Katie Eberling
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | August 7, 1988 | |||||||||||||||||
| Education | Western Michigan University (BS) | |||||||||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||||||||
| Country |  United States | |||||||||||||||||
| Sport |  Bobsleigh | |||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Katie F. Eberling (born August 7, 1988) is an American retired bobsledder.[1] She medaled at the 2012 and 2013 FIBT World Championships, and was an alternate on the United States team at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.
Raised in Palos Hills, Illinois, Eberling attended Amos Alonzo Stagg High School before playing four seasons of volleyball for the Western Michigan Broncos.[2] She graduated from the university in April 2011 with a Bachelor of Science degree in early childhood education.[3][4] In December 2010, Elana Meyers reached out to Eberling to recruit her for bobsled tryouts. In 2011, Eberling began training in the sport.[5][6]
Eberling began her bobsled career as a brakeman.[7] She was the 2011 United States bobsled push champion.[4] At the FIBT World Championships 2012, she placed third in the two-woman bobsleigh with Elana Taylor as driver. In 2013, the same duo won a silver medal at the World Championships.[1] That year, the U.S. Bobsled and Skeleton Federation named Eberling the women's bobsled athlete of the year.[8]
In April 2013, Eberling, a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan, threw the ceremonial first pitch at a Cubs game.[9][10]
In January 2014, the U.S. Bobsled and Skeleton Federation announced their picks for the Team USA delegation to the 2014 Winter Olympics; Eberling was not named. Track and field athlete Lolo Jones was chosen as the third-pick brakeman in place of Eberling, who was made an alternate.[11] Selena Roberts, writing for USA Today, described Eberling's cut as a "snub" while other journalists called the decision a publicity stunt, arguing Eberling was more qualified than Jones.[12][13] She traveled with the team to Sochi, Russia, and practiced as a backup athlete. Following the Olympics, because of the "subjective decision-making and the lack of control" she faced as a brakeman, Eberling switched to competing as a driver.[14][15]
She announced her retirement from bobsledding in 2017 following an injury of two hamstring tears during a preseason camp.[16][17] She was in contention for a place as a driver on the Olympic team to the 2018 Winter Olympics until her injury.[17]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Katie Eberling". International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation. Retrieved January 14, 2026.
- ^ "Katie Eberling". Women's Volleyball. Western Michigan University Athletics. Retrieved January 14, 2026.
- ^ "Western Michigan University Bachelor of Science candidates (last names A–F) for April 30 commencement". Kalamazoo Gazette. April 30, 2011. Retrieved January 14, 2026.
- ^ a b "Going to Sochi". WMU Alumni. Western Michigan University. January 22, 2014. Retrieved January 14, 2026.
- ^ St. Clair, Stacy (January 16, 2014). "Katie Eberling came to bobsledding late, then got on the fast track". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 14, 2026.
- ^ "Catching up with Katie Eberling". USA Bobsled-Skeleton. April 20, 2021. Retrieved January 14, 2026.
- ^ "WMU Vball Alum Katie Eberling Interview". Western Michigan Broncos. September 29, 2011 [2011-09-13]. Retrieved January 14, 2026 – via YouTube.
- ^ Puca, Deanne (August 13, 2013). "Alumna honored as bobsled athlete". News. Western Michigan University. Retrieved January 14, 2026.
- ^ "First pitch". WMU Alumni. Western Michigan University. April 17, 2013. Retrieved January 14, 2026.
- ^ Drew, David (April 12, 2013). "Former WMU volleyball player and World Championship silver medalist Katie Eberling throws first pitch at Chicago Cubs game". MLive. Retrieved January 14, 2026.
- ^ Bird, Amanda; Kanan, Mat (January 22, 2014). "Katie Eberling named alternate for Olympic Bobsled Team". Western Michigan University Athletics. Retrieved January 14, 2026.
- ^ Roberts, Selena (January 23, 2014). "Commentary: NBC gets its wish – Lolo Jones back in the Olympics". The Des Moines Register. Retrieved January 14, 2026.
- ^ Adelson, Eric (February 27, 2014). "Katie Eberling – Snubbed Olympic hopeful". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved January 14, 2026.
- ^ Zaccardi, Nick (February 28, 2014). "Katie Eberling to try driving after missing Olympics as brakeman". NBC Sports. Retrieved January 14, 2026.
- ^ Baranek, Tony (April 4, 2016). "Stagg grad Katie Eberling keeps driving toward Olympic bobsled dream". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved January 14, 2026.
- ^ "US pilot Katie Eberling retires". International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation. September 27, 2017. Retrieved January 14, 2026.
- ^ a b Zaccardi, Nick (October 3, 2017). "Katie Eberling at peace with bobsled retirement". NBC Sports. Retrieved January 14, 2026.
Further reading
[edit]- Morgan, Paul (November 27, 2011). "Former WMU volleyball player Katie Eberling digging deeper for spot on U.S. Olympic Bobsled Team". Kalamazoo Gazette.
- Rosati, Allison (February 7, 2014). "Katie Eberling heads to Sochi as bobsled alternate". NBC Chicago.
- St. Clair, Stacy (January 16, 2014). "'Crazy' offer could lead to Olympics". Chicago Tribune.
- St. Clair, Stacy (February 16, 2014). "Katie Eberling living in Olympic alternate limbo". Chicago Tribune.
