University of Utah Athletics

SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah ski team opens the 2018 season with the Nordic team competing at the U.S. Cross Country Championships in Anchorage, Alaska with the alpine team competing at the Montana State Invitational.
 
In Alaska, the Nordic team will compete in the 10 and 15-km freestyle races on Jan. 3 and the freestyle sprint on Jan. 5 at Kincaid Park. Live video is available on the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Team Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/usskiandsnowboard/). The races are being held independent of a team meet and races will not be scored, but results will be used for NCAA qualification.
 
The alpine team begins its season at Big Sky Resort with men's and women's RMISA giant slalom qualifier races on Jan. 6, which do not count towards any team scoring and are used as an extra opportunity for skiers to earn qualification points for the NCAA Championships at the end of the season. The MSU Invite begins on Jan. 7 with the men's and women's giant slalom and continues on Jan. 8 with the men's and women's slalom.  
 
Coming off the 2017 NCAA Championship, Utah returns four All-Americans from last year's team. Martin Bergström is a two-time NCAA Champion after winning both the men's classic and freestyle races at last year's championships. Guro Jordheim finished in the top six in the women's classic and freestyle races last season. Julie Mohagen is the women's 2016 NCAA slalom champion and a two-time All-American while Sam Dupratt finished second in the men's giant slalom at NCAA's last year. 
 
"I am very optimistic about this season's team," Utah Director of Skiing Kevin Sweeney said. "There is no doubt we lost a lot of talent, but at the same time, those who are returning are great skiers and they understand collegiate skiing and understand what the championship is about, that we have to score well as a team. At the same time, we've got to fill in some big holes and I feel good about the talent we've brought in. I'm looking at the returning athletes to really be leaders and help this new group adjust to college skiing. I think we have some great talent."
 
 In Nordic, second year skiers Logan Diekmann, Jacob Engström and Leah Lange will be looking to improve on their first year results. Several newcomers bring in strong accolades. Håkon Hjelstuen of Trondheim, Norway, skied at Michigan Tech in 2015 and competed at the 2015 NCAA Championships while Karianne Moe was on the Junior National Norwegian Team in 2016-17.
 
"Everyone has high hopes and expectations and sure would like to defend that national championship title," Utah head Nordic coach Abi Holt said. "We did graduate over half of that team, but I'm not sure any of the new incoming athletes see it as a rebuilding year. They want to keep building on past successes. Everyone has high hopes. We've had a great fall of training, maybe our best ever since I've been here. This group has really managed the training load well and as a team this is the healthiest we have ever been through this fall segment. I think we're ready for what's coming."
 
On the alpine side, Martin Grasic and Ty Sprock each are in their third season while Sabine Krautgasser is in her second year. Westminster transfer Ann-Kathrin Breuning is no stranger to the RMISA circuit. Breuning skied three seasons for the Griffins and her collegiate career includes three races wins, while Huston Philip and Fredrik Maurstad have been strong for the men. Maurstad is a transfer from Colby-Sawyer College who competed at NCAA's last year and has strong results on the EISA circuit.
 
"The team unity has been fantastic," Utah head alpine coach Jaka Korencan said. "We have been really fortunate with the team dynamics and their work ethic and seeing the team work together as one unit. We know who the players are, who the fastest skiers are and where our weaknesses are, and we're going to win or lose as a team. We're a little thin, especially with just three women's skiers, but the key is going to be to stay healthy and never give up. We'll need every single athlete to perform at a high level, and if we can make everyone just a little better, then I think we have a great chance to be very competitive this year.