There are 23,546 students at Montclair State University, which means there are 23,546 stories to tell. Whether it is the girl to your left in your business class, or the guy who is somehow always on the same bus as you, everyone has a story.
Olga Mikutina studies business administration here at Montclair State, with a concentration in international business. Mikutina began her freshman year in 2023 and fit right into the campus culture.
After mountains of research to find the perfect university and business program, Mikutina fell in love with Montclair State’s large campus and vibrant student life.
“We don’t have this in Europe,” Mikutina said. “Usually students just rent an apartment [and] share it with someone else, but not like here, having everything in one place on campus. [The] recreation center…clubs, organizations besides school — this was interesting to me and the program was cool.”
She lives on campus, works at the IT desk, and even goes into New York City on the weekends with her friends. At first glance, her story seems to float among the rest. That is, until you see her skate.
Mikutina unleashes her true identity on the ice, hitting jump after jump and trick after trick in her transcending figure skating programs. She represented Austria in this year’s Winter Olympics, hoping to come through for the country she has called home for the past decade.
Olga Mikutina represented Austria at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy. But she is also represented the Montclair State community, which has come to embrace her talent and dedication in recent months. Photo courtesy of GPEASports
Originally from Ukraine, Mikutina moved to Austria when she was 12 and has since racked up quite a bit of hardware. She became a two-time Junior Austrian Nationals champion and five-time Austrian Nationals champion in figure skating.
Mikutina also traveled to Beijing for the Winter Olympics in 2022, and wants to take advantage of this second opportunity.
“After the Olympics in 2022, I felt really happy,” Mikutina told The Montclarion. “And I can remember that I was like, ‘Wow, this event was huge and so cool, I would love to go again.’ But four years is a long time, so when I [finished] high school, I set a priority to get into university…and see how I can balance this with sports.”
Mikutina’s programs are must-sees for any figure skating fan. She effortlessly balances her technical elements with her artistry, telling her own unique story every time she skates.
Mikutina’s programs are must-sees for any figure skating fan. She effortlessly balances her technical elements with her artistry, telling her own unique story every time she skates. Photo by Theresa Marka
“When I’m performing to music, I try to have a story to imagine, so I [don’t] just do mechanics of the elements in my movements, but also dance with soul and imagine myself as something,” Mikutina said.
Her short program is a modern, lyrical piece to “Reckoning Song” by Asaf Avidan, where Mikutina skates to the words of a singer grieving the passage of time. However, her artistry shines in her free skate, set to “Nothing Else Matters” by Metallica. While the choice of heavy metal may sound unorthodox, Mikutina portrays a woman who breaks free from what holds her back.
“In this program, Metallica, I’m talking about a lady, maybe even myself, who has doubts and fears inside,” Mikutina said. “They’re like invisible chains, which hold me back. I try to break them, and, in the middle of the program, I’m succeeding.”
“I break the chains one by one,” she continued. “And at the end, I’m completely free. Then I can enjoy life and be myself and [not] pay so much attention to what others think or say.”
For Mikutina, hard work and repeated practice have been essential to her world-renowned successes. Photo courtesy of Olga Mikutina
Mikutina also spoke on the challenges in her new program, and how she has grown from Beijing four years ago.
“I can better show my skating skills, and I have improved them a lot,” she said. “In my free skate, the technical part got harder and more challenging. So I had to practice a lot and do a lot of run-throughs until I have all [my] jumps.”
Ultimately, Mikutina is an incredibly driven competitor. Her passion for skating started when she was four years old, and the spark to continue competing is far from out. While training so far from her home country, she reminds herself of what inspires her to keep going.
“It’s just fun,” Mikutina said. “I feel joy when I skate on the ice. I love to learn new things and see my progress. I think motivation for me is just my goals.”
And Mikutina has big goals for her future.
“Every single day, I want to become better, stronger, faster,” the star skater said.
“When I was a child, I already felt like this thing inspires me.”
At this year’s Olympics, Mikutina ranked 18th overall in figure skating and earned a season best total score of 185.59. However, her story is far from over.
