Debra Genovese

Debra Genovese competed in women’s luge at the 1980 Lake Placid Winter Olympics. She was from Rockford, Illinois, where she studied to become a dental assistant at Elgin Community College, finishing with a degree in 1974 as a dental technician. In luge, Genovese was the 1978 North American champion, and placed third in 1979 at both the AAU and North American meets. Genovese’s husband, Dick Genovese, was an 8-time US luge champion and was responsible for getting her interested in the sport.