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The University of Utah Athletics
Week 8 Ski Notes: NCAA West Regional
2/22/2007 12:00 AM | Skiing
THIS WEEK: NCAA WEST REGIONAL
The University of Utah ski team is looking forward to its biggest event of the season thus far, as they attempt to qualify for the NCAA championships in March. The event will be held in Truckee, Calif., and will be hosted by the University of Nevada. Senior Gaspar Perricone will attempt to qualify for his fourth-consecutive NCAA Championship. Sophomore Scott Veenis will return to Truckee, Calif. where he was named the West Region's MVP last year as a freshman.
"We've had some good training and we're starting to peak," said head coach Eli Brown. "Our focus is ensuring that our individuals qualify so we can have a full team at nationals."
Last season the Utes finished fifth with 373 points. Eventual national champion Colorado placed first with a 577 points. Despite their relatively low finish in the regional, Utah was one of six schools (out of a field of 24) to field a full team for last year's NCAA Championship.
LAST WEEK: CHAMPIONSHIP TRAINING BEGINS
The Utes attempted to regroup and prepare for the championship season starting Feb. 23-24 at the NCAA Western Regionals in Truckee, Calif. The regional essentially serves as a qualifier for the NCAA Championships, held Mar. 7-10. Three skiers (male and female) can qualify for each discipline, making the maximum 12 skiers for each school. Due to recent rule changes, every individual score will be counted, making qualifying a full team crucial to competing for the team championship.
"Nothing is more important to us at this point in the season than this event," head coach Eli Brown said. "That's the way we're looking at it and we hope to qualify an entire team."
Last week's training regiment wil help the Utes as they look to improve on their fifth-place finish a year ago. Coach Brown indicates that he is confident in his team's chances, commenting that the skiers are handling the postseason pressure well.
TAGUE, HE'S IT
University of Utah freshman skier Tague Thorson finished second in the combined standings at the World University Games in Torino, Italy. Thorson was the only US skier to finish in the top-10 in all three alpine events. Thorson placed ninth in the super G, sixth in the slalom and fourth in the giant slalom.
"I'm really proud of him," says coach Jaka Korencan. "He's maturing as a racer and really having a great season. Being the top American at a world event is a great accomplishment."
NEXT WEEK: CHAMPIONSHIP TRAINING CONTINUES
The Utes will have a two-week break to continue to prepare for the season finale in Mount Washington Valley, N.H. The team will look to improve on its eigth-place finish last year. The NCAA Championship was last held in the Granite State in 2003, with the Utes capturing the combined title in Hanover, N.H. for the 11th time in school history. Utah is third in all-time national championships, but has won more (10) since 1980 than any other school.
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