Kari Erickson

Kari Erickson
Curler
Born	Kari Liapis (1971-12-18) December 18, 1971 Bemidji, Minnesota
Curling career File:Curling pictogram.svg
World Championship appearances	2 (1998, 2001)
Olympic appearances	1 (2002)
Medal record Women's curling Representing United States World Junior Championship Silver medal – second place 1992 Oberstdorf Bronze medal – third place 1993 Grindelwald US Women's Championship Gold medal – first place 1998 Bismark Gold medal – first place 2001 Madison Silver medal – second place 1997 Seattle Silver medal – second place 2002 Eveleth US Olympic Trials Gold medal – first place 2001 Ogden Bronze medal – third place 1997 Duluth

Kari Erickson (born December 18, 1971, as Kari Liapis) is an American curler and Olympian.

Career

Erickson started curling in 1988 and had a successful junior career, winning the Minnesota State Junior Championship five years in a row, 1989–1993. Three of those years she went on to win the United States Junior Championship (1990, 1992, 1993). Winning the US Championship allowed her to represent the United States at the World Junior Championships, at which she finished 5th, 2nd, and 3rd, respectively.

In 1994 Erickson made her first appearance at the United States Women's Championship, making it to the semifinals. After a few year gap she returned to the National Championship five more times in a six year span: 1997 (2nd), 1998 (1st), 1999, 2001 (1st), 2002 (2nd). As US Champion in 1998 and 2001 she represented the United States at the World Women's Championships, finishing 7th in 1998 and 5th in 2001.

She has twice competed at the US Olympic Trials, finishing third in 1998 and first in 2001. At the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City the Erickson team had a 6–3 record at the end of the round robin. The United States team lost to Switzerland in the semifinals and Canada in the bronze medal match to finish 4th. Erickson's Olympic team included her sister Stacey Liapis at second and her dad Mike Liapis as coach.

Personal life

Erickson is the sister of Stacey Liapis. She is married to Darren Erickson and has two children.

Teams

Season	Skip	Third	Second	Lead	Alternate	Coach	Events
1988–89	Kari Liapis	Stacey Liapis	Heidi Rollheiser	Roberta Breyen			1989 USJCC 2nd place, silver medalist(s)
1989–90	Kari Liapis	Stacey Liapis	Heidi Rollheiser	Roberta Breyen	Julie Breyen		1990 USJCC 1st place, gold medalist(s) 1990 WJCC (6th)
1990–91	Kari Liapis	Stacey Liapis	Tracy Lindgren	Roberta Breyen			1991 USJCC (SF)
1991–92	Erika Brown	Kari Liapis	Stacey Liapis	Roberta Breyen	Debbie Henry		1992 USJCC 1st place, gold medalist(s) 1992 WJCC 2nd place, silver medalist(s)
1992–93	Erika Brown	Kari Liapis	Stacey Liapis	Debbie Henry	Analissa Johnson		1993 USJCC 1st place, gold medalist(s) 1993 WJCC 3rd place, bronze medalist(s)
1997–98	Kari Erickson	Lori Kreklau	Stacey Liapis	Ann Swisshelm	Risa O'Connell	Mike Liapis	1998 USWCC 1st place, gold medalist(s) 1998 WWCC (9th)
2000–01	Kari Erickson	Debbie McCormick	Stacey Liapis	Ann Swisshelm	Joni Cotten	Mike Liapis	2001 USWCC 1st place, gold medalist(s) 2001 WWCC (6th)
2001–02	Kari Erickson	Debbie McCormick	Stacey Liapis	Ann Swisshelm	Joni Cotten	Mike Liapis	2001 USOCT 1st place, gold medalist(s) 2002 USWCC 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 2002 OG (4th)