Alysa Liu Wins Gold!
It’s been two decades since a woman representing the United States of America last made the podium for singles figure-skating, and 24 years since a victory.
That all changed on Feb. 19, when Oakland’s Alysa Liu claimed gold in the women’s final. Skating to “MacArthur Park” by Donna Summer, Liu was able to achieve a score of 226.79 to win the gold.
Despite being only 20-years-old, Liu’s story is one of perseverance and self-discovery. Starting skating at 5, Liu skated until she was 16, where she retired after placing 6th at the Beijing Olympics. However, the current-UCLA student would make a return to the ice in 2024, placing first in her first event back (the 2024 International Skating Union Challenger Series Budapest Trophy) and winning the 2025 World Championships. In total, Liu has won eight events since her return from hiatus, including two gold medals at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.
But, for Liu, the medals aren’t the most important thing.
“I don’t need this [medal],” Liu said. “But what I needed was the stage and I got that, so I was all good. No matter what happened.”
Following her gold medal win, during the exhibition gala, Liu would skate to PinkPantheress’ “Stateside”, more specifically the remix with Zara Larsson.
Information from NBC and the Olympics
Yankees and Mets Season Previews
After losing to the Blue Jays in the playoffs to end the 2025 season, the Yankees began Spring Training on Friday against the Baltimore Orioles at Ed Smith Stadium. Elmer Rodriguez, the Yankees 3rd overall prospect, pitched three scoreless innings in a low-scoring game that ended in a 2-0 Orioles victory. The only runs were scored on a two-run home run by former Mets star Pete Alonso, playing in his first game with the Orioles since signing a five-year contract with Baltimore. On Saturday, the Yankees offense exploded in a 20-3 victory against the Detroit Tigers at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Yankees star outfielder Aaron Judge led the team with two home runs and four runs batted in. The Yankees second overall prospect, Carlos Lagrange, allowed one earned run in 2.2 innings pitched. Yankees prospects Spencer Jones, Tyler Hardman, Roderick Arias, and Jackson Castillo all hit home runs in an impressive Yankees victory. The Yankees kick off the regular season on March 25th against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park.
After a disappointing 2025 season which saw the New York Mets fall one game short of the playoffs, David Stearns made significant changes to the roster which led to the departures of many fan favorites including Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo, Edwin Diaz, and Jeff McNeil. The Mets began their Spring Training on Saturday against the Miami Marlins at Clover Park. The Mets pitched well, allowing just two hits and one earned run, but a crucial error by first baseman Jose Rojas cost them a 2-1 Marlins win. Despite the debuts from newly acquired infielders Marcus Semien and Bo Bichette, the Mets offense struggled with just two hits and one run scored. The Mets kick off their regular season on March 26th against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citi Field.
