The United States sent 204 athletes to the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. Chris Witty, a four-time Olympian, who competed in both Summer and Winter games, and won a gold medal in speed skating at the 2002 Games, served as the flag bearer at the opening ceremonies. Speed skater Joey Cheek, who won gold in the 500 m and silver in the 1000 m, was the flag bearer at the closing ceremonies. One athlete, Sarah Konrad, became the first American woman to compete in two different disciplines at the same Winter Olympics – biathlon and cross-country skiing.
While the United States' total medal count was down from the 2002 Winter Olympics, there were many highlights to the Games. Pete Fenson led the U.S. Curling team to a bronze medal, their first curling medal ever won. Speed skater Shani Davis became the first athlete of African descent from any country to win an individual gold medal. He won gold in the 1,000 m and followed that with a silver medal in the 1,500 m. Ice dancers Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto won America's first figure skating ice dancing medal in 30 years.
Medalists
The following U.S. competitors won medals at the games. In the by discipline sections below, medalists' names are bolded.
| width="78%" align="left" valign="top" |
{| class="wikitable sortable" style=font-size:95%
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!Medal
!Name
!Sport
!Event
!Date
|-
|
|
|Speed skating
|Men's 5000 meters
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|
|
|Snowboarding
|Men's halfpipe
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|-
|
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|Snowboarding
|Women's halfpipe
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|-
|
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|Speed skating
|Men's 500 meters
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|-
|
|
|Alpine skiing
|Men's combined
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|-
|
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|Snowboarding
|Men's snowboard cross
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|-
|
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|Speed skating
|Men's 1000 meters
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|-
|
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|Alpine skiing
|Women's giant slalom
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|-
|
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|Short track speed skating
|Men's 500 meters
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|-
|
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|Snowboarding
|Men's halfpipe
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|-
|
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|Snowboarding
|Women's halfpipe
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|-
|
|
|Snowboarding
|Women's snowboard cross
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|-
|
|
|Speed skating
|Men's 1000 meters
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|-
|
|<br/>Tanith Belbin
|Figure skating
|Ice dance
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|-
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|<br/>Shauna Rohbock
|Bobsleigh
|Two-woman
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|-
|
|
|Speed skating
|Men's 1500 meters
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|-
|
|
|Figure skating
|Women's singles
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|-
|
|
|Speed skating
|Men's 10,000 meters
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|-
|
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|Freestyle skiing
|Men's moguls
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|-
|
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|Short track speed skating
|Men's 1000 meters
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|-
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|<br>
|Ice hockey
|Women's tournament
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|-
|
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|Speed skating|| Men's 1500 meters
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|-
|
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|Snowboarding
|Women's parallel giant slalom
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|-
|
|<br>Pete Fenson<br>Joseph Polo<br>Shawn Rojeski<br>John Shuster
|Curling
|Men's tournament
|
|-
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|<br>J. P. Kepka<br>Apolo Ohno<br>Rusty Smith
|Short track speed skating
|Men's 5000 meter relay
|
|}
| width=22% align=left valign=top |
{| class=wikitable style=font-size:85%;float:right;text-align:center
|+Medals by sport
|-
!Sport
|bgcolor=F7F6A8|
|bgcolor=DCE5E5|
|bgcolor=FFDAB9|
!Total
|-
|Snowboarding
|bgcolor=F7F6A8|3
|bgcolor=DCE5E5|3
|bgcolor=FFDAB9|1
|7
|-
|Speed skating
|bgcolor=F7F6A8|3
|bgcolor=DCE5E5|3
|bgcolor=FFDAB9|1
|7
|-
|Alpine skiing
|bgcolor=F7F6A8|2
|bgcolor=DCE5E5|0
|bgcolor=FFDAB9|0
|2
|-
|Short track speed skating
|bgcolor=F7F6A8|1
|bgcolor=DCE5E5|0
|bgcolor=FFDAB9|2
|3
|-
|Figure skating
|bgcolor=F7F6A8|0
|bgcolor=DCE5E5|2
|bgcolor=FFDAB9|0
|2
|-
|Bobsled
|bgcolor=F7F6A8|0
|bgcolor=DCE5E5|1
|bgcolor=FFDAB9|0
|1
|-
|Curling
|bgcolor=F7F6A8|0
|bgcolor=DCE5E5|0
|bgcolor=FFDAB9|1
|1
|-
|Freestyle skiing
|bgcolor=F7F6A8|0
|bgcolor=DCE5E5|0
|bgcolor=FFDAB9|1
|1
|-
|Ice hockey
|bgcolor=F7F6A8|0
|bgcolor=DCE5E5|0
|bgcolor=FFDAB9|1
|1
|-
!Total
!style=background:gold|9
!style=background:silver|9
!style=background:#c96|7
!25
|}
{| class=wikitable style=font-size:85%;float:right;text-align:center
|+Medals by date
|-
!Day
!Date
|bgcolor=F7F6A8|
|bgcolor=DCE5E5|
|bgcolor=FFDAB9|
!Total
|-
|1
|February 11
|bgcolor=F7F6A8|1
|bgcolor=DCE5E5|0
|bgcolor=FFDAB9|0
|1
|-
|2
|February 12
|bgcolor=F7F6A8|1
|bgcolor=DCE5E5|1
|bgcolor=FFDAB9|0
|2
|-
|3
|February 13
|bgcolor=F7F6A8|2
|bgcolor=DCE5E5|1
|bgcolor=FFDAB9|0
|3
|-
|4
|February 14
|bgcolor=F7F6A8|1
|bgcolor=DCE5E5|0
|bgcolor=FFDAB9|0
|1
|-
|5
|February 15
|bgcolor=F7F6A8|0
|bgcolor=DCE5E5|0
|bgcolor=FFDAB9|1
|1
|-
|6
|February 16
|bgcolor=F7F6A8|1
|bgcolor=DCE5E5|0
|bgcolor=FFDAB9|0
|1
|-
|7
|February 17
|bgcolor=F7F6A8|0
|bgcolor=DCE5E5|1
|bgcolor=FFDAB9|0
|1
|-
|8
|February 18
|bgcolor=F7F6A8|1
|bgcolor=DCE5E5|1
|bgcolor=FFDAB9|1
|3
|-
|10
|February 20
|bgcolor=F7F6A8|0
|bgcolor=DCE5E5|1
|bgcolor=FFDAB9|1
|2
|-
|11
|February 21
|bgcolor=F7F6A8|0
|bgcolor=DCE5E5|2
|bgcolor=FFDAB9|1
|3
|-
|13
|February 23
|bgcolor=F7F6A8|0
|bgcolor=DCE5E5|1
|bgcolor=FFDAB9|1
|2
|-
|14
|February 24
|bgcolor=F7F6A8|1
|bgcolor=DCE5E5|1
|bgcolor=FFDAB9|1
|3
|-
|15
|February 25
|bgcolor=F7F6A8|1
|bgcolor=DCE5E5|0
|bgcolor=FFDAB9|1
|2
|-
!colspan=2|Total
!style=background:gold|9
!style=background:silver|9
!style=background:#c96|7
!25
|}
{|class=wikitable style=font-size:85%;float:right;text-align:center
|+Medals by gender
|-
!Gender
|bgcolor=F7F6A8|
|bgcolor=DCE5E5|
|bgcolor=FFDAB9|
!Total
!Percentage
|-
|Male
|bgcolor=F7F6A8|7
|bgcolor=DCE5E5|4
|bgcolor=FFDAB9|5
|16
|64%
|-
|Female
|bgcolor=F7F6A8|2
|bgcolor=DCE5E5|4
|bgcolor=FFDAB9|2
|8
|32%
|-
|Mixed
|bgcolor=F7F6A8|0
|bgcolor=DCE5E5|1
|bgcolor=FFDAB9|0
|1
|4%
|-
!Total
!style=background:gold| 9
!style=background:silver| 9
!style=background:#c96| 7
!25
!100%
|}
{| class=wikitable style=font-size:85%;float:right;text-align:center
|+Multiple medalists
|-
!Name
!Sport
|bgcolor=F7F6A8|
|bgcolor=DCE5E5|
|bgcolor=FFDAB9|
!Total
|-
| Chad Hedrick
|Speed skating
|bgcolor=F7F6A8| 1
|bgcolor=DCE5E5| 1
|bgcolor=FFDAB9| 1
|3
|-
| Apolo Ohno
|Short track speed skating
|bgcolor=F7F6A8| 1
|bgcolor=DCE5E5| 0
|bgcolor=FFDAB9| 2
|3
|-
| Shani Davis
|Speed skating
|bgcolor=F7F6A8| 1
|bgcolor=DCE5E5| 1
|bgcolor=FFDAB9| 0
|2
|-
| Joey Cheek
|Speed skating
|bgcolor=F7F6A8| 1
|bgcolor=DCE5E5| 0
|bgcolor=FFDAB9| 1
|2
|}
Alpine skiing
The American alpine ski team fell short of its self-proclaimed goal of eight medals, earning only two in Turin, both gold. Bode Miller, who won two gold medals at the 2005 World Championships, failed to medal in Turin, but the men's team still earned a gold medal, as Ted Ligety took a surprise victory in the combined. The other medal came from Julia Mancuso, who put together two strong runs to win the women's giant slalom.
Men
{|class=wikitable style=font-size:90%;text-align:center
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!Athlete
Men
{|class=wikitable style=font-size:90%;text-align:center
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!Athlete
Men
{|class=wikitable style=font-size:90%;text-align:center
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!rowspan=2|Athlete Randall eventually was cleared to compete, participating in the women's relay and finishing 53rd in the 10 kilometre classical race.
Distance<br/>
Men
{|class=wikitable style=font-size:90%;text-align:center
|-
!Athlete
On the women's side, Cassandra Johnson, the 2005 World Championship silver medalist, struggled winning only two games and finishing well short of the mark needed to make the medal round. In the ice dance, the team of Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto sat just sixth after the compulsory dance, but moved up the standings in the original dance, claiming the second silver medal. Michelle Kwan, an Olympic medalist in Nagano and Salt Lake, planned to compete in Turin, but pulled out due to a severe groin strain. Emily Hughes competed in place of Kwan.
Individual
{|class=wikitable style=font-size:90%;text-align:center
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!rowspan=2|Athlete Kearney's failure to even advance from the qualifiers in the women's moguls was considering one of the team's disappointing performances.
Men
{|class=wikitable style=font-size:90%;text-align:center
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!rowspan=3|Athlete They did rebound with a win over Kazakhstan, but further losses to Slovakia, Sweden and Russia meant that the Americans finished fourth in their group, with the lowest point total of any team advancing to the medal round. In their quarterfinal against undefeated Finland, the Americans quickly fell behind 2–0, but managed to tie the game early in the second period. However, the Finns again took a two-goal lead later in the second, and while the Americans managed to score once more, they could not get closer than a 4–3 loss.
The women's team, also defending silver medalists, had a very strong round-robin showing, winning their three games by a combined score of 18–3. In the semifinals, the U.S. team played Sweden, with the Americans taking a 2–0 lead early in the second period. However, the Swedes then rallied, scoring twice to tie the game, and holding off the American attack and forcing a shootout to decide the game. Swedish goaltender Kim Martin stopped four American shooters, while Pernilla Winberg and Maria Rooth scored for Sweden. The American women bounced back from this loss in the bronze medal game, beating Finland 4–0.
Summary
{|class=wikitable style=font-size:90%;text-align:center
|-
!rowspan=2|Team
!rowspan=2|Event
!colspan=6|Group stage
!Quarterfinal
!Semifinal
!colspan=2|Final /
|-style=font-size:95%
!Opposition<br>Score
!Opposition<br>Score
!Opposition<br>Score
!Opposition<br>Score
!Opposition<br>Score
!Rank
!Opposition<br>Score
!Opposition<br>Score
!Opposition<br>Score
!Rank
|-
|align=left|United States men's
|align=left|Men's tournament
|<br>T 3–3
|<br>W 4–1
|<br>L 1–2
|<br>L 1–2
|<br>L 4–5
|4 Q
|<br>L 3–4
|colspan=3|Did not advance
|-
|align=left|United States women's
|align=left|Women's tournament
|<br>W 6–0
|<br>W 5–0
|<br>W 7–3
|colspan=2
|1 Q
|
|<br>L 2–3 GWS
|<br>W 4–0
|
|}
Men's tournament
Roster
Group play
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Quarterfinal
The Roster for Men’s ice hockey is missing Bret Hedican, Defenseman
Women's tournament
Roster
Group play
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Semifinal
Bronze medal game
Luge
Tony Benshoof was in position to win America's first singles luge medal after the first two runs, but two slower efforts on the final two runs left him in fourth place. Courtney Zablocki had a similar story in the women's event, with a pair of slow runs dropping her well off the medal pace after being in contention for bronze early.
Men
{|class=wikitable style=font-size:90%;text-align:center
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!rowspan=2|Athlete
{|class=wikitable style=font-size:90%;text-align:center
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!rowspan=2|Athlete The only other American to make an 'A-Final' in Turin was Rusty Smith, who set an Olympic record time in the quarterfinals of the 1000 metres, but ended up fourth in the final.
thumb|Apolo Ohno won gold in short track (500 m)
Men
{|class=wikitable style=font-size:90%;text-align:center
|-
!rowspan=2|Athlete
In the women's events, the U.S. has two medal contenders in Lee Ann Parsley and Noelle Pikus-Pace. However, Parsley's career ended as she attempted to qualify for the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin. She and several other teammates were struck by a runaway bobsled during a training session in Calgary, Canada on October 19, 2005. The bobsled, which failed to brake after crossing the finish line, ejected out the end of the track and struck Parsley and teammate Noelle Pikus-Pace. Pikus-Pace, who was the reigning overall world cup leader at the time, suffered a compound fracture of her right leg that took her out of the running for a 2006 Olympic bid as well. Parsley suffered soft-tissue injuries to her right leg that severely hampered her ability to compete in the US team trials less than 72 hours after the accident. She stayed with the team however as an assistant coach and was part of the 2006 US Olympic Skeleton Team coaching staff.
In their absence, the best finishes were a pair of 6ths, from Eric Bernotas and Katie Uhlaender in the men's and women's events, respectively.
{|class=wikitable style=font-size:90%;text-align:center
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!rowspan=2|Athlete
{|class=wikitable style=font-size:90%;text-align:center
|-
!rowspan=2|Athlete Lindsey Jacobellis was poised to give the Americans a fourth gold medal in the women's snowboard cross, but fell on the final hill while attempting a grab, was passed, and ended up with silver.
Freestyle<br/>
Men
{|class=wikitable style=font-size:90%;text-align:center
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!rowspan=3|Athlete Hedrick was the source of some controversy when he called out teammate Shani Davis, who skipped the team pursuit in order to prepare for his specialty, the 1000 metres. Davis won this event to become the first ever Winter Olympic individual gold medalist of African descent. The third medalist was Joey Cheek, who won gold in the 500 metres, and was chosen to carry the U.S. flag in the closing ceremonies.
Distance<br/>
Men
{|class=wikitable style=font-size:90%;text-align:center
|-
!rowspan=2|Athlete