Emily Smuelson and Evan Bates have the longest partnership of any junior team competing this season. Teaming up in 2000, Samuelson and Bates train in Ann Arbor, Michigan with Iouri Tchesnitchenko and Yasa Netcheva. This will be their second season competing as juniors, having won the silver medal last in 2006. They are also the 2005 Novice Champions and the 2002 Intermediate Champions. They have won a medal at every US National Championship that they have competed at.

This season has been a breakthrough for Samuelson and Bates. After finishing last season's debut as juniors with a strong debut at Junior Worlds, placing 10th, they won both Junior Grand Prix events. This easily qualified them for the Junior Grand Prix Final, where they won a silver medal.