Meet Michael Kneeland, MSU’s very own Paralympian

While most MSU freshmen were finding their way around campus and figuring out what to eat at Miller Dining Hall, 2025 Presidential Scholar Michael Kneeland was juggling a full course load and a spot on Team USA. 

Kneeland, who grew up in Bozeman, is a 20-year-old studying electrical engineering with a minor in mechatronics. At 17, Kneeland picked up cross-country skiing, and within three years, he was competing at an international level. 

“That was my one goal, make it to the Olympics, and that was what happened,” he said. “I was really happy that I accomplished that goal.”

Kneeland was born with a condition that required a bilateral rotationplasty, a surgery in which both legs are rotated 180 degrees so the ankle joint can function as a knee. He competes in the sitting classification of cross-country skiing, using a sit-ski, according to the Team USA website. 

Kneeland competed in his first two World Cup events in 2024 as a high school junior. In 2025, he competed at the International Biathlon Union (IBU) Parabiathlon World Championships as the youngest of seven Americans to race, according to Team USA. 

He then earned bipartite invitation-based qualification spots from both the International Ski Federation and the IBU for the 2026 Paralympics.

“I feel special representing MSU, representing Bozeman, and then of course, representing my family. I feel very special about that,” he said.

Kneeland said that the games felt like a roller coaster as every day was different. 

“I just had so much fun being in the [games], being with the athletes,” he said.

Kneeland said he is grateful for the support of the Bozeman community and for the opportunity to compete in the Olympics.

“Bozeman is such a great place because the community is very strong here,” he said. “I feel loved and very cared for. I feel that's really what I need in a feeling, and that's really special because if I was in any other city, I don't think I would get the same thing.”

Kneeland balances 16 credit hours a week — required by MSU’s presidential scholarship — while keeping up with his training. He said time management is key. 

“I could have said yes to a lot of clubs and stuff like that, but I just realized that if I wanted to do both school and skiing, that I need to not burn myself out too soon,” Kneeland said. “Otherwise I would not enjoy [them], and my performance will reflect that burnout.”

In his personal life, Kneeland is an active member of Grace Bible Church in Bozeman. He is on the worship team for the college service and plays the keyboard. 

Kneeland explained that his Christian faith motivates him, as he views everything he does as an act of service to God and the gospel. “I can work hard for God,” he said.

Kneeland said he thanks God for everything he has accomplished in his academic and Olympic careers.

“What really offers joy and satisfaction is you find joy in God and in the things that He has given to you as a gift, and the fact that you get to enjoy all those little things He has given you.” Kneeland said. 

“I really just am a normal person, and I just choose to have a good attitude, and choose to approach things with the attitude of recognizing that this opportunity could go bye-bye or leave me — and that's okay,” Kneeland said. 

To learn more about Kneeland and his accomplishments, visit https://www.teamusa.com/profiles/michael-kneeland.