Special Olympics Connecticut Announces Delegation for the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games

Thirty-nine (39) Special Olympics Connecticut athletes and Unified Sports® partners are currently training and preparing for an event like no other: the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games in Minnesota. These competitors will represent the 33 towns and cities where they reside and the entire state as members of Team Connecticut, a delegation - 58 members strong - that also includes 19 Special Olympics coaches and volunteers.

The athletes and Unified Sports® partners will compete in five sports: Unified basketball and softball, bowling, swimming, and track and field. Two students and two mentors will also participate in a Youth Athlete Leadership Experience.

View the full roster and meet Team Connecticut members here: www.soct.org/TeamCT

The 2026 Special Olympics USA Games will take place from June 20-26, 2026 at the University of Minnesota and National Sports Center, both located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The event will unite more than 3,000 athletes and Unified Sports® partners and 1,500 coaches representing all 50 states. It will feature 16 Special Olympics team and individual sports, both traditional and Unified - where people with and without intellectual disabilities compete together.

In addition to sports competitions, more than 20 special events are planned, including the Law Enforcement Torch Run, Opening and Closing Ceremonies, Healthy Athletes Experience, and multiple Fan Zones.

“Thanks to generous supporters, we’re able, honored, and excited to be sending an outstanding delegation to the USA Games which includes determined, dedicated competitors and exceptional volunteers. The event will not only give participants the coveted opportunity to experience the Games with their peers from across the country but will also tap their potential and help elevate recognition and respect for Special Olympics athletes nationally,” said Mike Mason, President and CEO of Special Olympics Connecticut.

“Attending the USA Games is a dream come true. It has been a goal of mine since starting with Special Olympics. I am looking forward to competing, meeting new people, and watching other events,” said Ryan Cook, Special Olympics Connecticut athlete.

2026 Special Olympics USA Games sponsors include Jersey Mike’s Subs and UnitedHealthcare. Team Connecticut sponsors are Platinum Sponsor – Eversource, Gold Sponsors – Connecticut Trial Lawyers and Synchrony, and Silver Sponsor – Henkel.

Learn more about the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games at 2026specialolympicsusagames.org.

Members of the media seeking interviews with athletes or Unified Sports® partners, please contact Debbie Horne at debbieh@soct.org or 203-889-6002.

About Special Olympics USA Games
The 2026 Special Olympics USA Games – scheduled for June 20-26, 2026, across Minnesota’s Twin Cities with sports competitions at the University of Minnesota and the National Sports Center in Blaine – is a national celebration of inclusivity, changing perceptions and the ability of the human spirit rising above limitations. The USA Games, with co-presenting partners Jersey Mike’s Subs and UnitedHealthcare, will be one of the biggest U.S. sporting events of the year, drawing tens of thousands of fans to celebrate the ability of over 3,000 incredible athletes from all 50 states as they compete in 16 Olympic-type team and individual sports. As a state with a long history of championing inclusion, the USA Games now bring an unrivaled opportunity to Minnesota to spark new energy around the Special Olympics movement and create a lasting legacy of positive change.

About Special Olympics Connecticut
Special Olympics Connecticut provides year-round sports training and competition opportunities for nearly 14,000 athletes of all ages with intellectual disabilities and Unified Sports® partners - their teammates without disabilities. Through the joy of sport, the Special Olympics movement transforms lives and communities throughout the state and in 200 countries around the world by promoting good health and fitness and inspiring inclusion and respect for people of all abilities, on and off the playing field. (www.soct.org)

Partner Sponsors: The Connecticut Elks Association, Enterprise, ESPN, Eversource, Foxwoods Resort Casino, the Knights of Columbus, the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Connecticut, the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, the Mohegan Tribe, NBC Connecticut and Telemundo Connecticut, Pratt & Whitney, and Webster Bank.

Year-Round Suppliers: Coca-Cola Beverages Northeast, Hearst Connecticut Media Group, N&D Sports, Pepperidge Farm, and WORX.