Meet The 2 Somerset County Athletes Competing In The Beijing Olympics

SOMERSET COUNTY, NJ — Two athletes with Somerset County ties will be competing in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics set to begin on Feb. 4.

Kenny Agostino, 29, is from Morristown but his parents now live in Basking Ridge. He will be competing on the U.S. men's Olympic Ice Hockey team.

Agostino used to play for the New Jersey Devils, Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins, among other NHL teams.

He also graduated from Yale University, where he also played ice hockey.

Josh Pauls, 29, of Green Brook and a graduate of Watchung Hills Regional High School, is actually the captain of Team USA Paralympic sled hockey.

Pauls was born without tibia bones and had to have his legs amputated at 10 months. But he never let it stop him: He had a childhood dream to play ice hockey for the NHL and started playing youth hockey with the Woodbridge Township Warriors.

He went on to not only compete in three Olympic games, but also win gold in sled hockey in Pyeongchang in 2018, Sochi in 2014 and Vancouver in 2010.

Pauls will captain Team USA for the second consecutive Paralympics as he makes his fourth appearance at the Games. He wants to be a professional ice hockey coach after the Olympics.

The 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics begin Feb. 4 and will last through Feb. 20.

— Additional reporting by Carly Baldwin

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