Duluth Team Looks to Make Nats Splash

At a glance, the casual observer might pass over the name, Team Benson, as they look through the women’s field at the 2025 USA Curling Nationals.

The Nats take place in Duluth, Minn. from Jan. 27-Feb. 2.

Upon closer inspection, that same observer may do a double-take as they happen upon some familiar names.

Lead Sara Olson just represented the U.S. in mixed doubles at the World University Games.

Second Lexi Daly is fresh off of a silver medal finish at the 2024 national championships, as a member of Team Anderson.

Aileen Geving is a two-time Olympian and world bronze medalist, and will be throwing last rocks in Duluth. She’s made some big shots.

Skip Courtney Benson won multiple junior national championships with Geving as well as a number of national medals. And she was an alternate for the 2005 women’s world silver medalists and the 2006 Olympic team at Turin, Italy.

By the way, their coach is Courtney’s brother, Tyler George. Most curlers in the U.S. should be familiar with that name.

This is a team of women from northern Minnesota who teamed up only this year, and they’ve only played in two events.

Here’s the catch: they’ve won both events.

In October, Team Benson won the St. Paul Cashspiel, dropping just one game to Kim Rhyme, but defeating both the top U.S. teams—Delaney Strouse and Tabitha Peterson—on their way to the title.

Then, in December, they went ahead and won on home ice at the Duluth Cashspiel.

Their results were enough to earn them a spot at the national championships in their home rink.

For Geving and Benson, playing together in fours had to be a pretty easy call. They’ve played together extensively in the past, and it just so happened that two accomplished Duluth players became available.

Sara Olson threw third rocks for Miranda Scheel last season, and Lexi Daly threw second for Team Anderson. In May, USA Curling announced two rosters of women’s teams, and in a move that surprised some observers, split up the reigning silver medalists, Team Anderson.

Daly was announced to the national development pool, along with Olson.

With all of them curling out of Duluth Curling Club, it was only natural for the four to team up, and just a few months later, they should find themselves a crowd favorite on their home ice.