82 athletes & unified partners to represent New York in 12 sports on national stage
Albany, NY: Get ready, Minnesota, Team New York is coming in strong! Special Olympics New York today announced its delegation of athletes and unified partners who will compete in the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games in Minneapolis, MN, June 20–26, 2026.
New York is sending 82 of its top competitors to go for the gold in 12 sports. They’ll go up against the best of the best Special Olympics athletes and unified partners from all 50 states.
“The athletes and unified partners selected to compete at this national level have the skills and training to bring home gold for New York,” said Stacey Hengsterman, President & CEO of Special Olympics New York. "More importantly, they've got the heart and the passion that will make us proud on and off the fields of play.”
The 2026 USA Games will be one of the largest, most inclusive sporting events in the country, bringing together 3,000 athletes, 1,500 coaches, 10,000 volunteers, and an expected 75,000 fans from all 50 states. Through the power of sport and inclusion, the USA Games aim to spark a ripple effect that transforms lives, unites communities, and changes the world.
Fans are encouraged to follow Team New York’s road the 2026 USA Games on Bluesky and in the team’s dedicated Facebook Event page.
Team New York
Special Olympics New York is sending full teams in four sports:
- Softball: Cap City Rumble, Capital Region
- Volleyball: Finger Lakes Aces, Genesee Region
- Unified Soccer: 721M City Hawks, New York City Region
- Basketball: The Manhattan Wildcats, New York City Region
The following individual athletes and Unified partners will also represent New York:
Unified Bocce
- Carolyn Borak (Athlete), 48, of Moriches
- Roxy Cruz (Athlete), 40, of Hauppauge
- Jalen Dickerson (Athlete), 26, of Massapequa Park
- Robert Goss, (Athlete), 42, of Loch Sheldrake
- Noah Ingber (Athlete), 43, of Loch Sheldrake
- Sylvia Meacham (Unified Partner), 73, Kauneonga Lake
- Victor Vargas (Unified Partner), 53, of Monticello
- Curtis Waller (Athlete), 66, of Farmingdale
Unified Bowling
- Natalya Camacho (Athlete), 30, of Florida
- Eric Maurin (Athlete), 30, of Pine Bush
- Stacey Orzell (Unified Partner), 58, of Goshen
- Scott Robbins (Unified Partner), 32, of Goshen
Unified Golf
- Megan Brazell (Athlete), 41, of Syracuse
- Dylan Edmonds (Athlete), 23, of East Syracuse
- Joseph Edmonds (Unified Partner), 70, of East Syracuse
- Brett Geiger (Athlete), 30, of East Patchogue
- Peter James MacCrea (Unified Partner), 63, of Tully
- Irina Ritchie (Athlete), 30, of Holley
Gymnastics
- Isabella Brinkerhoff, 18, of Clifton Park
- Emma Dodici, 22, of Ithaca
Powerlifting
- Barrett An, 20, of Brooklyn
- Samantha Esposito, 33, of East Northport
- Maxwell Jackoski, 30, of Queensbury
Swimming
- Mary Dorsch, 44, of Marcellus
- Antoinette Fusco, 39, of Castleton
- Nicholas Kenzie, 24, of Mayville
- Matthew Schuster, 42, of Medford
Tennis
- Liza Ambrosini, 39, of Queensbury
- Brandy Bush, 39, of Vestal
- Aaron Stern, 30, of East Setauket
- Michael Stickney, 27, of Troy
Track & Field
- Jacqueline Colone, 30, of Canastota
- John Massaro, 22, of Palisades
- Madeline Parker, 35, of Johnson City
- Matthew Passero, 36, of Yonkers
In addition to its competitors, Special Olympics New York will be represented by the following individuals in their respective roles:
- Athletes Will Smith and Billy Seide, both from the Hudson Valley Region, are serving on the USA Games Athlete Advisory Council. Will is also a USA Games Board Member.
- Coaches will include Brian Tenety (Track & Field), Lori-Jean Farrell (Bocce), Braydon Markus Huebsch (Bocce), Holly Borzacchiello (Bowling), Martha Pachuta (Golf), Terry Uellendahl (Golf), Melanie Hall (Gymnastics), Chris Hughes (Powerlifting), Karli Buday (Swimming), Juan Pablo Perez Rios (Tennis), Jessie White (Golf), Kevin Anderson (Golf), David Sehl (Basketball), Katelyne Maroney (Basketball), Willie Colon (Basketball), Steve Marshall (Volleyball), Cheryl Ferrini (Volleyball), Mark Scheible (Volleyball), Sara Massa (Softball), Susan Handerhan (Softball), Peter Bayzon (Softball), Courtney Sim (Softball), Joe Stewart (Soccer), and Oscar Vicente (soccer).
- Additional staff will include Stacy Eder (Head of Delegation), Kyle Walsh (Assistant Head of Delegation), Samantha Bennett, Jessica Lodispoto, Nicole Fess, Stephen Fuller, Amber Mott, and Matthew Graham.
About Special Olympics New York
Special Olympics New York is one of the largest state chapters in the country, serving more than 48,000 athletes across New York with year-round sports training, athletic competition, and health screenings. The organization also partners with more than 340 schools statewide to offer Unified Sports, where students with and without disabilities compete as teammates. All Special Olympics New York programs are offered at no cost to athletes, their families or caregivers. The organization has earned the Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar.com and a four-star rating from Charity Navigator, making it one of the most trusted charities in the business nationally. For additional information about Special Olympics New York, to learn more about getting involved, or to make a donation, visit www.specialolympicsNY.org.
