Feb. 1, 2007
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The University of New Mexico ski team hopes to shake off a slow start to the 2007 collegiate season at the Denver Invitational in Winter Park and Steamboat Springs, Colo., on Feb. 2-3. The Lobos are currently in sixth place in the 10-team Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Ski Association with 679 points after two meets. Defending NCAA champion Colorado leads the RMISA with 1002 points, followed by Denver (918), Utah (896.5), Alaska-Anchorage (755.5) and Montana State (750.5). UNM’s sixth place finish at Utah was their lowest in an RMISA meet since placing sixth at Western State in 1996.
On Friday, Feb. 2, the Alpine teams will compete in giant slalom races in Winter Park while the Nordic teams will ski freestyle events in Steamboat Springs. The meet will conclude with Alpine slalom races and the Nordic classic events on Saturday. RMISA Alpine teams will have to stick around on Sunday for men’s and women’s giant slalom races that will conclude the Montana State Invitational. The MSU giant slalom races had to be cancelled on Jan. 6 due to inclement weather and Feb.4 has been scheduled as the make-up date.
Brooks’ Last Stand
Head coach George Brooks has announced that the 2007 season will be his last at the helm of the Lobo ski team. He is currently in his 37th year at UNM, the longest tenure of any current member of the Lobo athletics department.
NCAA Runner-Up in 2006
After winning the school’s first NCAA title in any sport in 2004, the Lobo ski team placed second in 2006. It is just the third second place finish for any Lobo team in any NCAA sport in school history. The ski team was second in 1992 and the men’s soccer team made it to the NCAA finals in 2005.
Home Meet in Taos/Red River
The Lobos will host their home meet in Taos and Red River, N.M., on Feb. 9-10. The Nordic teams will race at the Enchanted Forest Ski Area in Red River while the Alpine teams will compete at Taos Ski Valley.
ALPINE TEAM NOTES
Overall, the Alpine team is currently in fourth place in the RMISA. The men are ranked second while the women are in sixth place. The women are ranked sixth in the slalom and eighth in the giant slalom in the RMISA. The men’s team is second in the slalom and tied for second in the giant slalom.
ALPINE INDIVIDUAL NOTES
Lars Loeseth (Sr.) – Runner-up in the Utah GS…trying to become just the second four-year Alpine All-American (4th overall) at UNM…Four career Alpine wins is tied for second all-time at UNM Alex Mach (Sr.) – Top-ranked slalom skier in the RMISA last season…two top-5s in 2007 and currently ranks third in the slalom Peter Roering (Sr.) – All-American in 2004 coming off a broken leg he suffered in training last season…Has fallen in all three of his races this season. Tor Fodnesbergene (So.) – Two top-5s in 2007…Four career Alpine wins is tied for second all-time at UNM Gary Beresford (Fr.) – DNF in all three races Olivier Lacaille (Fr.) – 18th in the Utah slalom is top result in 2007 Jon Masdal (Fr.) – 14th in the Utah slalom is top result in 2007 Amy Beresford (Jr.) – 18th at the MSU slalom is best result in three races in 2007 Lene Kaasa (Jr.) – 28th in MSU slalom is the only race finished this season Karin Ohlin (So.) – placed 5th in the MSU slalom for her best showing in 2007 Jessica Dakers (Fr.) – Solid 20th place time in the Utah giant slalom Malin Hemmingson (Fr.) – Ranked 13th in the slalom after two races
NORDIC TEAM NOTES
The Nordic squad is currently in seventh place in the RMISA with the women ranked sixth and the men ranked seventh. The women are fifth in the classic and sixth in the freestyle. The men are tied for seventh in the classic and seventh in the freestyle.
NORDIC INDIVIDUAL NOTES
Jedd Young (Sr.) – Finished 24th in the MSU classic for his best finish of the season…more consistent in the freestyle, ranking 26th in the RMISA after two races. Casey Dyck (So.) – 17th in the freestyle at Utah for his top mark of the season…is currently 19th in the RMISA freestyle. Rick Grahn (So.) – Best finish this season is 42nd in the Utah freestyle Erlend Saetre (Fr.) – 12th place finish in the MSU classic is the top finish for any of the Lobo men in 2007…currently ranks 22nd in the classic after two events. Vsevolod Soloviev (Fr.) – Best finish is 20th in the Utah classic Tiffany Callahan (Jr.) – Only skied in two races at MSU, 31st in the classic and 40th in the freestyle Laura Van Alst (Jr.) – 12th int he freestyle at Utah for her top mark in 2007 Crystin Jaques (So.) – 10th in the classic at Utah…currently ranks 13th in the classic and 16th in the freestyle Melanie Zemp (So.) – Has been very consistent to start the season with four top-20 showings…currently 11th in the classic and 17th in the freestyle Polina Ermoshina (Fr.) – Had two top-10s at Montana State…5th in the classic and 7th in the freestlye are the best finishes by any Lobo Nordic skier this season