Biography

Strong, powerful and elegant are all words that aptly describe U.S. ladies competitor Ashley Wagner. Resilient, tenacious and triumphant can now be added to the mix.

The 2014–2015 season has proven to be a strong one for Wagner. She medaled at her two Grand Prix events and won the Bronze medal at the Grand Prix Final in Barcelona, Spain. Seeking redemption, Ashley captured her third U.S. Title in Greensboro, NC with the highest ever recorded score at U.S. Nationals with a 221.02 delivering two flawless performances. “Of my three titles, this one tastes the sweetest and means the most because it shows every single person that I am capable of being a leading lady.”

After rough skates at the 2014 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Wagner proved her mettle by delivering strong programs at the Olympic Winter Games in Sochi — helping Team USA win a bronze medal in the inaugural team competition.

“I definitely learned that I am stronger than I ever thought I was,” said Wagner. “It was a disaster of a season, honestly, but the way that I pulled through, stayed put together and found a way to make everything work made me realize I can handle anything. “I was chosen to be on the Olympic team for a reason.”

Upon arriving in Sochi, Wagner went from the airport to an interview with NBC at Olympic Park, next to the hockey arena. Gazing at the Olympic rings on the side of the building she soaked in the moment and all that it meant in her life.

“That’s when it hit me that this was real and I had made it happen,” she said. “I was an Olympian. It was my time to compete. In any sport, you have to give up so much to get to that elite level of competition. That moment made it all worth it.”

The experience of standing on the medal podium with her American teammates was “probably the coolest thing that’s ever happened to me in my entire life.”

“It’s 18-plus years of sacrifice, blood, sweat and tears,” Wagner said. “Eighteen years of my family giving up everything that they could to make my dreams come true. Being so passionate and madly in love with what I’m doing. To be able to have that Olympic experience, it confirmed to me that I’m not crazy. I’m crazy about the sport, about how hard I need to work and what I want to accomplish.”

It’s not been an easy or direct path to sweet satisfaction. Wagner has rebounded from disappointment to thrive. Determined to become more consistent, she moved to California in June 2011 to work with renowned coach John Nicks, a member of the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame. Nicks instilled in Wagner the belief that not only does she need to be a solid technician, but also a performer.

Heading into the 2012 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Wagner dubbed herself the “almost girl,” referring to being close to her goals, but not quite achieving them. On Jan. 28, 2012, the word “almost” was gone as Wagner skated her way to the U.S. title. She defended her title in 2013, making her the first U.S. woman since Michelle Kwan to win consecutive U.S. titles.

After the 2012-13 season, Nicks announced he would no longer travel with Wagner to competitions. Shortly after she decided to begin training with Rafael Arutunian, the rink where he had been based for more than a decade closed. Undaunted, they relocated to the East West Ice Palace in Artesia.

Relocating is not new to Wagner. The daughter of an Army officer, she grew up a military brat as the family moved seven times during her childhood. They settled in Northern Virginia and remained in the area after her father — who was working in the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001 — retired from the Army about 12 years ago.

Being able to train consistently with one coach allowed Wagner’s skating to flourish, and she soon established herself as a competitor in the junior ranks. In the fall of 2006, she won two ISU Junior Grand Prix competitions and qualified for the Junior Grand Prix Final, where she claimed the silver medal. At the 2007 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Wagner won the junior ladies bronze medal and then repeated that placement at the World Junior Championships.

The following season, Wagner debuted on the ISU Grand Prix circuit, winning her first senior international medal at Trophée Eric Bompard. She won her first U.S. senior medal in 2008 and with it her first trip to the World Figure Skating Championships.

Until she moved to Delaware to train before her senior year of high school, Wagner attended a regular high school where she was on the Academic Honor Roll and a member of the National Junior Honor Society. She feels that having a life outside the rink is beneficial to her skating. Now in her 20s, she understands a training/life balance is essential to success. To that end, she’s moving to Los Angeles and looks forward to exploring the city’s art, culture and cuisine.

As her career has unfolded, Wagner has become somewhat of a media darling — known for her frankness and humor. She has also been incredibly popular with sponsors. Over the past year, she has worked with Nike, BP, Cover Girl, P&G, Pandora, Hilton HHonors, FAAR and Highmark.

“It’s been great to call myself a ‘Cover Girl’ and a Nike athlete,” Wagner said. “Companies believe in me as a competitor.”

She grew up watching America’s Next Top Model and recalls seeing the contestants vie for a Cover Girl contract. When she had to deliver the line “easy, breezy, beautiful Cover Girl,” she was both terrified and elated.

Post-Olympics was a whirlwind of public appearances. CoverGirl sent her to the Oscars, where she walked the red carpet, attended the ceremony and went to the renowned Governor’s Ball. She threw out the first pitch at a Los Angeles Angels game. Her talk show appearances included Bethenny, FOX Sports Crowd Goes Wild and Arsenio.

Wagner has toured with Stars on Ice in the U.S. and Canada. The performance aspect of skating helped fuel her competitive fires, and she is intent on skating until the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

“I am doing what I love and not many people can say that especially at my age,” said Wagner. “I love competing. I love skating. I’m not ready to stop. If I can make it to Korea, I absolutely will.

“The pressure is off,” she added. “I’ve been to the Olympics. I got a medal. Now, I can do what I want within skating. I feel I’m much freer to play — to skate to unique pieces of music or try out new versions of me. I want to see how far I can push my skating and see what I can do now.”

Wagner is active on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. You can follow her at @AshWagner2010. You can also check out her Web site: http://www.figureskatersonline.com/ashleywagner/.