Lindsey Vonn continues to add to her list of achievements, earning both Athlete of the Year and Best Comeback honors for the U.S. Ski & Snowboard women’s Alpine team in the 2026 Stifel Awards. The awards, announced on June 4, were voted on by teammates and staff members.
After ending a nearly six-year retirement in 2024, Vonn enjoyed a remarkable return to competition. She reached the podium in each of the first five downhill races of the season, claiming victory in two of them, while also securing podium finishes in two of her three super-G appearances.
Reflecting on the campaign in an April interview with USA TODAY Sports, Vonn described it as one of the strongest and most consistent seasons of her career. She highlighted her opening-race victory, which she won by almost a full second, as a particularly memorable moment that caught both fans and rivals by surprise.
Heading into the Milano Cortina Olympics, Vonn led the downhill standings, but her season came to a devastating end after a serious crash during the Olympic downhill event. The accident left her with a compound fracture and a tibial plateau fracture in her left leg, a broken right ankle, and compartment syndrome that required emergency surgery to save her leg.
Although she has since progressed enough to walk without crutches, something she was determined to do at the Met Gala, Vonn has acknowledged that a complete recovery from her injuries could take up to a year.
Looking ahead, she remains focused on moving forward despite the uncertainty. Speaking in April, Vonn said she does not know exactly where life will lead her next, but believes that by continuing to take things one step at a time, she will eventually find the path meant for her.
The full list of winners of the Stifel Awards:
Alpine
Athlete of the Year: Lindsey Vonn, Ryan Cochran-Siegle
Rookie of the Year: Elisabeth Bocock, Jevin Palmquist
Most Improved: Mary Bocock, Kyle Negomir
Best Comeback: Lindsey Vonn, Erik Arvidsson
Coach of the Year: Kip Spangler
Cross Country
Athlete of the Year: Jessie Diggins, Ben Ogden
Rookie of the Year: Sammy Smith, Murphy Kimball
Most Improved: Kendall Kramer, Zak Ketterson
Best Comeback: Novie McCabe, Ben Ogden
Coach of the Year: Matt Whitcom
Freeski
Athlete of the Year: Grace Henderson, Mac Forehand
Best Comeback: Rell Harwood, Hunter Hess
Most Improved: Avery Krumme, Konnor Ralph
Rookie of the Year: Avery Krumme, Henry Townshend
Coach of the Year: Ryan Wyble
Aerials
Athlete of the Year: Chris Lillis
Rookie of the Year: Kyra Dossa
Most Improved: Connor Curran
Best Comeback: Winter Vinecki
Coach of the Year: Walter Crijanovschi
Moguls
Athlete of the Year: Olivia Giaccio
Rookie of the Year: Abby McLarnon
Most Improved: Landon Wendler
Best Comeback: Liz Lemley
Coach of the Year: Bryon Wilson
Nordic Combined
Athlete of the Year: Alexa Brabec, Niklas Malacinski
Best Comeback: Tara Geraghty-Moats, Erik Lynch
Most Improved: Alexa Brabec, Niklas Malacinski
Coach of the Year: Emil Vilhelmsen
Para Alpine
Athlete of the Year: Patrick Halgren
Rookie of the Year: Meg Gustafson
Most Improved: Anna Soens
Ski Jumping
Athlete of the Year: Annika Belshaw, Kevin Bickner
Best Comeback: Josie Johnson, Kevin Bickner
Most Improved: Sandra Sproch, Jason Colby
Rookie of the Year: Josie Johnson, Jason Colby
Coach of the Year: Karl Vegard Andersen
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