Allison Pottinger /ˈpɒtənər/ (née Darragh, born July 5, 1973) is an American curler from Eden Prairie, Minnesota. She is best known as having played for Debbie McCormick in multiple Olympics and World Championships. McCormick left the team in 2010. She competed in the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, in Vancouver, Canada.[1] She was named USA female curling athlete of the year in 2008.[2]

Allison Pottinger
Pottinger at the 2010 Winter Olympics
Born
Allison Darragh

(1973-07-05) July 5, 1973 (age 51)
Team
Curling clubSt. Paul CC, St. Paul, Minnesota
Curling career
Member AssociationMinnesota Minnesota
World Championship
appearances
13 (1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2014, 2016)
Olympic
appearances
2 (2010, 2014)

Career

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Pottinger curls out of the St. Paul Curling Club in St. Paul, Minnesota. She learned how to curl in Otterburn Park, Quebec.[1]

In 1994, Pottinger was an alternate for Erika Brown's silver medal-winning team at the 1994 World Junior Curling Championships. Pottinger picked up another silver medal at the 1996 World Curling Championships as the lead for Lisa Schoeneberg. In 1999, Pottinger won another silver medal, this time playing second for Patti Lank. In 2003, she had moved up to the position of third, and played for Debbie McCormick. In 2003, they won the first gold medal for an American team at the World Curling Championships. They would go to the Worlds again in 2006, where they won a silver medal.[2]

Upon their semifinal win at the 2012 United States Women's Curling Championship, Pottinger and her team were qualified to participate at the 2014 United States Olympic Curling Trials.[3] Her team lost in the trials, but Pottinger was selected as the Alternate for the victorious team (which includes former teammate McCormick). Pottinger attended the 2014 Olympics but was not selected to play in any matches for Team USA.

Personal life

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Pottinger is a consumer insights manager with Rakuten Intelligence.[4] She graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh and has bachelor's degrees in Political Science and History. She earned an MBA in Marketing at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. She is married to Doug Pottinger[1] and has two children.[5]

Awards

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  • USA Curling Female Athlete of the Year: 2008, 2012
  • USA Curling Team of the Year: 1999, 2003

Teams

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Women's

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Season Skip Third Second Lead Alternate Coach Events
1993–94 Erika Brown Debbie Henry Stacey Liapis Analissa Johnson Allison Darragh 1994 USJCC  
1994 WJCC  [6]
1994–95 Lisa Schoeneberg Erika Brown Lori Mountford Marcia Tillisch Allison Darragh 1995 USWCC  
1995 WWCC (6th)[7]
1995–96 Lisa Schoeneberg Erika Brown Lori Mountford Allison Darragh Debbie Henry 1996 USWCC  [8]
1996 WWCC  [9]
1996–97 Patti Lank Analissa Johnson Joni Cotten Tracy Sachtjen Allison Darragh 1997 WWCC (7th)[10]
1998–99 Patti Lank Erika Brown Allison Darragh Tracy Sachtjen Barb Perrella
(WWCC)
Steve Brown
(WWCC)
1999 USWCC  
1999 WWCC  
1999–00 Patti Lank Erika Brown Allison Darragh Tracy Sachtjen Steve Brown 2000 USWCC  [11]
2000–01 Patti Lank Erika Brown Allison Darragh Tracy Sachtjen Keith Reilly 2001 USWCC  [12]
2001–02 Patti Lank Erika Brown Oriedo Allison Darragh Tracy Sachtjen Bev Behnke 2001 USOCT  [13]
Patti Lank Erika Brown Allison Darragh Natalie Nicholson Nicole Joraanstad 2002 USWCC  
2002 WWCC (8th)[14]
2002–03 Debbie McCormick Allison Pottinger Ann Swisshelm Silver Tracy Sachtjen Joni Cotten Wally Henry 2003 USWCC  [15]
2003 WWCC  [16]
2003–04 Debbie McCormick Allison Pottinger Ann Swisshelm Silver Tracy Sachtjen Joni Cotten 2004 USWCC  [17]
2004–05 Debbie McCormick Allison Pottinger Ann Swisshelm Silver Tracy Sachtjen 2005 USWCC/USOCT  [18]
2005–06 Debbie McCormick Allison Pottinger Nicole Joraanstad Tracy Sachtjen Natalie Nicholson Joni Cotten 2006 USWCC  [19]
Debbie McCormick Allison Pottinger Nicole Joraanstad Natalie Nicholson Caitlin Maroldo Wally Henry 2006 WWCC  [20]
2006–07 Debbie McCormick Allison Pottinger Nicole Joraanstad Natalie Nicholson Tracy Sachtjen 2007 USWCC  [21][22]
Debbie McCormick Allison Pottinger Nicole Joraanstad Natalie Nicholson Maureen Brunt Wally Henry 2007 WWCC (4th)[23]
2007–08 Debbie McCormick Allison Pottinger Nicole Joraanstad Natalie Nicholson Tracy Sachtjen
(WWCC)
Wally Henry 2008 USWCC  [24][25]
2008 WWCC (7th)[26]
2008–09 Debbie McCormick Allison Pottinger Nicole Joraanstad Natalie Nicholson Tracy Sachtjen Wally Henry 2009 USWCC/USOCT  [27]
2009 WWCC (9th)[28][29]
2009–10 Debbie McCormick Allison Pottinger Nicole Joraanstad Natalie Nicholson Tracy Sachtjen Wally Henry 2010 OG (10th)[30][31]
2010–11 Allison Pottinger Nicole Joraanstad Natalie Nicholson Tabitha Peterson 2011 USWCC  
2011–12 Allison Pottinger Nicole Joraanstad Natalie Nicholson Tabitha Peterson Cassandra Potter Derek Brown 2012 USWCC  
2012 WWCC (5th)
2012–13 Allison Pottinger Nicole Joraanstad Natalie Nicholson Tabitha Peterson 2013 USWCC  
2013–14 Allison Pottinger Nicole Joraanstad Natalie Nicholson Tabitha Peterson Tara Peterson
(WWCC)
Derek Brown
(WWCC)
2013 USOCT  
2014 USWCC  
2014 WWCC (6th)
Erika Brown Debbie McCormick Jessica Schultz Ann Swisshelm Allison Pottinger Bill Todhunter 2014 OG (10th)[32]
2015–16 Erika Brown Allison Pottinger Nicole Joraanstad Natalie Nicholson Tabitha Peterson
(WWCC)
Ann Swisshelm
(WWCC)
2016 USWCC  
2016 WWCC (6th)[33]
2018–19 Allison Pottinger Courtney George Jordan Moulton Regan Birr

Mixed doubles

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Season Male Female Events
2015–16 Allison Pottinger Doug Pottinger 2016 USMDCC  

Mixed

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Season Skip Third Second Lead Events
1995 Mike Fraboni Allison Pottinger Mark Swandby Toni Swandby 1995 USMxCC  
1998 Mike Fraboni Allison Pottinger Craig Brown Tracy Sachtjen 1998 USMxCC  

Grand Slam record

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Key
C Champion
F Lost in Final
SF Lost in Semifinal
QF Lost in Quarterfinals
R16 Lost in the round of 16
Q Did not advance to playoffs
T2 Played in Tier 2 event
DNP Did not participate in event
N/A Not a Grand Slam event that season
Event 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11
Autumn Gold DNP DNP DNP Q
Manitoba Lotteries QF Q DNP Q
Sobeys Slam DNP DNP N/A DNP
Players' Championships DNP DNP DNP DNP

References

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  1. ^ a b c "NBC United States Olympic Athlete Biography". Retrieved March 17, 2023.
  2. ^ a b "USA Curling". USA CURLING.
  3. ^ "Field set for 2014 US Olympic Team Trials". USA Curling. May 9, 2013. Archived from the original on November 12, 2013. Retrieved August 15, 2013.
  4. ^ "2020 World Women's Curling Championship Media Guide" (PDF). Curling Canada. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
  5. ^ Allison Pottinger. Third Eye Opener (3). March 21, 2016. Retrieved March 17, 2023
  6. ^ "World Junior Curling Championships 1994". World Curling Federation. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
  7. ^ "Ford World Curling Championships 1995". World Curling Federation. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
  8. ^ "Junior Women's State Champions". Wisconsin State Curling Association. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
  9. ^ "Ford World Curling Championships 1996". World Curling Federation. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
  10. ^ "Ford World Curling Championships 1997". World Curling Federation. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
  11. ^ "Women's Championship game". USA Curling. Archived from the original on April 21, 2001. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
  12. ^ "Finals". Madison Curling Club. Archived from the original on August 13, 2002. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
  13. ^ "Team Lank". USA Curling. Archived from the original on August 21, 2002. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
  14. ^ "Ford World Curling Championships 2002". World Curling Federation. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
  15. ^ "Illinois wins women's final at 2003 USA Curling Nationals". GoodCurling.net. March 8, 2003. Archived from the original on April 28, 2003. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
  16. ^ "Ford World Curling Championships 2003". World Curling Federation. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
  17. ^ "Wisconsin wins women's title at USA Curling Nationals". USA Curling. March 6, 2004. Archived from the original on March 17, 2004. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
  18. ^ "Bemidji's Johnson rink on to Olympic Games". US Olympic Team Trials – Curling. February 26, 2005. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
  19. ^ "2006 U.S. World Team Trials – Competing Teams". USA Curling. Archived from the original on January 17, 2006. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
  20. ^ "Ford World Women's Curling Championship 2006". World Curling Federation. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
  21. ^ "2007 U.S. National Championships". USA Curling. Archived from the original on March 20, 2007. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
  22. ^ "McCormick wins 2007 U.S. National Championships". CurlingZone. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
  23. ^ "World Women's Curling Championships 2007". World Curling Federation. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
  24. ^ "Nationals competing teams". USA Curling. Archived from the original on February 12, 2008. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
  25. ^ "Women's Final". CurlingZone. Archived from the original on April 27, 2008. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
  26. ^ "Ford World Women's Curling Championship 2008". World Curling Federation. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
  27. ^ "2010 U.S. Olympic Team Trials/2009 U.S. National Championships". 2009–10 USA Curling Media Guide & Directory. May 19, 2010. pp. 60–61. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
  28. ^ "The Mount Titlis World Women's Curling Championship 2009". World Curling Federation. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
  29. ^ Kolesar, Terry (May 2009). "USA women finish ninth in Korea". U.S. Curling News. p. 8. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
  30. ^ "XXI. Olympic Winter Games 2010". World Curling Federation. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
  31. ^ Kolesar, Terry (March 3, 2010). "USA men, women finish 10th in Vancouver". U.S. Curling News. p. 6. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
  32. ^ "XXII. Olympic Winter Games 2014". World Curling Federation. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
  33. ^ "Ford World Women's Curling Championship 2016". World Curling Federation. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
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