Eau Claire's Team Hebert repeats as junior national curling champions

The team will represent the U.S. at the 2027 World Junior Curling Championships.

Apr. 10, 2026 at 1:50am

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A fragmented, cubist-style painting depicting a curling match or competition, with sharp geometric shapes and planes in vibrant blues, reds, and yellows, conveying the dynamic energy and movement of the sport.Eau Claire's curling prodigies continue their meteoric rise, shattering expectations and redefining the sport's future.Bismarck Today

The Eau Claire Curling Club's Team Hebert, consisting of Caden Hebert, Jack Wendtland, Benji Paral, and Jackson Bestland, won the USA Curling Junior U20 National Championships for the second consecutive year. The team defeated Team Grabow 5-2 in the championship game, earning the right to represent the U.S. at the 2027 World Junior Curling Championships.

Why it matters

Team Hebert's back-to-back junior national titles and world championship appearance showcase the strength of the Eau Claire curling program and the team's continued dominance in the sport. Their success highlights the growth and competitiveness of junior curling in the United States.

The details

Team Hebert, led by coach Mike Peplinski, won the national championship a month after claiming gold at the 2026 Junior World Curling Championships. The team faced high expectations and pressure heading into the national tournament, but they eventually found their championship form, losing only one match on the way to the title.

  • Team Hebert won gold at the 2026 Junior World Curling Championships in February.
  • The USA Curling Junior U20 National Championships took place on April 4, 2026 in Bismarck, North Dakota.
  • The 2027 World Junior Curling Championships will expand to 16 teams per gender.

The players

Team Hebert

An Eau Claire Curling Club team consisting of Caden Hebert, Jack Wendtland, Benji Paral, and Jackson Bestland, who won the USA Curling Junior U20 National Championships for the second consecutive year.

Mike Peplinski

The coach of Team Hebert, who guided the team to back-to-back national titles and a world championship appearance.

Team Grabow

The team that lost to Team Hebert in the championship game of the USA Curling Junior U20 National Championships.

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What they’re saying

“Being back to back champions feels amazing, but there is also a sense of relief that we get to defend our world championship next February.”

— Mike Peplinski, Team Hebert coach

“It's incredible, it's not something that felt easy to do. Every team was there to beat us, it felt like. We got everyone's best game.”

— Caden Hebert

“To bring our team back to worlds and to have a world championship to look forward to is incredible.”

— Caden Hebert

“This was a good check off the board but the bigger focus is preparing for the world championship next year.”

— Jack Wendtland

“Going back-to-back is weird because the first time felt way more exciting because everything led up to that, and the second time was almost more of a relief (with) no more pressure.”

— Jackson Bestland

What’s next

The 2027 World Junior Curling Championships will look a little different for Team Hebert, as the tournament will expand to 16 teams per gender. The team is confident in their ability to defend their world title and continue to grow as one of the best junior curling teams in the world.

The takeaway

Team Hebert's back-to-back junior national titles and world championship appearances demonstrate the strength of the Eau Claire curling program and the team's continued dominance in the sport. Their success highlights the growth and competitiveness of junior curling in the United States, and the team is poised to continue their winning ways on the world stage.