USA Curling have announced the players who have made their high performance programme for the 2019-20 season ©Getty Images

The United States curling team have announced the players who have made their high performance programme (HPP) for the 2019-20 season.

There is just one new addition to the men's national programme, led by Phill Drobnick, with Kroy Nernberger joining Rich Ruohonen's team as the fifth player alongside team-mates Greg Persinger, Colin Hufman and Phil Tilker.

The lead team skipped by John Shuster, the reigning Olympic champions who won the 2019 National Championships and ended the season ranked 12th in the world, remains the same with Chris Plys, Matt Hamilton and John Landsteiner.

The third men's team will feature Korey Dropkin, Tom Howell, Mark Fenner and Alex Fenson.

The women's national programme, led by Pete Fenson, features one new team and several line-up changes.

The top ranked US rink, skipped by Nina Roth, remains the same as last season with Tabitha Peterson, Aileen Geving, Becca Hamilton and Tara Peterson. 

John Shuster, who skipped the lead men's rink in 2018-19, keeps the same team ©Getty Images
John Shuster, who skipped the lead men's rink in 2018-19, keeps the same team ©Getty Images

Geving maintains her spot having given birth to her first child in December.

Olympian Cory Christensen and Vicky Persinger join the USA Curling HPP for 2019-20, alongside three-time national champion Jamie Sinclair and her 2018-19 teammates, sisters Sarah and Taylor Anderson.

The third women's team will be skipped by two-time US junior champion Madison Bear, who played lead for Christensen in 2018-19.

Bear will team up with another three junior curling graduates – Jenna Burchesky, Lexi Lanigan and Emily Quello – as well as Katie Dubberstein.

Quello and Dubberstein are new to the programme while Lanigan and Burchesky were previously part of the junior HPP.

Dropping out of the HPP are Monica Walker and Jenna Martin, who have retired from competition.

USA Curling said a pool of athletes competing in mixed doubles will be announced at a later date.