For the first time in history, an Oberlin College-affiliated athlete competed at the Winter Olympics. Not only did she compete, but this past week in Milano Cortina, Italy, Liz Lemley, OC ’30, took home the gold medal in women’s mogul skiing and bronze in the inaugural women’s dual mogul event.
Liz’s father, Wayne Lemley, OC ’76, studied math and physics at Oberlin College. Shortly after graduation, rather than spending his weekends staring at numbers, he instead spent his time at Stratton Mountain and Killington, looking on in awe as some of the world’s best mogul skiers tore through the mountains.
Wayne attended camps taught by 1992 Olympians Chuck Martin and Bobby Aldighier. He competed against teenagers when he was 38. Wayne quickly noticed he could not compete at the level of younger athletes.
“That made me realize, when I have my own kids, they have to start young,” Wayne told the Vail Daily. “Because that was, in my view, the reason I was never any good.”
He took Liz to the slopes when she was merely six months old. Growing up, Liz and her older brother Andrew skied for 90 minutes a day, four times a week.
A rigorous schedule paid off for Liz in 2022, when she made her professional debut at 15 years old at the Freestyle Ski World Cup. As one of the youngest competitors on tour, Liz was named Rookie of the Year in 2022 after claiming two top-10 finishes.
Fast forwarding to the 2024 Winter Youth Olympics, Liz continued to shine as she took home a gold medal in the dual moguls and mixed team dual moguls.
Prior to the 2025 World Cup Opener in Ruka, Finland, Liz tore her ACL in a practice run.
“I spent a long time just thinking about mogul skiing, thinking about coming back and so much work was put into my body for me to be healthy,” Liz told “WKYC.” “I’m super proud of myself, and I am super grateful for everybody who has helped me along the way.
After a year-long comeback, Liz was selected in January to represent the U.S. in the 2026 Olympic Games.
“Moments of difficulty are not failures; they are feedback,” Associate Vice President for Athletics Advancement and Delta Lodge Director of Athletics & Physical Education Natalie Winkelfoos wrote to the Review. “They are opportunities to adjust, refine, and come back stronger. That mindset is something we can all learn from.”
The U.S. had not won gold in moguls since 2010, when Hannah Kearney secured the top mark at the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver. Eighteen years prior, Donna Weinbrecht was the first American to stand atop the podium at the 1992 Albertville Games.
On Liz’s last run of the final round, she unveiled an 82.30 second-run to grab hold of the top spot on the leaderboard.
After her final run, Liz had to watch along with the rest of the world from the bottom of the slope as reigning gold medalist Jakara Anthony of Australia took off on her final run in what was the last race of the event. About halfway through, Anthony wobbled off-course. At that moment, Liz officially became a gold medalist.
“When she pulled out I just had a huge gasp,” Liz told WKYC. “I started tearing up in my eyes. I was like, ‘I can’t believe this. I just became [an] Olympic champion.’”
Liz, who was admitted to Oberlin’s Class of 2029, deferred her enrollment to this upcoming fall.
“Having Liz on campus makes excellence feel tangible,” Director of Athletics Communications and Game Day Operations Amanda Phillips wrote to the Review. “That example can energize past, present, and future Oberlin student-athletes to pursue their goals with even greater confidence and purpose.”
Equipped with two Olympic medals, Liz is looking forward to the new experiences college will offer.
“I think for most of us, going to college means meeting new people, and that’s no different for me,” Liz told Oberlin earlier this month. “I’m really excited to step outside my bubble and get to know all the different personalities and characters that will be at Oberlin alongside me.”
For the Crimson and Gold, Liz’s arrival is eagerly awaited.
“Quite literally, Liz is bringing gold to our Crimson and Gold Oberlin community,” Winklefoos wrote.
