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Junior Jess Kiesel
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Jan. 23, 2006
THIS WEEK:
The University of Utah cross country team will race in the first-half of the Colorado Invitational, competing in the 5/10-km classical and 15/20-km freestyle events on Jan. 27-28. These events will be held on the same venues this year's NCAA National Skiing Championships will be skied on in Steamboat, Colo. Race times will be all day.
LAST WEEK:
After a competitive weekend of college racing, Utah ended the two-day event by finishing fourth overall at the Montana State Invite.
The Denver Pioneers won its second straight first-place Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Skiing Association (RMISA) finish, followed by Colorado and Alaska-Anchorage.
The Ute men's alpine team took first in the slalom and third in the giant slalom, while the women's downhill squad claimed fifth in the GS and sixth in the SL. The women's nordic pack garnered second in the FS and third in the CL, followed by the men taking fourth in the CL and fifth in the FS.
MONTANA STATE INVITATIONAL STANDINGS:
1. Denver 568 2. Colorado 565 3. Alaska-Anchorage 521 4. Utah 476 5. New Mexico 438 6. Nevada 344 7. Montana State 316 8. Western State 202 9. Whitman 166 10. Boise State 50 11. Wyoming 44
QUOTING HEAD COACH Eli Brown:
Commenting On The CU Invitational:
"The team is pretty excited to race on the courses that will be used for NCAAs. We have been training pretty hard and still have our eyes set on the end of the season, but racing well on the championship trails will be an important step."
Commenting On The Women's Nordic Team:
"The excitement of having both Sara (Schweiger) and Nicole (Naef) on the podium this year, has brought our squad a lot of confidence. I expect the women's team to continue to show the competition that they are one of the best nordic teams in the country."
Commenting On The Men's Nordic Team:
"The men's team continues to ski strong with all three guys racing consistently. I expect to see them cracking the top 10 this coming weekend in Steamboat, Colo."
SCHOOL VICTORIES IN NCAA WEST SKI INVITATIONAL:
*Utah 52.5 Colorado 36.0 Denver 19.0 New Mexico 9.0 *Wyoming 7.5(*--Wyoming and Utah tied for the 1985 title at the Wyoming Invite)
2006 SKI RACING MAGAZINE PRESEASON RANKINGS:
1. University of Denver 2. University of Colorado 3. University of New Mexico 4. University of Vermont 5. University of Utah 6. University of Alaska-Anchorage 7. Middlebury College 8. Northern Michigan University 9. University of Nevada 10. Dartmouth College
RETURNING ALL-AMERICAN:
Senior Thornhill is the sole returning first-team All-American after skiing sixth in the GS at the 2005 NCAA Skiing Championships. The British Columbia, Canada native is a two-time NCAA GS champion after winning the event in '03 and '04.
INJURY REPORT:
Freshman alpine skier Kyle Kung will be out for the Colorado Invite after crashing during the slalom event at the Montana State Invite and injuring his shoulder. The Girdwood, Alaska native will be questionable for the duration of the 2006 season.
Junior nordic skier Casey Simons recently underwent surgery and will miss duration of the 2006 season. The Park Ciy, Utah native competed in the NCAAs as a sophomore and will rejoin the team next year.
Senior alpine racer Andi Wieser will redshirt in '06. The Nova Gorica, Slovenia native missed the entire '05 ski season due to a knee injury and is expected to return to the squad next season.
UTE NEWCOMERS:
-Nordic Recruits: Erik Gjomle Fabian Figi Linda Pettersson Sara Schweiger-Alpine Recruits: Kyle Kung Scott Veenis Erika Hogan Chelsea Laswell Mikaela Grassl
INVITED TEAMS:
University of Alaska, Anchorage University of Nevada Reno Montana State University University of Utah University of Colorado Western State College University of Denver Whitman College University of New Mexico Boise State University University of Wyoming
NEXT WEEK:
The Ute alpine team will be wrap up the second-half of the Colorado Invitation on Feb. 3-4. The downhill events will be held at Steamboat, Colo. Race times are all day.
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