Utes Announce NCAA Squad, All-RMISA Team Released

2/25/2008 12:00 AM | Skiing

Feb. 25, 2008

SALT LAKE CITY - The Utah ski team announced today the 12 skiers who will represent the Utes at the NCAA Championships, held March 5-8 in Bozeman, Mont. In addition, the Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Ski Association released its 2008 all-conference team.

Although 16 Utah skiers qualified for the championships, the NCAA limits that number to 12 per school (three skiers per discipline per gender). The Utes were the only Western squad to qualify a full team

"To qualify 16 people from our team is a statement to our depth, especially when no one else in the West was able to qualify a full 12 member team," said Eli Brown, Director of Skiing. "The whole team has contributed to a successful qualifying effort. Because we had so many qualify we were able to prevent skiers from other teams from qualifying, so our efforts will affect not just us but the entire championships.

"It's a huge advantage to us to have a full team because we have more chances to score points. It's great not to have to deal with the extra pressure of not having a full team."

The women's Nordic team led the Utes with five qualifiers. The Utes consistently finished multiple skiers in the top 10 every week. Sara Schweiger, Zoe Roy and Annelies Cook represent the team. Kjersti Boe and Sarah MacCarthy were also eligible. Schwieger and Roy finished eighth and 10th in the RMISA, respectively while Boe and Cook were named second-team All-RMISA. Although Boe finished sixth in the final RMISA standings she will not compete at NCAA's due to illness.

"It's disappointing that we have to leave a potential NCAA podium skier at home, but her recovery is also important to us," Brown said.

Snorri Einarsson, Even Sletten and Ben Fick will move on in men's Nordic. Einarsson was the top RMISA Nordic qualifier, and Sletten was fourth in the standings. Both were first-team All-RMISA. Casey Simons also earned the requisite points to qualify.

In men's alpine, Tague Thorson, Scott Veenis and Thomas Zumbrunn will represent the Utes. Thorson was the top RMISA alpine qualifier and a first-team All-RMISA selection, while Zumbrunn was sixth and a second-team nod. Kyle Kung also qualified for the Utes.

"It's really difficult to qualify four in the men's alpine discipline," said Jaka Korencan, head alpine coach. "For us to have three among the top qualifiers makes a statement."

In women's alpine, Chirine Njeim, Mikaela Grassl and Eva Huckova qualified. Huckova finished first in the final RMISA giant slalom standings and was first-team all-RMISA.

The athletes will concentrate on schoolwork and rest this week before heading to Bozeman on Saturday, March 1.

"We are excited about this year's championships," Brown said. "We have gotten through the season as one of the top teams, but the NCAA Championships is a whole new game."