UW Womens Nordic Ski Team Remains Third at Nationals

It has been a tough week of racing at the United States Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association (USCSA) national championships in Jackson, but the University of Wyoming Nordic ski teams have held it together going into the final event.

After Friday’s 15k race, the Cowgirls remain in third place overall with 96 points through three events. Clarkson University (Postdam, N.Y.) is battling St. Olaf University (Northfield, Minn.) for the national title, with just six points separating the two programs. Clarkson has a team-low 37 points, while St. Olaf has 43 heading into Saturday’s final team race.

The Cowgirls again placed third during Friday’s 15k race.

“The women had a good day with Kat Gruner continuing her string of All-American finishes,” UW co-head Coach Christi Boggs says. Gruner, from Casper, skied into 10th place, finishing the week tied for eighth for the overall All-American title.

Other UW finishers included Laramie’s Ella DeWolf in 12th; Sydney Wiswell, of Jackson, skied to 14th; followed closely by Casper’s Maddy Tinker in 16th. The trio ended up 13th, 12th and 14th, respectively, for overall individual honors.

The Cowboys slipped one place to sixth overall in the men’s team chase, with 123 points, just two points behind St. Olaf. Vermont’s Castleton University wrapped up the men’s national title with a team-low 50 points, while Clarkson has scored 85 for second place.

Casper senior Trevor Willoughby finished his individual races with another All-American finish, skiing to 10th place, tying him for eighth in the overall All-American standings for the week.

Jackson’s Matt Williams caught five skiers ahead of him on the final hill, pulling himself into his best finish of the week at 15th place. Silas Goetz, of Lander, fell early in the race and struggled to make up time, but skied strong into 21st place, Boggs says.

Goetz and Williams were 14th and 15th, respectively, in the overall individual standings.

“With three freshmen in the lineup competing this week, our future sure looks bright,” Boggs says.

UW wrap up the week’s competition with the team sprint.

“We look forward to seeing the women hold onto the podium in the overall team race,” Boggs says. “The UW men fought extremely hard, but the field here was stronger than we have ever seen, with just a few points separating several teams. The depth is incredible.”