UW Nordic Ski Teams Claim Double Victories

In a display of team depth, the University of Wyoming Nordic ski program secured victories in both men’s and women’s competitions Saturday, with both races decided by tiebreakers at the Colorado State University (CSU) Invitational in Leadville, Colo.

The Cowgirls -- led by senior Sammy Veauthier, of Casper, in fifth place -- tied Western Colorado University (WCU) with 17 points before claiming the win on the fourth skier, Wren Hybertson, from Boulder, Colo., in eighth place. The women’s team showcased its depth with four skiers in the top nine, including Lander’s Shayla Babits in sixth and Eleanor Veauthier, of Casper, one place back of her Cowgirl teammate.

UW graduate student Erica Meyers, from Minneapolis, Minn., won the open division of the race with a time faster than all of the college racers.

The Cowboys matched the Cowgirls’ dramatic finish in the men’s competition, also winning on a tiebreaker after finishing even with Colorado Mesa University (CMU) at 14 points.

Lander’s Kaleb Simonson paced the Cowboys with a second-place finish, followed by Austin Quillinan, of Laramie, in fourth; Jack Jendro, of Minneapolis, took eighth; Mathew Arhndt, of Casper, 13th; Eliot Kramer, from Minneapolis, 15th; Laramie’s Emmitt Gray, 16th; and Sean Kraemer of Evergreen, Colo., 18th.

“Winning one tiebreaker is remarkable, but to win two in the same meet is extraordinary,” UW co-head Coach Christi Boggs says. “This speaks volumes about our program’s depth and the competitive spirit of our student-athletes.”

In other team standings in the women’s competition, CMU scored 28 points; the University of Colorado (CU) had 30; and CSU finished with 39 points to round out the top five.

The men’s race was equally competitive, with WCU at 22 points, followed by Colorado College (CC) with 60 and Denver University (DU) at 63 points.

Following Saturday’s dual team victories, UW’s Nordic ski program continued its strong weekend showing, with impressive performances in Sunday’s team sprint relay event, where each member of three-person teams completed three alternating laps.

The Cowgirls’ top team of Sammy Veauthier, Babits and Hybertson secured a hard-fought second-place finish behind WCU. UW’s second team, featuring Meyers, Eleanor Veauthier and Snow College’s Izzy Brown, captured third place overall in the women’s competition, with CMU taking third in the collegiate standings.

In a thrilling comeback performance, the Cowboys’ first team of Kramer, Jendro and Quillinan overcame an early deficit to claim second place. After falling to third on the opening leg, the team systematically worked its way through the field, with Quillinan securing the runner-up position on the anchor leg behind winners WCU.

The Cowboys’ depth was evident, as their second team of Ahrndt, Kraemer and Gray finished fourth overall, ahead of all other programs’ secondary teams.

“We had planned technical and tactical strategies before the race, and the men executed incredibly well,” UW co-head Coach Rachel Watson says. “They did everything I asked, and it paid off in the finish.”

With only the home race weekend left, both teams are in first place overall in the Rocky Mountain Conference.

The Cowboys lead the pack with 75 points; CMU has 101; and WCU has 130 points. The Cowgirls have a team-low 89 points; WCU has 99; and in third is CMU with 190 points.

The conference championships are this weekend at the Happy Jack ski trails outside of Laramie.