While most Colgate students were anxiously awaiting spring break, members of the Colgate Ski Team had an entirely different focus: the US Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association (USCSA) national championships. Over six days in Lake Placid, both the men’s and women’s teams sent athletes to race against hundreds of other collegiate skiers from 65 universities.
The Colgate Ski Team practices twice a week, with 5 regular season races, regionals and the national championships, pending strong performances at regionals. This season, both the men’s and women’s teams qualified for nationals, but their successes did not stop at qualification.
Coming off of a dominant regular season and a strong finish at last year’s nationals, the women’s team was hungry for more. They were determined to bring their best to both the giant slalom and slalom events, where skiers weave between poles as quickly and accurately as they can, and did just that.
In women’s giant slalom, junior Charlotte Morris placed 11th, sophomore Carissa Dunlap placed 20th, and freshman Elizabeth Blanchard placed 58th to get the team an 8th place finish in the event. Two days later in women’s slalom, junior Kate Goodrich placed 4th, Morris placed 12th, Dunlap placed 28th and senior Maylia Lohman placed 47th.
These successes combined for a 2nd place finish overall in the event–a record for the team. With an overall finish of fifth place at nationals, the Colgate women’s ski team once again established themselves as a powerhouse in the sport.
“For the women’s team, we got fifth place at nationals last year so it was definitely the goal to at least match that this year,” Goodrich reflected. “We were very happy to get that again alongside a 2nd place finish in the women’s slalom.”
The successes didn’t stop there however, as the men’s team had similarly successful performances.
Going into nationals, the men’s team certainly had momentum, and they were ready to capitalize on it in Lake Placid, as senior Cole Sachs explained.
“We were second overall for the regular season,” Sachs said. “At nationals we were trying to get our guys down the hill and a top 10 finish, which we managed to get.”
With Cole Sachs coming in at 10th, fellow senior Rafael Sanchez Lazaro at 43rd and freshman Matt McCallum at 61st, the men’s team landed the 10th place spot in giant slalom.
Two days later, they beat that with an eighth place finish in slalom following Sachs coming in at 21st, sophomore William Fraser at 39th, freshman Renzo DiGrande at 53rd and sophomore Erik Bergstrom at 65th. Between their 10th and eighth place finishes in giant slalom and slalom respectively, the men’s team finished the week at 7th overall, a performance deemed a huge success by the team.
“It was a huge moment for the men’s team just to go this year,” Sachs said. “With 26 teams racing, top 10 is a huge accomplishment.”
The accolades didn’t stop here however. Following their dominant performances all week, Dunlap, Morris and Sachs were named overall All-Americans while Goodrich was named a slalom All-American.
“I didn’t expect it,” Dunlap said. “It was definitely in the back of mind as a goal, but the conditions were rough so to make it down the slope and even just be in contention was really special and exciting.”
The long list of program successes this season would not have been possible without coaches Todd Enders and Jim Longo. When asked to reflect on the team’s successes, Sachs noted the coaches’ contagious dedication to the sport and the program as a driving factor.
“Our coaches commit so much time every year. They both have full time jobs but still show up to five hour practices and race weekends,” Sachs said. “They’re incredible and we really wouldn’t have been able to have this success without them. We’re lucky to have them.”
Looking toward next season, three seniors are departing between the men’s and women’s programs, but both squads are committed to maintaining their program’s dominance and working toward another successful season.
