Feb. 22, 2006
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The University of New Mexico ski team finished the 2006 Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Ski Association regular season in third place last week after a third place showing at the Western State College Invitational in Gunnison, Colo. The Lobos are now gearing up for the 2006 NCAA West Regional/RMISA Championship next week in Reno, Nev., hosted by the University of Nevada.
The Lobos held on to their spot in RMISA standings last week, finishing third with a total of 2,000 points on the season. Colorado won the regular season with 2,302 points while defending national champion Denver was second with 2,210.5 points. Utah placed fourth in the conference with 1,877.5 points while Alaska-Anchorage rounded out the top-5 with 1,642.5 points. Points earned at the NCAA West Regional/RMISA Championship do not count towards the regular season standings.
The Lobo men’s Alpine team ended a dominating season in first place in both the RMISA slalom and giant slalom standings. The women’s Nordic team had a strong push towards the end of the season to finish second overall and second in the freestyle standings.
New Mexico is looking to solidify its roster for the 2006 NCAA Championships in Steamboat Springs, Colo., on March 8-11. UNM has qualified at least three skiers on each squad except for the women’s Alpine team. The NCAA West Regional is the last chance for skiers to qualify for the NCAAs. The maximum of 12 skiers is needed in order to contend for the NCAA title.
New Mexico was picked to finish third in the NCAA according to the Ski Racing Magazine preseason top-10 coaches poll.
ALPINE TEAM NOTES
Overall, the Alpine team finished third in the RMISA. The men’s squad has dominated, winning four of the eight races this season.
Juniors Peter Roering and Alex Mach and freshman Tor Fodnesbergene have all won an event in 2005.
The top-3 Lobo men’s skiers are all ranked in the top-5 in the men’s slalom and giant slalom. Junior Alex Mach and freshman Tor Fodnesbergene are 1-2 in the men’s slalom standings.
ALPPINE INDIVIDUAL NOTES
Junior Peter Roering is one of the top-ranked giant slalom skiers in the RMISA, but was lost for the season after suffering a broken leg while training in late January.
Mach is in the lead in the RMISA slalom race and is ranked in the top-13 in both the slalom and giant slalom.
Junior Lars Loeseth is ranked in the top-5 in both the slalom and giant slalom.
Freshman Karin Ohlin is the highest ranked Lobo woman, sitting at No. 5 in the slalom.
Loeseth, Mach and Fodnesbergene have all qualified and will compete for the Lobos at the 2006 NCAAs.
Ohlin and senior Kathrin Spendier are the only Lobo women currently qualified for the NCAAs. 2005 All-American Gladys Weidt is currently 15th in the RMISA slalom and giant slalom standings and needs a solid race at the West Regional to return to the NCAAs.
NORDIC TEAM NOTES
The Nordic team jumped up the standings to third place last week, led by a resurgence on the women’s side. Five Lobo women are ranked in the top-15 in at least on event.
The Nordic women had three 2nds and a first place finish in their last four races.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
Junior Dirk Grimm won two freestyle races this season and is No. 1 in the RMISA freestyle rankings.
Sophomore Marit Rognmo is ninth in the freestyle and classic rankings.
Sophomore Laura Van Alst has been a pleasant surprise this season, ranking No. 8 in the RMISA freestyle.
Freshman Crystin Jacques has three straight top-10s in the women’s classic and is ranked 9th in the RMISA.
Junior Jedd Young posted a career-high 12th place showing in the classic at Western State.
Senior Geir-Endre Rogn, Grimm, Young and freshman Casey Dyck have all qualified for the NCAAs on the men’s side. Dyck and Young will both need solid finishes to hold their spot in the rankings. Only three of these four Lobos can compete at the NCAA Championships.
Rognmo, Van Alst, Jacques, sophomore Kathrin Alseen and freshman Melanie Zemp are all qualified for the NCAAs, but only three of these skiers can compete for the Lobos at the championships.