The XXIII Winter Olympic Games begin today and Opening Ceremonies are tomorrow in PyeongChang, South Korea. Athletes from around the world have arrived in the Olympic Village ready for the upcoming competitions. In the Winter Games, these top-level athletes will compete for 259 medals in 15 sports, including alpine skiing, ice hockey, ski jumping, and bobsleigh. The 2018 United States Olympic Team is comprised of 244 athletes — 135 men, 109 women, the largest Winter Olympic team for any nation in history.In this 16-day winter sports celebration featuring athleticism and life-changing accomplishment, five Northwood alumni have been named to Olympic teams. As athletes (Andrew Weibrecht ’03, Mike Testwuide ’05, Kevin Drury ’06, Will Rhoads ’13) and a coach (Tony Granato ’83), these alumni will join an exclusive club of twenty-three former Northwood students who participated in the Winter Olympic Games over the past seven decades. The history of Northwood School alumni who made it to the world stage to represent their respective countries goes back to the 1952 Winter Olympics in Oslo, Norway.
On the occasion of the opening of the Twenty-Third Winter Olympic Games, here’s a look at Northwood’s Olympic Alumni. We are grateful for the research and writing of Phil Frommholz ‘65, who has previously written about Northwood’s Olympic tradition. We are in debt to his work.
John Francis “Jack” Mulhern ’47
 John Francis “Jack” Mulhern (Photo: Epitome) |
 Jack Mulhurn ’47 (photo: Boston College) |
“Jack Mulhern deserves special recognition as the first Northwood athlete to step up on the Olympic Podium after winning a Silver medal in 1952 on the Men’s Hockey Team,” wrote Phil Frommholz in his personal blog, “The Northwood Blogger.” Mulhern was also one of the founding members of a club with nineteen Northwood Olympians as its members.
Annibale John “Ni” Orsi, Jr. ’64
 Ni Orsi ’64 (Stockton Hall of Fame) |
 Annibale John “Ni” Orsi, Jr. ’64 (Photo: Sports Illustrated) |
“The decade of the 60s brought notice to Northwood School, for not only an outstanding hockey program, but also for its nationally-known ski program,” mentioned Mr. Frommholz. Californian Ni Orsi had just graduated from Northwood when he competed in the 1964 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria. At 19 years of age, he ranked 14th as the first American finisher in the Men’s Downhill in alpine skiing.
Ulf Kvendbo ’68
 Ulf Kvendbo (Photo: Epitome) |
 Ulf Kvendbo at the 1968 Games in Grenoble, France. (Photo: Canadian Ski Hall of Fame) |
Ulf Kvendbo from Stockholm, Sweden was a ski jumper from the Team Canada who competed in two Winter Olympic Games: in 1968 and 1972. In 1968, he finished 53rd in Men’s Normal Hill, Individual and 55th in Men’s Large Hill, Individual. 4 years later, in Sapporo, Japan, he ranked 44th and 45th, respectively, in the events.
Thomas Robert Mellor ’68
 Tom Mellor (Photo: Epitome) |
 Tom Mellor with the Red Wings, following his participation in the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo, Japan. (Photo: legendsofhockey.net) |
While a student-athlete at Boston College, hockey player Tom Mellor, the older brother of current English teacher Donald Mellor, competed for the United States in the 1972 Winter Olympics and took home a silver medal. Another highlight of Mellor’s hockey career was when he joined NHL’s Detroit Red Wings in 1973-74. He spent most of his time with its minor league club, the Virginia Wings.
Jay J. Rand, II ’68
 Jay Rand (Photo: Epitome) |
 A European press clipping featuring Jay Rand (Photo: USA Nordic Story Project) |
As a world-class ski jumper who competed nationally and internationally with the U.S. Ski Jumping Team from 1966 to 1977, Jay Rand represented the United States in the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble, France. He placed 42nd in Men’s Normal Hill, Individual and 35th in Men’s Large Hill, Individual. He later became manager of the Lake Placid Olympic Ski Jumping Complex. After several years in that position, he was made the manager of the Whiteface Mountain Ski Area and then executive director of New York Ski Educational Foundation, also known as NYSEF. Today Rand coaches ski jumping for NYSEF and is a North Elba town councilman. Three-time Olympian Andrew Weibrecht is Rand’s son-in-law.
Brent Rushlaw ’70
 Brent Rushlaw (Photo: Epitome) |
 Brent Rushlaw driving the USA sled at an international competition. (Photo: bunksplace.com) |
Brent “Stuntman” Rushlaw, from nearby Saranac Lake, NY, is the only Olympic Bobsledder among Northwood School alumni. He established himself as the No. 1 bobsledder in the U.S., winning the national championship five times and 18 of the 26 two-man races he had entered in the U.S. (Matthew Roy, a science teacher at Northwood was the second-most decorated US bobsledder). Rushlaw competed in four Winter Olympic Games, more than any other bobsledder: 1976 in Innsbruck, Austria; 1980 in Lake Placid, 1984 in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia, and 1988 in Calgary, competing in Men’s Two and Men’s Four races. Despite just missing out on an Olympic medal in the ’80 and ’88 Olympics, placing 6th and 4th, respectively, Rushlaw earned the title as one of the best bobsled drivers in the world.
Joseph V. Lamb III ’73
 Joe Lamb (Photo: Epitome) |
 Joe Lamb jumping in Lake Placid in preparation for the 1972 Games in Sapporo, Japan. (Photo: USA Nordic) |
Joe Lamb ’73 is one of the youngest ski jumping and Nordic combined competitors in the history of the Olympic Games. At the age of 16, Lamb took a leave of absence from Northwood to compete in the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo, Japan. Since then, he has attended seven Winter Olympic Games as a coach, a commentator, a technical advisor, and official for ski jumping, skiing, and Nordic combined. Starting in 1991, Lamb served as a U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association representative to the International Ski Federation (FIS). In 1995 he received the Bud and Mary Little Award to honor his significant contribution to skiing interest in the United States through a long-term involvement in the FIS and Olympic communities, earning U.S. Skiing recognition. From 2014 to 2016, Lamb was named to the New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority board as one of the town of North Elba’s representatives. His grandson is a member of the class of 2019.
Anthony Lewis “Tony” Granato ’83
 Tony Granato (Photo: Epitome) |
 Tony Granato (Photo: University of Wisconsin) |
Tony Granato came to Northwood from Illinois and was an impact player on a team that included legendary goalie Mike Richter. Before his senior year, he was drafted by the New York Rangers and went on to play at hockey power University of Wisconsin. After Wisconsin he represented the United States in the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. Granato was second in scoring for the U.S. at the 1988 Winter Olympics with eight points on a team that finished seventh. After the Olympics, he went on to have a successful career in the NHL. Upon retirement as a player, Granato has been a successful NHL coach. Since 2016 he has been the head coach of the Wisconsin men’s hockey team. Three decades after the Calgary Games, Tony Granato will be making his Olympic head coaching debut with the 2018 U.S. Men’s Ice Hockey Team in PyeongChang, South Korea.
Michael Thomas Richter ’85
 Mike Richter (Photo: Epitome) |
 Mike Richter in the 2002 Games in Salt Lake. (Photo: Library and Archives Canada) |
Pennsylvania native Mike Richter is widely-regarded as the best American goaltender in NHL history. Richter played with Tony Granato at the 1988 Olympic Games to represent the United States before making his NHL debut in the 1989 playoffs. Despite a series of knee injuries, Richter was selected as the top goaltender for Team USA in the 1998 games in Nagano, Japan and in the 2002 games in Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S. Olympics, winning a silver medal in the 2002 Games. He was named to the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in 2008 for his contribution during his 14-year NHL career.
David A. Tretowicz ’87
 David Tretowicz (Photo: Epitome) |
 David Tretowicz at the 1992 Games in Albertville. (Photo: Clarkson University) |
While at Northwood, Liverpool, NY native Dave Tretowicz was one of the most highly-recruited defensemen by college coaches. He ended up at Clarkson, and represented the United States in the 1992 games in Albertville, where the U.S. lost to the Czech Republic in the bronze medal game. Drafted by the Calgary Flames, Tretowicz played professionally in the International Hockey League from 1991 to 1994.
Kent Salfi ’89
 Kent Salfi (Photo: Epitome) |
 Kent Salfi playing profesionally in Austria. (Photo: http://www.meinbezirk.at) |
Kent was the third Salfi boy to attend and play hockey for Northwood. After graduation, he attended University of Maine, where he was part of the the 1993 NCAA National Championship team. After college, he played professionally in Europe and eventually settled in Austria, where he became a naturalised citizen. He represented Austria in the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake, where his team finished in 12th place.
James Tower “Jim” Campbell ’91
 Jim Campbell (Photo: The Epitome) |
 Jim Campbell at the Lillehammer Games in 1994. (Photo: Trading Card Database) |
Massachusetts native Jim Campbell was drafted 28th overall by the Montreal Canadiens in 1991. After Northwood, he went on to Lawrence Academy and then chose the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League over college. He played for the United States in 1994 Olympic Games in Lillehammer, Norway where his team placed eighth. He had a sixteen-year career that included stints in the NHL, AHL, IHL and Europe.
Craig Michael Conroy ’90
 Craig Conroy (Photo: Epitome) |
 Craig Conroy at the 2006 Games in Torino, Italy. (Photo: Alamy) |
A native of Potsdam, NY, Craig Conroy was one of the best players in college hockey, playing for his hometown school, Clarkson University. His NHL career spanned seventeen years and more than 1,000 games for the Canadiens, Blues, Flames and Kings. Internationally, he played in the 2006 Turin, Italy Winter Olympic Games, where the United States placed eighth. Today, Conroy is the assistant general manager of the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League.
Christopher Bowie Therien ’90
 Christopher Therien (Photo: Epitome) |
 Chris Therien at the 1994 Lillehammer Winter Olympics. (Photo: Library and Archives Canada) |
Therien spent his first of three years at Northwood on the JV team, but quickly became a force on the varsity squad his junior year. After Northwood he attended Providence College for three years, leaving to join the Canadian Olympic Team to compete in the 1994 Olympic Games in Lillehammer, Norway, where he won a silver medal. Therien played 12 National Hockey League seasons for the Philadelphia Flyers and Dallas Stars. He is currently a color commentator for the Flyers on Comcast SportsNet and occasionally provides commentary on NBC Sports.
Thomas Vonn ’94
 Thomas Vonn (Photo: Epitome) |
 Thomas Vonn during the men’s giant slalom in Salt Lake. (Photo: Oliver Morin/Getty Images) |
Thomas Vonn was late to develop into one of the best ski racers in his age group. He did two PG years at Northwood before training with the US Ski Team’s C squad and then attending St. Lawrence University. Primarily a giant slalom racer, Thomas Vonn’s best finish in international competition was in the Men’s Super G at the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, where he placed ninth. He was 19th in the Men’s Giant Slalom event in those games.
Adam McLeish ’97
 Adam McLeish (Photo: Epitome) |
 Adam McLeish at an international competition. (Photo: Team GB) |
Adam McLeish was selected to represent Team Great Britain in Men’s Parallel Giant Slalom at the 2010 Vancouver, Canada Olympic Winter Games, in which he finished 24th. McLeish was a ski racer at Northwood, and only took on snowboarding when he was 20. McLeish is the only alpine snowboarder from Northwood School to appear in an Olympics so far.
Andrea Kilbourne-Hill ’98
 Andrea Kilbourne-Hill (Photo: Epitome) |
 Andrea Kilbourne-Hill at the games in Salt Lake. (Photo: Adirondack Daily Enterprise) |
Andrea Kilbourne-Hill (née Kilbourne) grew up in Saranac Lake playing hockey around the North Country with boys. She played hockey at Northwood before the school had a girls team and was named captain of her team. After Northwood, she went on to Princeton, where she was twice a finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Award, given to the top female college ice hockey player in the United States. At the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake, Andrea Kilbourne scored one goal and one assist, helping the United States Women’s Ice Hockey Team take the silver medal. After her playing career, Kilbourne played a critical role in helping establish a strong girls’ hockey program at Northwood School as head coach of girls’ hockey from 2008-2016. Kilbourne-Hill stepped down from her post in 2016. She currently lives in her hometown of Saranac Lake, NY where she teaches fourth grade.
Kei Takahashi ’99
 Kei Takahashi (Photo: Epitome) |
 Kei Takahashi at the Salt Lake Games. (Photo: Clive Mason/Getty Images) |
The only Olympic luge racer to attend Northwood, Kei Takahashi represented Japan in two Winter Olympics: the 1998 Games in Nagano, Japan and the 2002 Games in Salt Lake. He finished 14th in the Mixed (Men’s) Doubles event in 1998.
Andrew Weibrecht ’03
 Andrew Weibrecht (Photo: Epitome) |
 Andrew Weibrecht at the Sochi Games.. (Photo: Alexander Hassenstein / Today) |
Andrew Weibrecht, also known as the “War Horse” or “The Wombat,” is a two-time Olympic medalist from Lake Placid who attended Northwood for grades 9-11. At the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, he was one of the biggest surprises, claiming the bronze medal in Men’s Super G and finishing 21st and 11th in Men’s Downhill and Combined, respectively. Four years later, in Sochi, Russia, Weibrecht won the silver medal in the Super G race. In doing so, he became one of just five U.S. men to win multiple Olympic medals in alpine skiing. In this Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea, the “War Horse” is looking to add to his growing list of Olympic medals. He will turn 32 on Feb 10, the first Saturday of the 2018 Winter Olympic Games. Fun fact: his father-in-law is Olympic ski jumper and Northwood grad Jay Rand
Mike Testwuide ’05
 Mike Testwuide (Photo: Epitome) |
 Mike Testwuide playing for Team Korea. (Photo: ESPN) |
Colorado native Mike Testwuide is getting ready to play on the world’s biggest stage with a South Korean flag stitched to his jersey for this upcoming 2018 Winter Games. He played for Colorado College from 2005 to 2010 and for four seasons in the AHL before taking his game to Seoul. He has played professionally Korea since 2013, receiving dual citizenship in 2015.
Kevin Drury ’06
 Kevin Drury (Photo: Epitome) |
 Kevin Drury at a recent ski cross event. (Photo: Canadian Olympic Committee) |
While at Northwood, Kevin Drury was an alpine ski racer, but he will be representing Team Canada in PyeongChang as a ski cross racer. In 2011, while attending the University of Vermont, he was the runner-up in the Giant Slalom at the NCAA national championships and was a First Team All-American in the Slalom. Drury also earned NCAA All-American Second Team honors for Slalom and Giant Slalom in 2014. After a successful NCAA career, Kevin Drury qualified for the Canada Ski Cross Team after an incredible 2015-16 season highlighted by a fourth place finish in Bokwang, South Korea, the site of the 2018 Olympic Winter Games.
Will Rhoads ’13
 Will Rhoads (Photo: Epitome) |
 Will Rhoads jumping in a recent international event. (Photo: Park Record) |
New Hampshire native Will Rhoads is an American ski jumper making his Olympic debut in PyeongChang. He was at Northwood for his junior year, before his family moved to Utah. At just 22 years old, he already has three national titles to his name. His career took off when he graduated to the senior ranks in 2015 after competing in four consecutive Junior World Championships. Rhoads immediately found success, taking home two national championships in 2015 and 2016 on the large hill and another title on the normal hill in 2016.
Also of note:
Martin Jong-bum Hyun ’99 is a second-generation Korean immigrant in Germany who attended Northwood School in his senior year to further his education and pursue his hockey career at the same time. Upon graduation, Hyun played NCAA Division II hockey for St. Michael’s college, winning the ECAC Division II Northeast Championship in 2002. When he returned to Germany in 2004, he became the first Asian in the history of German hockey to make it to the nation’s highest professional league, Deutsche Eishockey Liga, signing with the Krefeld Pinguine. Although he has not competed in any Winter Olympic Games, in 2015, Hyun was appointed technical coordinator for the 2018 Winter Olympics by the PyeongChang Organizing Committee in the field of ice hockey and ice sledge hockey.
 Martin Jong-bum Hyun (Photo: Epitome) |
 Martin Hyun in Germany. (Photo: EIS Hockey) |
The legacy of 23 Northwood Champions in the past 70 years reflects the rich tradition of Northwood School, as students excel through a balance of rigorous academics and unique athletic opportunities. These Olympians share their experience, strength, and hope with all who follow them.
Northwood School is proud of our Northwood alumni! We will be watching the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang from our own Olympic Village of Lake Placid.
Read about the Northwood alumni in the 2018 Winter Olympic Games.
Su Hae Jang is a sophomore at Northwood School. She lives in Seoul, South Korea. Read other articles by Su Hae Jang.
