3.11 - [RELEASE] USCSA 42nd Annual Collegiate National Championships Day 2 Recap

Apr 18
6 min read

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Alec Tandara-Kuhns

UNITED STATES COLLEGIATE SKI AND SNOWBOARD ASSOCIATION HOSTS 42nd ANNUAL U.S. COLLEGIATE SKIING AND SNOWBOARDING NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS^TM

LAKE PLACID, New York. – MARCH 11th, 2020. The U.S. Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association (USCSA) continued its 5-day long annual Collegiate National Championships^TM today with a men’s Snowboard and Freeski Rail Jam, women’s Skier and Snowboard Cross, men’s Alpine Giant Slalom, and a Classic Sprint Nordic race. Skiers were treated to sunny skies and icy conditions all day.

Nearly 500 Collegiate athletes representing 71 colleges and universities are competing at the 2020 USCSA Collegiate National Championships^TM. This includes alpine, snowboard, freeski, and nordic teams which qualified through their regional championships. Events include Alpine Giant Slalom, Alpine Slalom, Dual Slalom, Nordic Sprints, Nordic Relays, Nordic Distance, Slopestyle, Skier Cross, Snowboard Cross, Rail Jam, Snowboard Slalom, and Snowboard Giant Slalom. As the events unfold over next week at Lake Placid, please join the USCSA athletes, families and friends in celebrating this pinnacle of collegiate competition by following athlete performance either in person or online at www.uscsa.com, where team and Individual results will be posted daily. Check in daily for live Video and Audio Feeds online at uscsa.com/broadcast.html.

Nordic skiers competed in their second event at the Olympic Jumping Complex with a men’s and women’s Classic Sprint. Castleton University took home their second team National Championship of the week, winning the men’s team title, while Wyoming won the women’s team championship. Individually, Erica Meyers from St. Olaf won the women’s race with John Paluszek won the men’s. After her race, Erica said that, “during the qualifier we struggled with our kick wax, but we were still able to qualify all 3 of our women and 2 of our men. We worked to redeem our less-than-ideal morning with great skis during the heats and were able to come away with a women’s team third place, two 8th place finishes from yoga buddies Lucia and Tyler, and my national championship!”

The men’s Alpine Giant Slalom was one of the most exciting and close races in USCSA National Championship history, with less than two seconds separating the combined team times of 1st place to 4th place. After a second run where every skier left everything they had on the hill, Rocky Mountain College’s men came out victorious. Sierra Nevada University, Babson College, and Castleton University’s teams took home 2nd, 3rd, and 4th respectively. With the two fastest runs of the day, Castleton University’s Robby Kelley won his first individual USCSA Collegiate National Championship. “It was a great day of racing at Whiteface, the snow and weather were great and I was happy to come away with the win,” said Robby after the race. “Tough luck for us in the team race, Paul was absolutely hammering before falling and unfortunately for us DNFs are part of ski racing. We’ve got another change tomorrow and are all ready to crush the slalom!”

Head Coach of Men’s Giant Slalom National Champions Jerry Wolf said that, “it was a great day for the Bears again today, successfully defending our GS National title. The first run we skied solid and put ourselves in position for the win, just according to our game plan. But there were 4 teams within half a second going for the gold, and we are a half second back. Who would think that four freshmen and a sophomore would have cool enough heads to prevail under this situation. It’s Nationals, time to throw down, but the choke factor is always creeping in and out of our heads. RMC is just having a good time traveling, eating, rooming and spending time together. The Bears team is super tight, everyone working together and believing in one another is why we got the win. We were in the same position last Nationals, and didn’t win the overall. Anything can happen, and it can happen quick. We hope our winning roll keeps on rolling through the week.”

At the Snowboard and Freeski venues, Westminster College won team Collegiate National Championships^TM in the women’s Snowboard Cross, while the University of Wisconsin won a team championship women’s Skier Cross. After the win, individual Snowboard Cross National Champion Olivia Shively said that, ‘it was an honor to race alongside my teammate, Maddy, in the last boardercross race of her career, as well as the rest of my team. I am excited to have won and been a part of a full team sweep. Thank you to my mom for coming out to watch me race.”

Doug Grayson, USCSA Vice President of Sport said, “the competition at this year’s National Championships and the USCSA’s relationship with NYSEF and Whiteface Mountain has brought a new high standard to collegiate competition. Even with the issues that Mother Nature presented to us, the athletes, officials, coaches and fans have brought a level of excitement that is hard to describe. Everybody’s commitment to the success of this event consistently makes you want to come back year after year to see old and new friends alike”

Beginning March 10th, the USCSA Broadcast Network will bring audiences over 60 hours of LIVE, multi-camera HD video coverage from all three competition venues at its web portal: http://www.uscsa.com/broadcast. Scott "Boss" Hogg returns to lead the USCSA Broadcast Team at alpine, joined by legendary snowboard announcer Mark Oliver aka “The Beav” at snowboard/freestyle, as well as Bob “Coach” Underwood and Jared Newell at nordic. Visit http://www.uscsa.com/broadcast for more information, including live-timing, daily schedules, and on-demand archived broadcasts.

Teams began their quest to qualify for the U.S. Collegiate Skiing and Snowboarding National Championships^TM in their local conference competitions, held across 11 conferences spanning the nation, this December. Top teams from each conference attend one of 6 regional championships, which decide who ultimately qualifies to participate in events at the Collegiate National Championship.

The USCSA is the sports federation for collegiate team ski racing and snowboarding in America. The USCSA believes that student-athletes of all levels and abilities should have access to quality and exciting venues of competition. USCSA athletes agree that our team orientation fosters a collaborative approach across their collegiate athletic and academic careers, and often this mentality proves indispensable in their adult lives and careers. The organization includes 162 colleges from coast to coast, fielding 4,954 male and female, alpine, freestyle, cross-country, snowboarding and nordic ski jumping athletes in over 300 events annually.

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For more information or to schedule an interview, please contact atandkuhns@uscsa.com

Attached Pictures:

Robby Kelley, Castleton University. Photo Credit: Bob Story.

Alexander Sehlberg, Rocky Mountain College. Photo Credit: Ian Pouliot

Nordic Sprint Skiers 1. Photo Credit: Ian Pouliot

Nordic Sprint Skiers 2. Photo Credit: Ian Pouliot

Snowboard Rail Jam. Photo Credit: RT Wright

Additional Quotes:

Chris Eder, Castleton University Alpine Head Coach: “We came into today’s race with one goal and that was to win. Unfortunately, we fell just short. The competition is fierce in the USCSA. Rocky Mountain College, Sierra Nevada University, and Babson College were impressive today and did all the right things to earn their spots on the team podium. I am very proud of our team and what we have accomplished this season. I know they are hungry for Thursday’s slalom. Despite the team result not being what we wanted, we are very happy to call Robby Kelley the 2020 USCSA Giant Slalom National Champion. He has been the ultimate team player for us this season. I am excited to see how he and the rest of the team respond in the slalom.”

Alexandra DeYoung, Michigan Technical University Snowboard Team Vice President/Athlete: “USCSA making us feel like true Olympian’s all week. Love the volunteers, sponsors and the staff that makes this all possible for us, especially Robin”

Elizabeth Jaekels, University of Wisconsin Ski Team: “This is my 3rd USCSA Nationals and second at Lake Placid! It's always so fun to see all the other teams from all over the place and everyone having such a great time. After ski racing my whole life this is the best way to stay involved in the sport! Love my teammates and love USCSA!”

Jesse Scott, Colorado Mesa University Alpine Head Coach: “Super proud of the Colorado Mesa University men’s team for their hard work and showing the strong collegiate alpine ski racing happening on the west slope of Colorado!”