Western’s Nordic and Alpine Ski Teams Return to National Stage in Lake Placid

On the first day of the U.S. Collegiate Ski & Snowboard National Championships in Lake Placid, NY, March 10-14, a race that Western Colorado University’s men’s Nordic team expected to only survive turned into a top finish and a National Championship.

The men’s 7.5-kilometer classic, “was slated to be our worst event,” Assistant Nordic Coach Kevin Geisen said. However, “our coaching team nailed the wax, and the athletes gave it every last bit they had, ultimately landing our men’s team the win on the day.”

With Western’s Anders Hekkli and Graydon Walker both placing in the top three in the race, the Mountaineers brought home a national championship, setting the tone for the week that marked both an arrival and a return.

For the first time since 2018, Western qualified both its Nordic and Alpine teams for nationals, placing the Mountaineers among a small group of programs eligible to compete for the President’s Cup, which is awarded to the top combined Alpine and Nordic team in the country.

“There aren’t many teams that are competing with both Nordic and Alpine at a high level,” Geisen said. “We’re kind of back as a whole. The Nordic team has been showing up strong at Nationals the last few years, but our Alpine team hasn’t been able to make it since before COVID. So it’s really cool to have them back in the running.”

Competing at historic two-time Olympic venues on Whiteface Mountain and Mt. Van Hoevenberg in Lake Placid, the Mountaineers faced the full spectrum of conditions, from fresh snow to slush to ice. But they still responded with one of the strongest Nordic showings in recent program history.

After Western’s men claimed the national title in the 7.5km interval start classic, the momentum continued, with the men’s team finishing third in the freestyle sprint and the women placing fourth, led by Maisy Morley and Madyson Rosenberger.

The men’s Nordic team finished fourth overall, narrowly missing the podium, while the women placed fifth. Along the way, Western collected 17 All-American honors and reached the podium in multiple events.

The Alpine team’s path looked different, but no less significant.

After securing a bid with a fourth-place finish at the ultra-competitive Western Regionals, the Mountaineers returned to Nationals for the first time since 2020.

Facing difficult conditions in Lake Placid, Western’s Nick Atkins led the way with a fourth-place finish in skiercross. In the end, the Mountaineer men’s Alpine team battled its way to a 24th place finish

“For Alpine, the real win was getting back to nationals,” Geisen said. “That’s a huge step forward for the program.”

Together, the two teams positioned the Mountaineers for a shot at the President’s Cup, a distinction usually reserved for fewer than a dozen programs nationwide.

In a sport where most schools specialize in either Alpine or Nordic, the team’s ability to compete across both disciplines shows Western’s depth and a program once again on the rise.

“There just aren’t many teams that can do both at a high level,” Geisen said. “That’s what makes this such an accomplishment.”