4-time Hoosier Olympian heads to the Winter Games
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Nick Goepper is ready to go for gold in Milano Cortina. Photo: Michael Reaves/Getty Images
After coming out of retirement, reinventing himself and making history, Hoosier skier Nick Goepper is taking his comeback tour to Milano Cortina.
Why it matters: With his participation in the 2026 Winter Olympics, the Fort Wayne-born and Lawrenceburg-raised athlete became just the second Hoosier to qualify for four Olympic Games.
- The 31-year-old is also an athlete to watch as he has successfully made the switch from slopestyle to halfpipe.
What he's saying: "When I retired for the first time after slopestyle in 2022, I truly felt like I'd accomplished everything that I had wanted to in the sport," Goepper recently told NBC Sports. "To have this kind of resurgence of inspiration and creativity and come back for halfpipe has been quite the surprise."
- "I was not planning this, so it's kind of like I'm just pinching myself."
Flashback: Goepper became an Olympian for the first time when he was 19, snagging a bronze medal in Sochi in 2014.
- He would go on to win silver slopestyle medals at Pyeongchang 2018 and Beijing 2022.
Struggles with substance abuse and depression following the 2014 games sent him to rehab.
- He is now celebrating more than a decade of sobriety and advocates for the importance of prioritizing "emotional fitness."
- "I think it's, you know, just focusing on what works and repeating habits and behaviors that might have helped," he said. "When it comes to depression and finding a reason to wake up in the morning … all of those little things really add up."
The latest: Goepper's resurgence picked up steam in January 2025 when he won X Games halfpipe gold, beating two-time halfpipe Olympic medalist Alex Ferreira.
- He has earned six World Cup halfpipe podiums with two wins, his most recent being the Jan. 3 Calgary Snow Rodeo victory that secured his spot on Team USA for 2026.
Fun fact: Goepper has garnered a fan base because of his signature style that he says stems from his Midwestern roots.
- He often competes in blue jeans and thrifted gear as a nod to his Hoosier values.
- "We never had name-brand cereal in the house," he told Team USA in 2025. "But my parents made sure we could still chase our dreams, no matter what it took."
The bottom line: Goepper is ready for whatever his fourth Winter Olympics throws at him.
- "I think I'm in top form. I know that I can do whatever I put my mind to."
What's next: USA Network's coverage of the men's freeski halfpipe starts Feb. 19 at 8:45am.
- Those who miss it live can catch a rerun at 6:30pm.
- The finals will be broadcast live by NBC at 1:30pm Feb. 20, and as a re-run at 3pm Feb. 21 on USA Network.
Go deeper: How, when and where to watch the 2026 Winter Olympics