USA Wheelchair Rugby Announces 2024 U.S. Paralympic Team Roster
USA Wheelchair Rugby unveiled the 12 athletes nominated to represent the United States at the Paralympic Games Paris 2024 from Aug. 28 to Sept. 8. The roster combines veteran leadership with new talent, featuring six returning players from the Tokyo 2020 silver medal squad and six athletes making their Paralympic debuts.
The U.S. Paralympic Wheelchair Rugby team has an unparalleled legacy as the most decorated program in the sport’s history. They are the only team to reach the medal podium at every Paralympics since wheelchair rugby was introduced in 2000. After silver medal finishes at the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Games, the team has its sights set on reclaiming gold for the first time since Beijing 2008.
Leading the charge will be co-captains Chuck Aoki (Minneapolis) and Eric Newby (Godfrey, Ill.), both multi-time Paralympic medalists. Their experience and guidance will be invaluable as the U.S. team aims for the top of the podium in Paris.
In a groundbreaking moment, Sarah Adam has become the first woman ever named to the U.S. Paralympic Wheelchair Rugby team. An assistant professor at St. Louis University in Missouri, Adams started playing the intense Paralympic sport in 2019 and has swiftly risen to the elite international level.
Adam made her debut on the world stage in 2022 at the Americas Championship, where she helped the U.S. team capture a gold medal. Later that year, she was part of the silver-medal-winning American squad at the world championships.
Roster
- Sarah Adam, Naperville, Ill./St. Louis
- Chuck Aoki (co-captain), Minneapolis/Ann Arbor, Mich.
- Clayton Brackett, Birmingham, Ala.
- Jeff Butler, Fort Wayne, Ind./San Francisco
- Lee Fredette, East Moriches, N.Y./Tucson, Ariz.
- Brad Hudspeth, Stilwell, Kan.
- Chuck Melton, Richview, Ill.
- Eric Newby (co-captain), Godfrey, Ill.
- Josh O’Neill, Colorado Springs, Colo.
- Zion Redington, Birmingham, Ala.
- Mason Symons, Hershey, Pa.
- Josh Wheeler, Tucson, Ariz.
The full team roster and more details is set to be announced in the coming weeks.