University of Minnesota Athletics
Photo by: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Gophers Claim Three Medals at 2026 Olympic Games
2/22/2026 10:30:00 AM | Men's Hockey
Faber, LaCombe win gold in Milan
MILAN, Italy - Three former skaters from the University of Minnesota walked away from the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, with men's hockey medals when the tournament finished Sunday. Brock Faber and Jackson LaCombe earned gold medals with Team USA's epic overtime victory, while Erik Haula claimed a bronze medal for Team Finland.
It was the first gold medal for the Americans in 46 years since nine former Golden Gophers helped pull off the historic win in Lake Placid in 1980 under head coach Herb Brooks. Faber and LaCombe join elite company as the 13th and 14th players from the Maroon and Gold to be presented with a gold medal from the 2026, 1980, and 1960 games.
As the ninth representative of Minnesota to be named to two U.S. Men's Olympic hockey teams and the youngest player on the roster in 2026, Faber was a defensive stalwart for the Red, White, and Blue. The Maple Grove, Minn., product chipped in two points, scoring his first Olympic goal against Germany in the preliminary round on Feb. 15 after assisting on the game-winning goal versus Denmark the previous night. He averaged 18 minutes per game, the third-most ice time of any skater for the United States and finished a plus-7 across six games.
Haula became the first former Gopher to earn an Olympic medal for a team other than the United States as he helped power Finland to bronze. He recorded six points in six games and was the second-highest scoring player on the team. The Pori, Finland, native put together his best performances of the tournament in the final two games, including the medal-clinching game winner in the bronze medal game versus Slovakia. He added an insurance tally into an empty net as part of a two-goal effort Saturday. Haula also tallied a shorthanded goal against Canada the night prior in the semifinals and had a two-assist performance during a preliminary round win over Italy on Feb. 14.
A late addition to the Team USA roster, LaCombe did not dress for any of the six contests in his first trip to the Olympic games but was part of the first win in nearly 50 years.
While working with the American women in Milan, Minnesota's strength and conditioning coach, Cal Dietz helped the team bring home a gold medal for a group that featured five current and former Gophers.
All-Time Golden Gophers in the Olympics
It was the first gold medal for the Americans in 46 years since nine former Golden Gophers helped pull off the historic win in Lake Placid in 1980 under head coach Herb Brooks. Faber and LaCombe join elite company as the 13th and 14th players from the Maroon and Gold to be presented with a gold medal from the 2026, 1980, and 1960 games.
As the ninth representative of Minnesota to be named to two U.S. Men's Olympic hockey teams and the youngest player on the roster in 2026, Faber was a defensive stalwart for the Red, White, and Blue. The Maple Grove, Minn., product chipped in two points, scoring his first Olympic goal against Germany in the preliminary round on Feb. 15 after assisting on the game-winning goal versus Denmark the previous night. He averaged 18 minutes per game, the third-most ice time of any skater for the United States and finished a plus-7 across six games.
Haula became the first former Gopher to earn an Olympic medal for a team other than the United States as he helped power Finland to bronze. He recorded six points in six games and was the second-highest scoring player on the team. The Pori, Finland, native put together his best performances of the tournament in the final two games, including the medal-clinching game winner in the bronze medal game versus Slovakia. He added an insurance tally into an empty net as part of a two-goal effort Saturday. Haula also tallied a shorthanded goal against Canada the night prior in the semifinals and had a two-assist performance during a preliminary round win over Italy on Feb. 14.
A late addition to the Team USA roster, LaCombe did not dress for any of the six contests in his first trip to the Olympic games but was part of the first win in nearly 50 years.
While working with the American women in Milan, Minnesota's strength and conditioning coach, Cal Dietz helped the team bring home a gold medal for a group that featured five current and former Gophers.
All-Time Golden Gophers in the Olympics
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