Once Ravens, Now Olympians: Chasing Gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics
Lead image by emson / iStock
By Elizabeth Kane
Four former Ravens will hit the ice and the slopes in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, as elite athletes from around the world gather in northern Italy for the 2026 Winter Olympic Games.
From Bobsleigh to Ski Cross to Hockey, these former Carleton athletes are making their mark at the biggest event in sports.
From the Football Field to the Ice Track
Team Canada’s bobsleigh roster will include two Ravens football alumni, Jay Dearborn and Keaton Bruggeling.
Following three seasons with Raven’s football, Dearborn played for the Saskatchewan Roughriders before joining the national bobsleigh team.
The Milan Cortina Olympics will be Dearborn’s second Olympic Games, following his Team Canada races at the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing. This time, Dearborn will be competing as a pilot, responsible for navigating the sled down the ice track.
This will be the first Olympic Games for fellow Raven football alum and Canadian Football League player Bruggeling. Having played for the Ravens for two seasons, he is currently a wide-receiver for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
The cross-over of skills between bobsleigh and football is significant – especially when it comes to explosive physical power, teamwork and the ability to endure.
“It is not an easy sport, it is hard on your body to go down a bobsleigh track,” explains Bruggeling, emphasizing the importance of the team’s focus and cooperation.
“It teaches you how to truly be a cohesive unit.”
As his Olympic debut approaches, Bruggeling looks forward to representing Canada at the Games.
“It’s still a little surreal,” he says.
“It was a long journey, and it’s a true honor to be one of the selected few to represent Canada. I’m going to do so with so much pride.”
Two-man bobsleigh races begin on Feb. 16, while the four-man bobsleigh races will begin on Feb. 21.
Skiing and Skating: Ravens at the Olympics
Out on the slopes, Team Canada will welcome back another Carleton alum to its roster. Hannah Schmidt will compete for Canada in ski cross.
“I feel very honored and proud.” says Schmidt.
“Our ski cross team is very strong and to be able to be named to the Olympic team is a huge honour.”
During her time at Carleton, she competed as a founding member of the alpine competitive club team, raced for Canada at the 2017 FISU Games and was named a RSEQ First-Team All-Star. She notes the mental pivoting from skiing to studying helped establish balance as she reached for her athletic goals.
This will be Schmidt’s second Olympic appearance, having raced in 2022 Winter Games.
While COVID-19 protocols at the time didn’t allow for out-of-country family or friends to attend the event, Schmidt looks forward to sharing the energy of the Games with fans and loved ones.
“I think that aspect of it is going to be really exciting,” she says.
Having recovered from a fractured tibia plateau sustained in early 2025, Schmidt is focused on the upcoming competition.
“I’ve gotten some good results this season and I’m improving every single race,” she says.
“I’m looking forward to putting it all together on race day.”
Olympic ski cross events begin on Feb. 20.
Beyond the rosters of Team Canada, Ravens men’s hockey alum Jason Seed has been selected to play for Italy’s national hockey team. Seed is the first Ravens men’s hockey alum to go to the Olympic Winter Games.
The defenceman played four seasons with the Ravens, including two appearances at the U SPORTS University Cup tournament. His experience with the Ravens program helped him prepare for a career in hockey after university.
“We were to be a competitive team, we wanted to win and we wanted to improve everyday,” says Seed.
“It certainly showed on the ice.”
Following graduation, he pursued a professional hockey career in Europe and currently plays for Italy’s HC Bolzano.
Originally from Ottawa, Seed holds dual Italian and Canadian citizenship.
Seed notes when he first went to Italy, playing in the Olympics had not been on his mind. As he became involved with the Italian national team, Seed realized the opportunity was close to becoming a reality.
“If I keep doing my thing, showing well and playing well for them, hopefully I’ll earn a spot on the roster for the Olympic team.”
His place in the Olympic lineup now secured, Seed will take to the ice with Team Italy on Feb. 11.
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