United States Curling Teams Showcase Stark Gender Divide

Men's teams excel globally while women's teams lag behind

Mar. 26, 2026 at 4:26pm

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The United States curling scene is marked by a stark gender divide, with the men's teams far outpacing the women's teams on the global stage. While the American men's teams, led by the likes of John Shuster, Daniel Casper, and Korey Dropkin, are ranked among the world's best, the lone top-ranked U.S. women's team, skipped by Tabitha Peterson, has struggled to find consistent success at the highest levels of competition.

Why it matters

Curling's gender imbalance in the U.S. reflects broader challenges in growing the sport's popularity and participation, especially among women. The disparity also raises questions about the resources, coaching, and development pathways available to aspiring female curlers compared to their male counterparts.

The details

The U.S. men's curling teams currently boast four squads ranked in the global top 50, led by Shuster at #8 and the up-and-coming Casper at #14. In contrast, the U.S. women's side has just one team, Peterson's, ranked at #18. Peterson's team had a strong Olympic showing, finishing fourth, but was unable to compete in the subsequent U.S. and World Championships due to their Olympic commitments. The U.S. women's representative at the World Championships, Team Strouse, struggled mightily, finishing 2-10 and nearly being relegated to the 'B' division.

  • The 2026 Men's World Curling Championships will take place this Friday in Ogden, Utah.
  • The U.S. Olympic Trials and qualification events occurred prior to the 2022 Winter Olympics.

The players

John Shuster

A veteran U.S. men's curler ranked #8 in the world, Shuster led the American team to a gold medal at the 2018 Olympics and will represent the U.S. at the upcoming World Championships.

Daniel Casper

A rising star in U.S. men's curling, the 24-year-old Casper is ranked #14 in the world and recently beat Shuster's team at the U.S. Olympic Trials.

Korey Dropkin

The 30-year-old Dropkin is ranked #19 in the world and won a silver medal in mixed doubles curling at the 2026 Olympics.

Tabitha Peterson

The skip of the lone top-ranked U.S. women's curling team at #18 in the world, Peterson's squad finished fourth at the 2022 Olympics but was unable to compete in the subsequent U.S. and World Championships.

Delaney Strouse

The skip of the U.S. women's team that represented the country at the 2022 World Championships, Strouse's squad struggled, finishing 2-10 and nearly being relegated to the 'B' division.

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What they’re saying

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What’s next

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