Colgate University’s women’s ski team placed fifth at the U.S. Collegiate Ski & Snowboard Association’s (USCSA) National Championships held from March 10-15, marking their best-ever finish in the program’s history.
Competing in the USCSA National Championship, the team was a club team in a field of Division III varsity teams and other club teams. Not only did the women’s team place the highest in the program’s history at nationals, but they also were the highest placing club team with the four teams above them being varsity ones.
The road to nationals consisted of competing at regionals in the Mideast Conference, where Colgate, Hobart and William Smith Colleges and Cornell University were the top three teams, advancing to nationals. Colgate athletes, in particular, dominated in both giant slalom, with four out of the top five finishes being Colgate athletes and slalom. The five athletes who went to nationals were the same five athletes who the team took to regionals. These athletes were sophomores Kate Goodrich, Charlotte Morris and Kaitlyn Willett and first-years Carissa Dunlap and Camille Collins.
Morris, who placed 12th individually at nationals and earned All-American recognition, shared her perspective on being a club team going into nationals in a field of varsity competitors.
“Honestly, at nationals, they don’t know the difference, so they don’t know that we’re club necessarily,” Morris said. “When we’re at nationals, we’re treated as an equal team just like the other club teams.”
According to Goodrich, the team’s captain, this sense of camaraderie and sportsmanship extends to the nature of USCSA. She explained how she enjoys competing in USCSA in particular due to how supportive all of the teams are at creating community in the midst of competing against one another.
“I have a few friends that ski Division I, where it gets competitive and quiet, [but] USCSA is generally a welcoming and supportive community,” Goodrich said. “We play music at the start and we cheer for other teams and our teammates. It’s fun because a lot of people see people that they grew up with skiing, so it’s a throwback to the past.”
In addition to the broader environment of the teams having this level of community, Morris emphasized that the Colgate team on its own has a close dynamic.
“Truly [ski team is] my favorite thing on campus; it’s a huge reason that I came to Colgate in the first place,” Morris said. “Our coaches are the most adorable sweet people ever. Coach Todd Enders wrote us a poem after we got fifth at nationals that was roses are red; violets are blue; I’m at nationals because of you. They are just so supportive. The team really feels like a family.”
Morris further highlighted how this family dynamic took shape through the involvement of junior Riley Raymond despite not being able to compete due to injury.
“I want to add a shoutout to Riley Raymond because she tore her ACL last year, but she still came with us to every single race this year,” Morris said. “She was honestly huge at nationals; she was at the bottom on the radio helping us give course reports to the top girls, making sure coats were taken down […]. She kept everything super efficient, and the fact that she couldn’t be racing but still showed up for our team was huge.”
Senior Senay Aktas commented on how their bonding during the preseason in January contributes to their level of closeness.
“During preseason — the week before the start of spring semester — that’s when there are slightly less numbers [of students participating], but, in my opinion, that’s the time that the team dynamic is set,” Aktas said. “Spending every minute of every day with the team for a week straight you get super close, and it’s genuinely the best week of school. Especially for first-years, this is one of the first times they get to interact with upperclassmen,” Aktas said.
Goodrich expanded on the relationships formed across grades. She explained how, even as a first-year last year, she grew close to the seniors who have since graduated.
“Something special about the ski team is that it brings a ton of different grades together,” Goodrich said. “In my first year, I felt so welcomed by the seniors and even juniors and sophomores. I even went to the senior graduation last year to see some of the seniors graduate. I still talk to them quite often, which is really special, and I thought I would never find that really at college.”
With the season having ended and Aktas and other ski team seniors graduating soon, Aktas commented on the legacy of her senior class.
“After experiencing the team for four years, I have no doubt our class will leave a strong legacy,” Aktas said. “During my first year, being so close to the seniors on the team changed my entire outlook of school. They were some of the most genuine and fun people this school had, and I hope my class made that impression on our team this year. I am forever grateful to have been part of such a special team. The relationships from ski team last forever.”
With Goodrich continuing on as a captain, she looks forward to further developing this successful legacy of their young and talented team with the first-years who will join next season.
“Next season I’m excited to see the first-year class come in and see who we get to have on the team. Our other women’s captain is abroad, so I’m excited to have her back. New season. New people. New memories,” Goodrich said.
