Last Updated: October 2026
Jessie Diggins’ husband is Wade Poplawski, a Winnipeg-born former hockey defenseman who now works in finance in the Boston area. The couple married on May 29, 2022, at Almquist Farm in Hastings, Minnesota.
Diggins, 35, is the most decorated cross-country skier in U.S. history, with four Olympic medals. Her husband has been there for much of that run, and he was at the finish line when she raced for the last time. This guide covers who he is, how they met, the wedding, and what life looks like now that she has retired.
Answer: Wade Poplawski is the husband of Jessie Diggins, a Canadian former college and pro hockey defenseman who now works in finance. They met at an Olympian’s wedding, dated five years, got engaged in 2020 and married on May 29, 2022. They live near Boston.
Wade Poplawski Bio and Quick Facts
Wade keeps a much lower profile than his wife, so a few details are not public. This table lists what is confirmed and notes where a figure is an estimate.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Wade Andrew Poplawski |
| Date of birth | 1986 (hockey databases list August 12, 1986) |
| Age | About 40 |
| Birthplace | Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) |
| Weight | About 180 lbs (82 kg), from his college roster listing |
| Profession | Finance professional; former professional hockey defenseman |
| College | Colgate University |
| Spouse | Jessie Diggins (married May 29, 2022) |
| Parents | Joe and Darlene Poplawski |
| Net worth | Not publicly known |
Who Is Jessie Diggins’ Husband? A Quick Profile
Wade rarely does interviews, and most of what the public knows comes from Jessie’s social posts and a handful of profiles. The basics are still well documented.
Background at a Glance
- Canadian from Winnipeg: Wade was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and came to the United States to play college hockey. He stayed after graduating.
- Former hockey defenseman: He played junior hockey in Manitoba, college hockey at Colgate University and then professional hockey in the ECHL.
- Finance career: After hockey he moved into finance and has worked in Boston for roughly a decade.
- Private by choice: He mostly appears at her races and in her photos, not in the media on his own.
- Not a skier: Some websites call him a pro skier or U.S. Ski Team coach. Neither is true.
What He Means to Diggins
- Her loudest supporter: Diggins thanked him publicly, alongside coaches and family, during her final Olympic run.
- Partner for the next chapter: She has said she looked forward to building a life at home with her husband once racing ended.
- Shared plans: Before announcing her retirement, she imagined visiting the family cabin with Wade without a training plan hanging over the trip.
- Boston home base: His job keeps him in the city, which is a big reason they planned to stay in the area.
Wade Poplawski’s Early Life, Family and Hockey Career
Wade grew up in a sports family in Winnipeg. Hockey took him from junior leagues in Manitoba to an Ivy-adjacent college program in upstate New York. That path eventually led him to Boston.
Family and Childhood
- Winnipeg roots: He was born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
- Parents: His parents are Joe and Darlene Poplawski.
- Famous father: Joe Poplawski is a member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame and played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers from 1978 to 1986.
- Shared Canadian ties: Diggins’ parents were also born in Canada, and she holds dual citizenship. She has said she openly roots for Canada too.
Junior and College Hockey
- Junior hockey: He played three seasons for the Winnipeg South Blues of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League and earned league all-star recognition.
- High school: Before that he played for the Silver Heights Huskies in the Winnipeg high school league.
- Colgate University: He wore number 6 as a defenseman for Colgate, playing from his freshman year in 2007-08 through his senior season in 2010-11.
- Academic and team honors: He made the ECAC Hockey All-Academic Team three times and shared the Dan Coley “Barrell” Award for best defenseman.
Life After Hockey
- Pro hockey: He played professionally in the ECHL after college.
- Move into finance: He later left hockey for a finance career based in Boston.
- Flexible work: Around 2021, more flexible work let him spend time with Diggins at her Stratton, Vermont training base in the offseason.
- Following her tour: He balances his job with trips to watch her race, including a flight to Italy to spend Christmas 2025 with her.
How Jessie Diggins and Wade Poplawski Met
The meet-cute is one of the better ones in sports. It involved a wedding, a giant game of Jenga and a bet.
The Jenga Bet
- A wedding in Canada: They met at the wedding of a fellow Olympian. Some earlier reports say it was teammate Kikkan Randall’s wedding.
- The red dress: Wade noticed Diggins in a bold red dress during an oversized Jenga game at the reception.
- Losers kiss: The rule was that whoever knocked the tower over had to kiss, and the two lost a round together.
- The bet: They agreed the loser would rent a car and drive to visit the other.
- The drive: A few months later, Wade drove from Boston to Diggins’ front door in Vermont.
The Long-Distance Years
- Two bases: He was working in Boston while she lived and trained in Vermont and spent months racing in Europe.
- Five years of dating: They traveled around Europe together before getting engaged.
- Deep commitment: Diggins has said she was “madly in love with him for seven years” by the time of the wedding.
- Built around her calendar: A World Cup season keeps her on the road for months, so visits had to be planned around races.
Jessie Diggins and Wade Poplawski Relationship Timeline
The table below puts the key dates in order. The first date is an estimate, worked out from the five years of dating before the 2020 engagement.
| Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| Around 2015 (estimated) | They meet at a wedding in Canada and start dating |
| 2015-2020 | Long-distance relationship between Boston and Vermont, with trips across Europe |
| April 2020 | Engaged at Monadnock State Park, New Hampshire |
| 2021-22 | Wade spends offseason training time with her in Stratton, Vermont |
| May 29, 2022 | Wedding at Almquist Farm in Hastings, Minnesota |
| February 2026 | Wade surprises her at the Milan Cortina Opening Ceremony |
| March 22, 2026 | He is among the first to hug her after her final World Cup race |
| Summer 2026 | Diggins is retired and spending more time at home near Boston |
Engagement and Wedding: Almquist Farm, May 2022
Diggins and Poplawski kept the wedding close to her Minnesota roots. The celebration was later featured as an award-winning real wedding in a regional bridal magazine.
The Proposal
- Date: Wade proposed in April 2020.
- Location: The proposal took place at Monadnock State Park in New Hampshire, with mountain views around them.
- Announcement: Diggins shared the engagement while the world was in the early weeks of the pandemic.
- Wedding plan: She said they were aiming for a May 2022 wedding, and they kept to that plan.
Wedding Day Details
- Date and place: They married on May 29, 2022, at Almquist Farm in Hastings, Minnesota, a historic family property turned wedding venue.
- Setting: The ceremony was outdoors, and the reception was held in a rustic barn with flowers, candles and fairy lights.
- Food with a story: Guests were served “appetizers from the world” to reflect the places the couple had traveled together.
- First look: Both said the private first look was a favorite moment of the day.
- Gown change: Diggins changed into a custom Tara LaTour gown for the evening.
The Wedding Party
- Skiing teammates: Her bridal party included Julia Kern, Sadie Bjornsen Maubet, Sophie Caldwell Hamilton, Alayna Sonnesyn, Katharine Ogden Call and Anne Hart.
- Family and friends: Her younger sister, Mackenzie Diggins, stood with her, along with friend Danielle Mangine.
- Olympic crowd: With so many elite athletes on the guest list, the wedding drew playful chatter in the ski world about a wedding-party relay.
- Wade’s side: His friends and family included a strong hockey and football background.
Jessie Diggins and Wade Poplawski Height, Weight and Age Comparison
The couple has a noticeable height gap, and Wade is a few years older. Jessie’s figures are her listed Olympic measurements. Wade’s weight comes from his college roster, so it is probably different today.
| Detail | Jessie Diggins | Wade Poplawski |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Jessica “Jessie” Diggins | Wade Andrew Poplawski |
| Date of birth | August 26, 1991 | 1986 (reported August 12) |
| Age (October 2026) | 35 | About 40 |
| Birthplace | Saint Paul, Minnesota | Winnipeg, Manitoba |
| Height | 5 ft 4 in (163 cm) | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) |
| Weight | About 128 lbs (58 kg) | About 180 lbs (82 kg), college listing |
| Nationality | American and Canadian (dual) | Canadian |
| Profession | Retired cross-country skier | Finance professional, ex-hockey player |
The difference works out to roughly 7 inches (17 cm) in height and about five years in age.
How Wade Poplawski Supported Jessie Diggins’ Olympic Career
Diggins spends most of the winter on the road, so Wade’s support has often been long-distance. At the biggest moments of her last season, he was there in person.
Milan Cortina 2026
- Opening Ceremony surprise: Wade surprised her at the ceremony. A video showed her screaming with joy and leaping into his arms.
- Bronze medal: Diggins won bronze in the 10 km freestyle, her fourth Olympic medal after gold in 2018 and silver and bronze in 2022.
- A rough start: She fell in the opening skiathlon race but kept going through a full schedule of events.
- Public thanks: She thanked her husband, coaches, technicians and friends throughout the Games.
Behind the Scenes
- Time apart: She has described being on the road about eight months a year and how the sacrifices piled up over time.
- Holiday trips: Wade flew to Italy to spend Christmas 2025 with her during the Tour de Ski stretch.
- Her retirement reasoning: Wanting more normal life with her husband was part of why she chose to step away while she still loved racing.
The Final Race in Lake Placid
- Date: Her last World Cup race was the 20 km mass start on March 22, 2026, in Lake Placid, New York.
- Result: She finished 12th after a late fall, but she still took the overall season title and her fourth overall Crystal Globe.
- The hug: After crossing the line, she hugged her husband first, then her dad, mom and sister.
- The crowd: Thousands of fans lined the course, and about 600 kids joined her for a ceremonial final lap.
Retirement, Home and Children
Since retiring, Diggins has filled her calendar with trail running, advocacy and plenty of time at home. Wade is a big part of that new routine.
Retirement and New Projects
- Announcement: She announced in November 2025 that the 2025-26 season would be her last.
- After skiing: She ran the 2026 Broken Arrow Skyrace Triple Crown in California and then flew to Washington, D.C. for dozens of meetings on climate advocacy.
- Future plans: She has said she wants to keep up advocacy work and expand into keynote speaking.
- Staying close to skiing: She plans to stay involved with the U.S. Nordic program.
Where They Live
- Boston area: Diggins is reported to live in the Boston area, in Wakefield, Massachusetts.
- Why Boston: She and Wade planned to stay there, at least for now, because his job is based in the city.
- Training base: During her racing years she trained at Stratton, Vermont, and Wade joined her there in the offseason.
- Minnesota ties: Her parents and sister are still in Minnesota, and the couple married there.
Does Jessie Diggins Have Children?
- No public confirmation: As of October 2026, there are no confirmed reports that Diggins and Poplawski have children.
- She has discussed it: Before retiring, she talked openly about how hard it is to raise a family while racing in Europe.
- System-level view: She also raised the question of how the sport could better support athletes who are parents.
- False claims: Websites that name a daughter are wrong. See the myths below.
Wade Poplawski and Jessie Diggins Net Worth
Neither has shared a verified net worth. Estimates online are unconfirmed and often out of date, so treat any single figure with care.
| Person | What is known |
|---|---|
| Jessie Diggins | No confirmed figure. Income has come from World Cup prize money, sponsorships and speaking. Unverified estimates online range from about $1 million to $1.5 million. |
| Wade Poplawski | Not public. He works in finance, and his pay has never been reported. |
Myths About Jessie Diggins’ Husband
Search results for this topic are full of copied pages with errors. These are the most common wrong claims and what the record actually shows.
| Claim you may see | What is accurate |
|---|---|
| Wade is a pro skier or U.S. Ski Team assistant coach | He is a former hockey player who now works in finance |
| They married in 2018 | They married on May 29, 2022 |
| They have a daughter named Elsa | No children have been confirmed publicly |
| Wade is from Minneapolis | He was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba |
| Wade still plays for the Winnipeg South Blues | He played there as a teenager, many years ago |
| They met while training for the 2014 Olympics | They met at a wedding, then dated for about five years |
Jessie Diggins Husband FAQs
Who is Jessie Diggins’ husband?
Her husband is Wade Poplawski, a Canadian former hockey defenseman from Winnipeg. He works in finance in the Boston area and stays out of the spotlight.
How old is Wade Poplawski?
He was born in 1986, and hockey databases list August 12. That makes him about 40 as of October 2026, roughly five years older than Diggins.
When did Jessie Diggins get married?
She married Wade on May 29, 2022, at Almquist Farm in Hastings, Minnesota. They had been engaged since April 2020.
How did Jessie Diggins and Wade Poplawski meet?
They met at a fellow Olympian’s wedding in Canada during an oversized Jenga game. After losing a round together, they made a bet that led Wade to drive from Boston to her door in Vermont.
What does Wade Poplawski do for a living?
He works in finance in Boston and has been in the field for about ten years. Before that he played junior, college and professional hockey.
Does Jessie Diggins have kids?
There are no confirmed reports of children. She has spoken about the logistics of starting a family as an athlete but has not announced any children.
How tall is Wade Poplawski?
He is 5 ft 11 in (180 cm). That makes him about 7 inches taller than Diggins, who is 5 ft 4 in (163 cm).
Is Jessie Diggins retired?
Yes. She raced for the last time on March 22, 2026, in Lake Placid, after announcing the move in November 2025. She finished with four Olympic medals.
Conclusion
Jessie Diggins’ husband, Wade Poplawski, is a Winnipeg-born former hockey player who built a finance career in Boston. They met over a game of Jenga, dated for five years, got engaged in 2020 and married in Minnesota on May 29, 2022.
He was in the crowd in Milan Cortina and at the finish line in Lake Placid when her career ended. With racing behind her, the couple is settling into life near Boston, with more time together, plenty of adventures and a lot still ahead.