the Bemidji Curling Club, was devastated at not qualifying for the 2006 Games. Rebounded to become a first-time Olympian in 2010 for an up-and-coming U.S. team. Plays lead. Half American Indian, she works as a nurse practitioner at the Red Lake reservation.
Zach Parise, 25, Prior Lake, hockey. An up-and-coming NHL star, Parise is a high-scoring winger with the New Jersey Devils. Son of former North Star J.P. Parise. Out of Shattuck-St. Mary's and the University of North Dakota, he's making his first Olympic appearance. He'll be a key player for Team USA, given an outside chance to earn a medal.
Chris Plys, 22, Duluth, curling. Alternate for men's team, Plys is making his Olympic debut. Out of Duluth Curling Club. Selected for 2008 national junior all-star team. Appeared on E! reality series "Bank of Hollywood" on Dec. 29 and was awarded $6,500 to help pay for his parents' trip to Vancouver for the Games. Father has been battling brain cancer for several years.
Jenny Potter, 33, Edina, hockey. One of the pioneers of women's hockey, Potter is making her fourth Olympic appearance. She has won Olympic gold (Nagano), silver (Salt Lake City) and bronze (Turin). Played one year of college hockey for Minnesota and three for Minnesota-Duluth. Has two children and is known as "Mom" to her Olympic teammates. Still a force on the ice at age 33.
Allison Pottinger, 36, Eden Prairie, curling. Born in Ontario, Pottinger became a U.S. citizen in 1999. Making her Olympic debut as vice skip, she is the unofficial team strategist. Played a year of softball at Wisconsin-Oshkosh. Out of the St. Paul Curling Club, she now lives in Eden Prairie and works as a marketing research analyst for General Mills. U.S. Curling female athlete of the year in 2008. Has two daughters.
Kaylin Richardson, 25, Edina, Alpine skiing. Appearing in her second Olympics, Richardson got her start at Hyland Hills. Often raced against cross-Twin Cities rival Lindsey Vonn as a youngster. Current U.S. downhill champion. Has a Web site dedicated to raising money for children in need. Has three overall national championship victories. Should be competitive in slalom and downhill.
Wynn Roberts, 21, Battle Lake, biathlon. Originally out of the Nisswa NW Biathlon Club, Roberts is the only member of the five-man U.S. team to be making his Olympic debut in Vancouver. A bicycle racer who took up biathlon to keep in shape. Dad is cross country ski coach at Battle Lake High, in west-central Minnesota. Has a good chance of being on the first U.S. team to win an Olympic biathlon medal.
John Shuster, 27, Chisholm, curling. Skip of the 2010 team, Shuster was a member of the bronze-medal-winning squad in Turin. It was this country's first-ever curling medal. Out of the Duluth Curling Club, was the 1999 Minnesota high school curling champion. Practices by throwing 50 curling stones per day. Believes team can improve on '06 bronze.
Jason Smith, 26, Chisholm, curling. Longtime friend of skip John Shuster, who got him into the sport. The two grew up together. Like Shuster, tends bar at Duluth Curling Club. Works summer construction in Florida. Will serve as vice skip in 2010. Making his Olympic debut.
Lindsey Vonn, 25, Vail, Colo., Alpine skiing. Carries ore expectations to ancouver than any other U.S. thlete. Considered the face of the U.S. contingent. A three-time Olympian favored to win multiple medals.
Born in St. Paul, she learned to ski at Buck Hill in Burnsville. America's best hope in Vonn-couver.
