Lake Placid (RWH) USA’s Kate Hansen, who a 10th-place result at the Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, is taking a one-year break from sliding to concentrate on her studies. This was disclosed when the U.S. federation announced its luge team for the coming winter. Kate Hansen, the 2008 junior World Champion, won her first podium’s top spot at the season’s final of Viessmann Luge World Cup series in Sigulda, Latvia

The U.S. team will be led by the Olympic bronze medal winner in Sochi, Erin Hamlin. She will be joined by Julia Clukey, Summer Britcher and Emily Sweeney in the women’s singles. The U.S. federation has nominated Chris Mazdzer, Tucker West and Aidan Kelly in the men’s singles. Called up for the doubles are the teams of Jake Hyrns-Andrew Shark as well as the newly-formed duo of Matt Mortensen-Jayson Terdiman.

Anthony Espinoza, who competed with Ty Anderson up until his retirement, is currently searching for a new partner but is included in the team.