The United States Men's Curling Championship is the annual men's national curling championship for the United States. It is run by the United States Curling Association (USCA) and typically held in conjunction with the Women's Championship. The champion is eligible to represent the United States at the World Men's Curling Championships if they also rank in the top 75 teams over the last two seasons in the World Curling Tour Order of Merit or have earned 40 points in the Order of Merit year-to-date rankings.
History The United States Men's Curling Championship was started when Marshall Field and Company was inspired to host an American equivalent to the popular Macdonald Brier in Canada. The first championship was held from March 27 to 30, 1957 at the Chicago Stadium in Chicago, Illinois. The opening night of the championship included a performance by the Scotch Highlander band of University of Iowa, an all female bagpipe and drum band, and were televised by the local television channel WGN-TV. Ken Watson, three-time Canadian champion, was hired as the commissioner of play and tasked with overseeing the umpires. Ten teams from nine states and one territory (Alaska) competed in a round-robin tournament with Harold Lauber's team from Hibbing, Minnesota coming out victorious.
Marshall Field and Company again ran the Championship in 1958, held at the Milwaukee Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In 1959 the newly formed United States Curling Association took over the operations of the Championship while Marshall Field and Company continued on as a sponsor. That year's Championship was held in Green Bay, Wisconsin at the Brown County Memorial Arena.
In 1961 Frank Crealock and his team out of Seattle won the fifth National Men's Championship, earning them the opportunity to represent the United States at the 1961 Scotch Cup in Scotland. While it was the third year that the Scotch Cup, which would later become the World Men's Curling Championship, was held it was the first year that the United States was invited to compete. Crealock competed against the national champions from Canada and Scotland and after a double round-robin all three teams were tied with a 2–2 record. A playoff was held to break the tie and the United States lost to Canada to finish third. For many years after this, the national champion would go on to represent the United States at the World Championships, though eligibility prerequisites were added in recent years.
The 2021 Championship was originally planned to be held February 6–13 at the ImOn Ice Arena in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and it would have been the first time the Men's National Championship was held in Iowa. But in August 2020 the arena was damaged during a severe derecho storm. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic caused delays in repairing the arena, and in November 2020 the USCA announced that an alternative host site would be found. Only a month later, the USCA announced another change to the 2021 Championship when they declared that all remaining 2020–21 events would be either cancelled or postponed until late spring 2021. This postponement delayed the Men's National Championship until after the 2021 World Men's Championship and so the 2020 champions, John Shuster's team, were selected to represent the United States. This allowed the team to compete at Worlds which they missed the previous year when the 2020 World Men's Championship was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On March 29, 2021 it was announced that the 2021 Men's Championship will be held in conjunction with the Women's Nationals and Mixed Doubles Nationals in a bio-secure bubble at Wausau Curling Club in Wausau, Wisconsin in May, 2021.
Qualification The qualification methods and format of the championship has changed over time, but currently ten teams play in each championship. Five spots are awarded to the top American teams in the World Curling Federation (WCF) World Team Ranking System at a particular date roughly two months out from the championship. Four spots are awarded to the top teams from a Challenge Round, open to all United States curlers. The final spot is awarded to a team from that year's Junior Championships, as selected by the USCA.
Previously the USCA's High Performance Program has had the ability to select two of the competitors from their pool of teams.
For the 2021 Championship the qualification methods were modified slightly due to impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The field was cut down to eight teams, included were the 2020 champion and runner-up, the top three teams in the WCF World Team Ranking System on September 1, 2020, and the top three teams from the Challenge Round. The tournament was later postponed to May 2021; as it falls after the 2021 World Men's Curling Championship, the 2020 winners will represent the United States in their place.
Format The current format begins with a complete nine game round robin where each of the ten teams play every other team. At the end of the round robin the top four teams qualify for the playoffs; if there is a tie for fourth place then a tiebreaker game is played. The playoffs are conducted in the page playoff format, a common playoff format in curling. In a page playoff the 1 seed and 2 seed play with the winner advancing straight to the championship game. The 3 seed and 4 seed teams play and the winner of that match plays the loser of the 1 vs 2 game. The winner of this third game advances to the championship to face the winner of the 1 vs 2 game.
Past champions The location and champion of every men's national championship since it began in 1957: Year Site Winning club Skip Third Second Lead Finishat Worlds 1957 Chicago, IL Hibbing, MN Harold Lauber Louis Lauber Peter Beasy Matt Berklich 1958 Milwaukee, WI Detroit, MI Mike Slyziuk Douglas Fisk Ernest Slyziuk Merritt Knowlson 1959 Green Bay, WI Hibbing, MN Dick Brown Terry Kleffman Fran Kleffman Nick Jerulle 1960 Chicago, IL Grafton, ND Orvil Gilleshammer Glenn Gilleshammer Wilmer Collette Donald LaBonte 1961 Grand Forks, ND Seattle, WA Frank CrealockKen SherwoodJohn JamiesonBud McCartney Bronze 1962 Detroit, MI Hibbing, MN Dick BrownTerry KleffmanFran KleffmanNick Jerulle Silver 1963 Duluth, MN Detroit, MI Mike SlyziukNelson BrownErnest SlyziukWalter Hubchick Silver 1964 Utica, NY Duluth, MN Robert Magie Jr. Bert Payne Russell Barber Britton Payne Bronze 1965 Seattle, WA Superior, WI Bud Somerville Bill Strum Al Gagne Tom Wright Gold 1966 Hibbing, MN Fargo, ND Bruce Roberts Joe Zbacnik Gerry Toutant Mike O’Leary Bronze 1967 Winchester, MA Seattle, WA Bruce Roberts Tom Fitzpatrick John Wright Doug Walker Bronze 1968 Madison, WI Superior, WI Bud Somerville Bill Strum Al Gagne Tom Wright Bronze 1969 Grand Forks, ND Superior, WI Bud Somerville Bill Strum Franklin Bradshaw Gene Ovesen Silver 1970 Ardsley, NY Grafton, ND Art Tallackson Glenn Gilleshammer Ray Holt Trueman Thompson4th 1971 Duluth, MN Edmore, ND Dale Dalziel Dennis Melland Clark Sampson Rodney Melland Bronze 1972 Wilmette, IL Grafton, ND Robert LaBonte Frank Aasand John Aasand Ray Morgan Silver 1973 Colorado Springs, CO Winchester, MA Charles Reeves Doug Carlson Henry Shean Barry Blanchard 5th 1974 Schenectady, N.Y. Superior, WI Bud Somerville Bob Nichols Bill Strum Tom Locken Gold 1975 Detroit, MI Seattle, WA Ed Risling Charles Lundgren Gary Schnee Dave Tellvik Silver 1976 Wausau WI Hibbing, MN Bruce Roberts Joe Roberts Gary Kleffman Jerry Scott Gold 1977 Northbrook, IL Hibbing, MN Bruce Roberts Paul Pustovar Gary Kleffman Jerry Scott 4th 1978 Utica, NY Superior, WI Bob Nichols Bill Strum Tom Locken Bob Christman Gold 1979 Superior, WI Bemidji, MN Scott Baird Dan Haluptzok Mark Haluptzok Bob Fenson5th 1980 Bemidji, MN Hibbing, MN Paul Pustovar John Jankila Gary Kleffman Jerry Scott 4th 1981 Fairbanks, AK Superior, WI Bob Nichols Bud Somerville Bob Christman Bob Buchanan Silver 1982 Brookline, MA Madison, WI Steve Brown Ed Sheffield Huns Gustrowsky George Godfrey 6th 1983 Colorado Springs, CO Colorado Springs, CO Don Cooper Jerry Van Brunt Jr. Bill Shipstad Jack McNelly 6th 1984 Hibbing MN Hibbing, MN Joe Roberts (4th) Bruce Roberts (skip) Gary Kleffman Jerry Scott 6th 1985 Mequon, WI Wilmette, IL Tim Wright John Jahant Jim Wilson Russ Armstrong 3rd 1986 Seattle, WA Madison, WI Steve Brown Wally Henry George Godfrey Richard Maskel Bronze 1987 Lake Placid, NY Seattle, WA Jim Vukich Ron Sharpe George Pepelnjak Gary Joraanstad 5th 1988 St. Paul, MN Seattle, WA Doug Jones Bard Nordlund Murphy Tomlinson Mike Grennan 7th 1989 Detroit, MI Seattle, WA Jim Vukich Curt Fish Bard Nordlund James Pleasants,alt.: Jason Larway 8th 1990 Superior, WI Seattle, WA Bard Nordlund Doug Jones Murphy Tomlinson Tom Violette 6th 1991 Utica, NY Madison, WI Steve Brown Paul Pustovar George Godfrey Wally Henry,Mike Fraboni Bronze 1992 Grafton, ND Seattle, WA Doug Jones Jason Larway Joel Larway Tom Violette Bronze 1993 St. Paul, MN Bemidji, MN Scott BairdPete Fenson Mark Haluptzok Tim Johnson Bronze 1994 Duluth, MN Bemidji, MN Scott BairdPete Fenson Mark Haluptzok Tim Johnson 5th 1995 Appleton, WI Superior, WI Tim SomervilleMike SchneebergerMyles Brundidge John Gordon 4th 1996 Bemidji, MN Superior, WI Tim SomervilleMike SchneebergerMyles Brundidge John Gordon 5th 1997 Seattle, WA Langdon, ND Craig Disher Kevin Kakela Joel Jacobson Paul Peterson 6th 1998 Bismarck, ND Stevens Point, WI Paul Pustovar Dave Violette Greg Wilson Cory Ward 6th 1999 Duluth, MN Superior, WI Tim Somerville Don Barcome Jr. Myles Brundidge John Gordon 4th 2000 Ogden, UT Madison, WI Craig Brown Ryan Quinn Jon Brunt John Dunlop 4th 2001 Madison, WI Seattle, WA Jason Larway Greg Romaniuk Joel Larway Travis Way,Doug Kauffman 6th 2002 Eveleth, MN Madison, WI Paul Pustovar Mike Fraboni Geoff GoodlandRichard Maskel 4th 2003 Utica, NY Bemidji, MN Pete FensonEric FensonShawn RojeskiJohn Shuster8th 2004 Grand Forks, ND Seattle, WA Jason Larway Doug Pottinger Joel Larway Bill Todhunter,Doug Kauffman 9th2005 Madison, WI Bemidji, MN Pete FensonShawn RojeskiJoe PoloJohn Shuster6th 2006 Bemidji, MN Bemidji, MN Pete FensonShawn RojeskiJoe PoloJohn Shuster4th 2007 Utica, NY Caledonian Todd Birr Bill Todhunter Greg Johnson Kevin Birr Bronze Hibbing, MN Madison, WI Craig BrownRich RuohonenJohn DunlopPete Annis7th Broomfield, CO Duluth, MN John ShusterJason SmithJeff IsaacsonJohn Benton5th Kalamazoo, MI Bemidji, MN Pete FensonShawn RojeskiJoe PoloTyler George4th Fargo, ND Bemidji, MN Pete FensonShawn RojeskiJoe PoloRyan Brunt10th Philadelphia, PA Ardsley, NY Heath McCormickBill StoperaMartin SatherDean Gemmell8th Green Bay, WI Seattle, WA Brady ClarkSean BeightonDarren LehtoPhilip Tilker,Steve Lundeen 9th Philadelphia, PA Bemidji, MN Pete FensonShawn RojeskiJoe PoloRyan Brunt10th Kalamazoo, MI Duluth, MN John ShusterTyler GeorgeMatt HamiltonJohn Landsteiner5th Jacksonville, FL Seattle, WA Brady ClarkGreg PersingerColin HufmanPhilip TilkerBronze (Shuster) Everett, WA Duluth, MN John ShusterTyler GeorgeMatt HamiltonJohn Landsteiner4th Fargo, ND Seattle, WA Greg PersingerRich RuohonenColin HufmanPhilip Tilker6th Kalamazoo, MI Duluth, MN John ShusterChris PlysMatt HamiltonJohn Landsteiner5th Cheney, WA Duluth, MN John ShusterChris PlysMatt HamiltonJohn Landsteiner T5th Wausau, WI Chaska, MN Korey Dropkin Mark Fenner Thomas Howell Alex Fenson 4th Denver, CO Duluth, MN John Shuster Chris Plys Matt Hamilton John Landsteiner East Rutherford, NJ Duluth, MN John Shuster Chris Plys Colin Hufman Matt Hamilton Duluth, MN Duluth, MN Korey Dropkin Thomas Howell Andrew Stopera Mark Fenner Charlotte, NC Duluth, MN John Shuster Chris Plys Colin Hufman Matt Hamilton Notes This column shows the results of the team representing the United States at the World Curling Championships. Based on the rules implemented by the United States Curling Association for the 2013–14 season, the United States team at the World Curling Championships is not necessarily the team that won the national championship.