The four with local connections include Thomas Matthews, Torrey Cookman, Katie Cookman and McKenna Wnuk. Overall, members of the team include the Cookman co-captains as well as Matthews, Wnuk, Mason Palecek and Elise Palecek.

• Torrey Cookman, 21, from Marquette, has been a member of the National Team for the past nine years. Torrey is currently a senior at Western Michigan University.

• Katie Cookman, 18, hails from Marquette, and has been a member of the National Team for six years. She is currently ranked tenth in World Cup standings and is a freshman at Central Michigan University.

• Matthews, 16, also from Marquette, is entering his third year on National Team.

Thomas Matthews

• Wnuk, 21, is the newest member of the National Team from downstate Lapeer. She attends Northern Michigan University.

The athletes will travel to Austria and Italy to train and represent the U.S. in Alpine Luge World Cup competitions from early December through February.

The senior and junior athletes will be competing in several General Class (ages 21 and up) and Junior World Cup (up to age 20) races during this period.

Alpine Luge, formerly known as natural track luge, is contested on tracks without banked turns on packed ice and snow. Athletes use their entire body to steer the sled down the course.

The U.S. Alpine Luge Team trains at the Upper Peninsula Luge Club natural track, Lucy Hill, which is located in Negaunee. Lucy Hill spans a half mile with a 280-foot drop and is only one of four luge tracks in the U.S. and the only full-length flat natural track in America.

Katie Cookman

U.S. Alpine Luge Coach Keith Whitman, who resides in Escanaba, stated, “Once again we are fielding an excellent group of men and women, some of whom have placed near the top in international competition.”

For additional information about U.S. Alpine Luge Team, contact Kirsten Matthews at 906-361-2456 or via email kraematthews@icloud.com, or by contacting Whitman at

Torrey Cookman