Curling Slides Its Way into Princeton’s Club Sports Scene 

The Princeton Curling Club has become a mainstay on campus in its five years of existence, winning two silver medals at the College Curling National Championships, a remarkable feat for such a young team.  

In addition to excelling on the ice, the club has worked to expand accessibility within the sport. “We are the first college curling club to host a fully accessible bonspiel [tournament] with multiple wheelchair curlers,” said Lara Katz ’24, who co-founded the club with Nelson Rogers ’25 (originally ’24) in 2020.  

Katz began curling in fourth grade, and Rogers has been curling since seventh grade. 

“The world of curling is small,” said Rogers. “I texted some of my friends and asked if there was anyone going to Princeton that played curling, and someone connected me to Lara. All of us were planning to compete in the 2020 U18 national championships.”  

The pair got in touch soon after they committed to Princeton. Although they hosted some Zoom sessions during the pandemic, they were unable to practice together until 2021. In its first active year, the club hosted “Learn to Curl” events at Baker Rink to educate students about the sport and drum up support. By 2022, the team had commitments from 12 to 15 players and began competing in regional tournaments.  

Curling originates from as early as the 14th century, said Julia Hutto ’25, the club’s current president, and the sport involves sliding polished stones across ice towards a “house,” or a target of concentric circles. Players “sweep” the ice using special brooms to influence the stone’s direction, aiming to place their stones closer to the center of the house than the opposing team. In some cases, one team will try to knock the other team’s stones out of the house.  

Each team consists of four players: the skip (captain), vice, second, and lead. The skip stands in the house and calls each shot, directing the strategy of the team, while the other players push and sweep the stones into the target. Curling became an Olympic sport in 1998, which elevated its popularity and sparked a wave of participation from younger players, especially on the collegiate level.  

Princeton’s success in competition was swift: Not only did the team qualify for Nationals during its first full season, 2023, it clinched second place and followed that performance with another silver medal at Nationals in 2024. 

“We are a very strategic team on the ice,” said Brian Li ’24, one of the first members to join the club. “We are able to beat more experienced, technically competent teams because we have a lot of strategy.”  

The club attributes its stellar performance to its emphasis on camaraderie and technique. The club members know each other’s strengths and weaknesses — which shots they can and cannot make — and tailor each tournament to their strengths. The club has emphasized putting beginner curlers on a steep technical learning curve and does not stack its team so that members get an equal opportunity to play.  

Despite its successes, the club has consistently struggled to make ends meet. The team operates on a tight budget, relying on members’ dues, minimal funding from the University, and the goodwill of their opponents.  

While competing at the Northeast Regional Championship in Utica, New York, the team could not afford hotel rooms for everyone, “so we packed nine people like sardines on the floor of this one guy’s double,” said Li. The club brought camping mats, air mattresses, and sleeping pads for the night, and then went to play the next morning and win a bronze medal.   

Practicing on nonregulation ice at Baker Rink presents another hurdle. “The ice is too warm, so the stones melt into it and don’t slide properly,” explained Rogers. “It’s hard to develop good habits when practicing under these conditions.” 

The club’s leaders over the past five years all referenced the “spirit of curling.” The sport is very welcoming and genial, and it places a strong emphasis on camaraderie and socializing outside of competition. 

“Our opponents have hosted us in their dorms countless times, and it was an honor to host the Yale curling team last year. Without that friendship and hospitality, we wouldn't have made it to Nationals two years in a row,” said Katz. “I've come to understand the importance of community and mutual support. I hope to keep giving back, and I hope that others have the same takeaway.”  

As the Princeton Curling Club continues to grow, its members remain competing at the highest level possible while building a supportive and collegial environment.  

“We’ve won some hardware along the way,” said Li, “but that plays second fiddle to the people I’ve gotten to know.”