MSU ski team heading to nationals for 2nd straight year

[Colter_Nuanez]

MSU PRESS RELEASE

For the second consecutive season the Montana State ski team will be sending a full 12-member contingent to the NCAA Championships, March 5-8 hosted by the University of Utah at its Park City and Midway venues.

Under the direction of Nordic head coach Grethe Hagensen and alpine head coach Kevin Francis, Montana State will be one of just eight schools (six from the RMISA) to have a complete squad. A full member team consists of three skiers – both men and women – in Nordic and alpine disciplines.

The Bobcats will send six NCAA veterans and six newcomers to collegiate skiing’s Big Dance.

Skiers with championship experience include All-America performer David Norris, who is a three-time qualifier. Norris was the 2012 NCAA runner-up in classic. Also returning for a third time will be Jessica Yeaton.

Making their second straight Nordic appearances will be Patrick Madden and Annie Liotta, while Kate Backstrum and Sawyer Kesselheim will ski their first NCAA meet.

On the alpine side, Kelly McBroom and Stephanie Irwin will be making their third straight trip to the NCAAs, while Emily Danza will be making her national championship debut in the Blue and Gold.

All three Montana State men’s alpine racers will be making their first appearances, including David Owsley, David Neuhauser, and Ryan McConnell.

Last year, the Bobcats finished ninth at the NCAA Championships in Middlebury, Vermont.

[allcat]

I suppose you don't talk to these coaches that much, but I was curious as to why the US never seems to have good Nordic skiiers at venues such as the Olympics. I wonder if we just have too many sports. Norway and Sweden always have good teams.

[Colter_Nuanez]

MSU's Mohl earns silver at U.S. Track & Field Championships
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[rollo_tumasi]

Thanks for doing these articles! Maybe one of these days you can do an article that explains the difference between MSU's NCAA & USCSA ski teams. The Gazette seems to think that Rocky Mountain College is beating MSU at skiing, when its a different team at a different level. I never understood whats the difference. Does MSU have a club team in the USCSA??