This past February, the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 took the world by storm — even more so than usual. NBCUniversal’s presentation of the Games averaged 26.7 million viewers for the program’s live afternoon window, naming it the most-watched Winter Olympics since 2014.
According to a poll, nearly 60% of fans reported they were the most excited for one sport: figure skating.
And for all those fans who look up to these athletes? Now’s their chance to witness it live. The 2026 Stifel Stars on Ice Tour is making its way through over two dozen cities in the U.S., including Loveland, Colorado, May 12.
Alysa Liu leads 2026 Stifel Stars on Ice Tour
Headlining the tour is none other than a standout from the 2026 Games, Alysa Liu.
The gold medalist was one of the most talked about athletes of the Games following her retirement from ice skating at just 16 years old. The figure skater came back to the sport 18 months later, only under the condition that it would be on her terms.
Ice skating has historically displayed feminine stereotypes, painting female skaters in particular as dainty and delicate. Tonya Harding, one of the more notable skaters, challenged this view with her homemade outfits and tough style, and she was graded poorly as a result.
But three decades later, the outcome of not fitting the stereotype has changed. Liu stepped on the ice for the 2026 Games, having chosen her music, coaches and schedule, which didn’t necessarily fit the figure skater archetype.
Instead of a traditional solid hair color, she came out with bleach stripes, aka her “halo hair,” and a frenulum piercing, which Liu calls her “smiley” piercing.
Liu’s resilience and push to be her own self paid off. After a long program performance to “MacArthur Park” by Donna Summer, Liu placed first and became the first U.S. woman to win figure skating singles gold since 2002.
She tied her Olympic performance together with a routine to “Stateside + Zara Larsson” by PinkPantheress during the figure skating Exhibition Gala, something fans can witness if they attend the Stars on Ice Tour.
Multiple stars to join Liu on tour
Another skater on the tour breaking the traditional mold is mental health advocate Amber Glenn, who became the first openly queer woman to compete for the U.S. in Olympic singles figure skating.
At 26 years old, Glenn broke history by being the oldest U.S. woman figure skater to compete in almost a century. In January, she tacked on another national championship and also became the first woman in 20 years to earn three titles in a row.
During her first single skating event, Glenn finished fifth, but she is now a gold medalist in the figure skating team event.
Alongside Liu and Glenn on the ice is Ilia Malinin — also known as the “Quad God.” Malinin was favored to win gold going into his first Games, being known as the first skater to successfully land a quadruple axel in international competition during the 2022 U.S. Figure Skating Classic.
Malinin held the first-place position after a successful short program run with a score of 108.16, but after falling twice during his free skate performance, he missed the podium and placed eighth. He did, however, get a gold medal for the figure skating team event.
Despite a lower mark, he remained a fan favorite and recently won his third consecutive world title at the 2026 International Skating Union World Figure Skating Championships in the Czech Republic.
Duo Madison Chock and Evan Bates have seen the world through their ice skating careers, as they’ve participated in the 2022 Beijing and 2026 Milan Olympics, winning gold in both games. They are also seven-time U.S. champions and own three consecutive world titles.
Colorado natives Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea are also joining the lineup. After only dancing together for the past four years, their story is unlike most.
Like Liu, O’Shea retired from ice skating, but when Kam needed a partner, he stepped in and the chemistry clicked. The duo competed five times together that year and made their way to the 2026 Games, where Kam became the youngest U.S. Olympic pairs skater since 2014.
When the tour was first announced, Emily Chan and Spencer Howe were originally supposed to be a part of it. But due to scheduling conflicts, silver medalists Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko are taking their place.
Carreira and Ponomarenko have been skating together since 2014.
The final skaters are Olympic bronze medalist Jason Brown, world championships silver medalist Isabeau Levito and U.S. silver medalist Andrew Torgashev.
How to watch
The 2026 Stifel Stars on Ice Tour will be coming to Loveland at 7 p.m. May 12 at the Blue FCU Arena. Tickets can be purchased on the official Stars on Ice website.
Reach Sophie Webb at sports@collegian.com or on social media @sophgwebb.
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