U.S. Figure Skating Championships preview: Hello, ladies

She wasn't exactly starstruck. But Ashley Wagner did allow herself to look at her idols -- skaters such as Mao Asada and Kimmie Meissner -- and think for just one moment how incredible it was to be standing with them on the ice at a Grand Prix event in Paris.

Then she got right back to business. Wagner, 16, warmed up for her U.S. senior debut with a bronze medal at Trophee Eric Bompard, finishing less than one point behind defending U.S. champ Meissner.

This week, she and other stars in the making -- including 14-year-olds Caroline Zhang and Mirai Nagasu and 15-year-old Rachael Flatt -- will storm the senior ranks at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships at Xcel Energy Center.

Meissner will return to defend her title. But most of the buzz centers on the youngsters, whose lively competition at the junior level appears primed to continue on the big stage. Their age notwithstanding, these are hardly naive girls. They are internationally tested, medal-toting competitors -- and while they respect their elders, they do not fear them.

"I feel confident," Wagner said. "Some people get scared. But this is a great opportunity for anyone, and if you're going to make the most of it, you can't be scared.

"A lot of people think there is a ton of pressure. I don't see it that way. I want to skate two strong, clean programs and prove I belong with the senior ladies."

The four prodigies prepped for nationals by hauling in the medals at senior and junior Grand Prix events last fall. That has sustained the excitement they generated in their breakout season last year and set the table for potential surprises this week.

Leaping onto the senior stage

After the 2006 Olympics, American skating's most transcendent personalities -- Michelle Kwan and Sasha Cohen -- stepped away from the competitive arena. That left a void that remains today in the sport's marquee event.

Meissner won her first U.S. title last year and was a surprise world champion in 2006, but she has not captured the public's fancy like her predecessors. In fact, her performance at last year's nationals shared the spotlight with the next generation. Nagasu edged Zhang for the U.S. junior women's title, with Wagner in third. The three went on to sweep

the podium at the world junior championships -- a first for American women -- with Zhang first, Nagasu second and Wagner third.

A dozen points separated the trio at worlds. The rest of the field sat 30 points back, reinforcing the notion that all three were ready to step up to the senior level.

"[At Skate America], the first day, it seemed like everyone was really tall," said Zhang, who like Nagasu is from Southern California. "I wondered if they were going to jump over my head. I was really excited to be out there with the senior skaters."

But not too excited. Zhang, who carries the highest profile of the group, has taken steps to keep the pressure low. Her coach, Mingzhu Li, said earlier this year they did not set specific goals for placements and points in her first senior season. Her agent, Shep Goldberg -- who also represents Kwan -- manages her schedule carefully so as not to overwhelm her in this transition year.

Wagner also entered the senior Grand Prix circuit this season. The daughter of a retired Army lieutenant colonel, her nomadic childhood taught her to be adaptable, outgoing and assertive. Wagner skated only one junior Grand Prix season, but after winning two events and finishing second to Zhang in the 2006 final, she decided she wasn't being challenged enough.

After finishing fifth at Skate Canada, she got on the podium in Paris, defeating Meissner in the free skate. While she and Zhang surprised the seniors, Flatt and Nagasu quietly assembled fine seasons in the junior Grand Prix. Nagasu won two events and the final; Flatt earned a gold and a silver and was second in the final.

"I think it's really cool to have such a good group of skaters coming up," said Flatt, who finished fifth in her first senior U.S. championship last year. "We're all good friends. We all share similar qualities, so it's easy to talk to each other.

Nagasu agreed that being part of an extremely talented group is beneficial to each of the skaters. They offer a variety of styles; Flatt and Wagner are top-notch jumpers and superb athletes, while Zhang and Nagasu are more delicate and balletic.

They share an eagerness to make their marks on the senior scene. With the Olympics two years away, strong showings at this week's nationals will help them draw coveted international assignments, putting them on the fast track toward Vancouver.

"It brings out the competitive spirit in each of us," Nagasu said. "I definitely want to come on strong and show everyone I can compete at this level. That's what we all want."

In search of skating stars

So can they do it? Several skating luminaries say they are ready.

"Several of these women are extremely young, but they are beyond their years as far as understanding the significance of the now," said Hamilton, who will be part of NBC's broadcast team at nationals. "They are driven. They are mature for their age.

"This is a brand new class of skaters with incredible depth and quality. It will be very exciting to see what they can do."

Skating has been in a down cycle recently, with tumbling attendance and television ratings as well as the difficult adjustment to the new judging system. Hamilton said the talent and freshness infused by the rising young skaters can help revitalize the sport.

His broadcast partner, Sandra Bezic, agreed that a dose of newly minted star power would be healthy. "Female stars have historically driven the sport," said Bezic, a choreographer and former skater. "Especially the American female stars like Peggy Fleming, Dorothy Hamill, Kristi Yamaguchi, Michelle Kwan. They are so important to the sport. What we need are personalities, skaters who can display that personality in their programs."

Wagner has been working on developing that aspect of her skating. She knows everyone else is, too, in this season when anything can happen.