Michigan Tech signs four new skiers
Wed, Aug 26, 2015 - By Michigan Tech
HOUGHTON, Mich. — Michigan Tech cross country, Nordic skiing and track and field coach Joe Haggenmiller signed four athletes to National Letters of Intent during the offseason. Gaspard Cuenot (Le Cerneux-Pequignot, Switzerland), Brendan Klynstra (Ionia, Mich.), Reed Melicher (Eveleth, Minn.) and Matthew Pahl (Canton, Mich.) will begin their collegiate careers this fall.
Coach Haggenmiller on the Nordic race course
Cuenot was a member of a the Swiss National Biathlon Team and has competed in World Cup events. He was a regular on the International Biathlon Union circuit and finished 12th at the IBU Cup event in Canmore, Alberta, last March. Cuenot was previously named the Athlete of the Year in the state of Neuchatel, Switzerland.
Klynstra ran track and cross country at Saranac High School. He was a six-time all-regional athlete in the two sports combined. Klynstra placed 28th at the Michigan state cross country meet in 2014 and notched two top-three finishes at the Division 3 state track meet (2nd in the 4x800 relay and 3rd in the 3200).
Melicher was a three-sport athlete at Eveleth-Gilbert High School. He earned all-state accolades twice in skiing (2014, 2015) and once in cross country (2014). Melicher finished posted a five-kilometer time of 16:21 at the Minnesota state cross country meet and a 4:27.75 in the 1600 at the state track finals. As a skier, he took eighth place at the state meet this past winter.
Pahl competed in track and cross country at Plymouth High School, where he participated in the state finals in both sports. He posted a 25th-place finish at the Michigan Division I cross country meet with a time of 15:45. He also took part in the 2015 Division I state track meet in both the 4x800 and 3200.
"I'm pleased to bring more top-notch student-athletes into our program," said Haggenmiller. "All four of them will have a chance to step right in and be big contributors."
The Michigan Tech cross country teams have begun training for the 2015 season with a scrimmage set for Aug. 28 at the Tech Trails.