Meet the Realtor and Lab Tech Playing for Olympic Gold Tomorrow: Team USA’s History-Making Curlers

On Monday, Feb. 9, Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin didn’t just win an Olympic curling match—they pulled off a stunning 9-8 upset over Italy’s defending gold medalists!

Deafening chants and cheers erupted as Thiesse delivered a final shot—the “hammer”—to score two points in the last frame and secure the victory, guaranteeing Team USA’s first-ever Olympic medal in Mixed Doubles curling. 

But what’s even more shocking than their win is the fact that when the pair isn’t competing for Olympic Gold, they have regular 9-5 jobs in Minnesota: Thiesse processes samples as a lab technician, while Dropkin closes deals as a real estate agent. As the dynamic duo prepares for tomorrow’s Gold Medal match against Sweden, let’s get to know these Team USA heroes who prove that you don’t need a multi-million dollar contract to make your Olympic dreams come true.

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Who Are Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin? From 9-to-5s in Minnesota to Olympic History Makers

Cory Thiesse (31) and Korey Dropkin (30) first crossed paths as teens in Minnesota’s junior curling circuit. While they both attended the University of Minnesota Duluth and continued competing in the sport, they did not become curling partners until April 2022.

When their respective teams did not make it to the Beijing Olympics, Dropkin invited Thiesse out for a drink. But the topic was not dating; it was curling! He asked if she’d curl mixed doubles with him, and she immediately said yes. One year later, they were World Champions—and today, they became Olympic medalists!

“Korey and I have been really good friends for a long time,” Thiesse told the Duluth News Tribune in 2023. “Both of us living in Duluth, it works out well that we’re able to practice together. It seemed like a good fit and I was ready to try something new, and it worked out.”

Dropkin joked, “Truly, I was just looking for someone that had the same name as me. It worked pretty well.”

Related: U.S. Pairs Team Delivers the Skate of Their Lives at the Olympics

Cory Thiesse: The Lab Tech

Thiesse graduated from the University of Minnesota Duluth with a degree in exercise science. In order to compete in the Winter Olympics, she had to request time off from her job as a chemical dependency laboratory technician at North Shore Analytical, a mercury-testing lab.

Related: Olympic Medal Count 2026: Team USA’s Got Two Gold Medals! (Live Updates)

Korey Dropkin: The Realtor

The Massachusetts native relocated to Minnesota in 2013 to pursue his Olympic dreams at the legendary Duluth Curling Club. When he’s not making history on the ice, he is a successful licensed realtor with RE/MAX Results, specializing in the northern Minnesota and Wisconsin markets.

Are Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin Dating? The Truth About Their Relationship

Whether it’s figure skating or curling, the number one question fans ask during every mixed doubles event is: “Are they a couple in real life?” It’s always a fair question, but in this pair’s case, the answer is a definitive no. Cory is married to Sam Thiesse, a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley in Duluth, while Dropkin is engaged to Gabby Tachis.

When is the Team USA vs. Sweden Curling Final?

After their stunning victory over Italy, Thiesse and Dropkin move on to the biggest match of their lives, facing off against Sweden (represented by the sibling duo of Isabella and Rasmus Wranå) for the Gold Medal.

The match will take place on Tuesday, Feb. 10 at 12:05 p.m. ET at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium.

How to Watch and Stream the Curling Mixed Doubles Final

• Live Stream: Peacock, NBCOlympics.com, and the NBC Sports app.
• Cable TV: USA Network

If you can’t watch it live at noon, Peacock will have the full event replay available immediately after the match ends.

Up next: How to Watch the 2026 Winter Olympics Live—With or Without Cable