We’re excited to have Paralympian Mackenzie Woodring and Olympian Nick Baumgartner join us at the 2024 Summer Games Opening Ceremony.
Mackenzie Woodring, Paralympian,
We are thrilled to have Mackenzie Woodring join us at the Opening Ceremony. Mackenzie is an incredibly accomplished Paralympian and World Championship Cyclist. Stop by and meet Mackenzie during athlete check-in! She’ll have her bike and medals on display.
Mackenzie is a two-time Paralympian in 2008 and 2016, in addition a three-time medalist. Furthermore, Woodring has an incredible World Championship Resume including four medals, three of which are Gold!
Woodring continues to be an inspiration to people around the world as she not only continues competing individually but also as a member of the Priority Health Cycling Team.
Nick Baumgartner, Olympian, 2022 Gold Medalist
Nick Baumgartner was called the pride of the Upper Peninsula when he became the oldest Olympic snowboarder at 40 years old, to stand atop the podium, representing TEAM USA at the 2022 Beijing Games in Snowboardcross (SBX). The age-defying athlete took GOLD in the snowboardcross mixed team event with Lindsey Jacobellis. He wore his heart on his sleeve, showing the world that age is but a number.
Hailing from Iron River, MI, Nick has been part of the US Snowboard team for nearly 20 years as a 4-time Olympian, with his first Olympic Games in 2010. A proud “Yooper,” Nick continues to be a dominant force in international competition and is currently training to for the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics. Nick is also an X-Games gold and silver medalist.
Often called, “Rad Dad”, Nick's pride is his son Landon, who is his biggest supporter and attends Michigan State University. In the off-season Nick works in construction and has been a union concrete laborer to support his athletic dreams, dubbing him the “Blue Collar Olympian.”
Nick’s first book Gold From Iron, co-written with Detroit Free Press senior sportswriter Jeff Seidel, hit shelves in January 2024 and quickly rose on the Amazon Best Seller list for sports books.
Nick shares his story with audiences around the country as a keynote speaker and believes that perseverance, dedication, and accountability are the building blocks to success.
Mike Knuble, Olympian and Detroit Red Wings Stanley Cup Champion
Mike was drafted by the Detroit Red Winging during the 1991 NHL Entry Draft. He played for the next four years at the University of Michigan before he made his professional debut for the Adirondack Red Wings during the 1995 Calder Cup playoffs. He played for the Adirondack Red wings for the 1995-96 season and most of the 1996-97 season.
He made his NHL debut with the Detroit Red Wings in March of 1997. With his first full season with Detroit during the 1997-98 season Detroit won back to back Stanley Cups. He then played for the New York Rangers, the Boston Bruins and the Philadelphia Flyers. During the 2004-05 NHL lockout he played for Linköpings HC of the Swedish Elitserien. After the lockout he played for the Washington Capitals before signing a 1 year deal with the Philadelphia Flyers in January of 2013 where he then retired after the season.
He is currently an assistant coach with the Grand Rapids Griffins, which is Detroit’s minor league affiliate.
Tia Brooks-Wannemacher- Olympian and East Kentwood High School Alum
In 2011, she placed second in the shot put at both the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Championships. In 2012, she won both events before competing at the US Olympic Trials. At the Trials, she placed third in the shot put and qualified to represent the United States at the 2012 Summer Olympics. She placed 19th at the Olympics. Also in 2012, she was a Bowerman Award semifinalist. She is the American collegiate record holder indoors with her personal record of 19.22 m (63 ft 1⁄2 in).
Brooks attended University of Oklahoma. During her first year, she lost feeling in her legs while lifting weights and had to be carried out on a spine board. She was diagnosed with degenerative disc disorder, two bulging discs, and a narrowing of the spine. Her doctor advised her to give up the shot put, but Brooks pressed on. After a year of rehab and strength training, she returned to the sport in 2010.
She competed in the 2013 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships where she earned silver medal in shot put with a throw of 18.83 m (61 ft 9+1⁄4 in).
She competed in the 2014 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Sacramento, California, California, where she earned bronze medal in shot put with a throw of 18.83 m 61' 9+1⁄2".
She won the silver medal in the shot put at 2015 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in 18.93 m (62 ft 1+1⁄4 in) which was the 7th best throw in the world in 2015
Gary Morgan- Olympian
Morgan competed in every US Olympic trial from 1984-2004 as a race walker. Including the 1988 Olympic Games where he completed in the 20 km walk, Gary has competed on 17 National Teams that included World Championships, Pan Am Games, Goodwill Games, World Cup and various other teams, and he carried the Olympic torch in 1996 and 2002. He has run or walked over 60 marathons, including those in New York, Boston, Chicago, Kilimanjaro, & Antarctica. Known as Mr. Ubiquitous, Morgan encourages everyone he meets to ‘LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST’. Morgan was inducted into the Michigan Sport Hall of Fame, and in 2011, he was awarded the Jackie Joyner Kersee Award for dedication to track and field and community service.