WICHITA, KANSAS — Amber Glenn has yet to lose an event this 2024-2025 season, and on Friday night at the InTrust Bank Arena in Wichita, Kansas, Glenn kept her unbeaten streak intact by defending her U.S. title as the 2025 Prevagen U.S. Championships.
The 2024-2025 Grand Prix Final Champion was third after the short program after not being able to do a triple-triple combination. In her “I Will Find You” by Audiomachine and “The Return” by CLANN free skate, Glenn nailed her triple Axel and also completed a triple loop-double Axel-double Axel sequence. She also had five other clean triple jumps. Her only mistake was she fell on her triple loop in the second half of the program. She earned a free skate score of 145.88, which was first in the free skate. She pulled up to win her second consecutive U.S. title with a score of 216.79.
“Coming into these Nationals, I wasn’t feeling my absolute best and today being able to not fully lock in but for the most part get into the zone I needed to and I’m very proud of my mental fortitude and the progress I’ve made,” she said. “I hope to continue the consistency the rest of the season.”
By winning the national title, Glenn is automatically named to the 2025 World Championships team. Worlds in Boston, Mass. will be Glenn’s third Worlds appearance. Last year at Worlds in Montreal, Glenn finished 10th.
Appearing in her first U.S. Nationals since the 2021-2022 season, Alysa Liu was the leader after the short program with a five-point lead over teammate Bradie Tennell, who was in second place. The two-time U.S. Champion and 2022 World bronze medalist skated last in the free skate. In her “MacArthur Park” performed by Donna Summer free skate, Liu completed five clean triple jumps, but her triple toe of her triple Lutz-triple toe combination was called on the quarter and both jumps of her triple flip-double toe combination were under-rotated. Liu also had trouble with her final spin, her layback spin, which received only a level two score. Liu earned a 138.97 in the free skate and a total score of 215.33 to drop to second place overall.
“It feels really crazy to me. I really didn’t have any expectations for myself placement wise, just program wise. It felt really good throughout this entire experience,” Liu said.
2024 U.S. pewter medalist Sarah Everhardt was in fourth place after the short program. In her “Firebird” free skate, Everhardt completed seven clean triple jumps. She had trouble with her triple loop. She earned a free skate score of 136.64 and a total score of 207.36 to claim the bronze medal.
“It’s really cool, ” she said. “Watching Alysa (Liu) and Amber (Glenn) and Bradie (Tennell) growing up, it’s amazing to be on the podium with them and to see that I’ve made it to this level and that I’m competitive with them.”
Two-time U.S. Champion Bradie Tennell, who was second after the short program, missed all of the 2023-2024 season due to injury. In her “Nessun Dorma” performed by Pavaroti and Sarah Brightman free skate, Tennell completed four triple jumps, but her triple flip and triple toe were under-rotated and she fell on her triple Lutz. She earned a free skate score of 128.71 and a total score of 199.94. She dropped from second to finish in fourth place overall. She received the pewter medal, her sixth senior medal of the U.S. Championships.
“This performance, I was really happy with the first half of the program,” Tennell said. “The second half I’m a little disappointed in; it’s not how I’ve been training. I would have liked for it to go a little bit better, but I’ve faced a lot of ups and downs this year and even this week, so I’m proud of myself for fighting all the way to the end.”
2024 U.S. Junior Pewter Medalist Sherry Zhang finished in fifth place. Starr Andrews, who was in 12th after the short program, pulled up six spots to finish in sixth place.
The U.S. women have three spots for the World Championships in Boston. As stated above, Glenn receives an automatic spot as the national champion. Liu was given one of the spots, along with 2023 U.S. Champion and 2024 World silver medalist Isabeau Levito, who withdrew from this event due to injury. Her spot is pending return to play protocol. Everhardt has been named first alternate with Tennell and Andrews as the second and third alternates.
Glenn, Liu and Everhardt have been named to the Four Continents Championships, with Tennell, Andrews and Sonja Hilmer as alternates.
Elyce Lin-Gracey, who was 8th at the U.S. Championships, and Sophie Joline von Felten, who won the junior women’s title in Wichita, have been named to the World Junior Championship team.
For more results, click here.
