CCSA skiers battle for NCAA slots
Sat, Feb 28, 2009 - By Matias Saari
Many Nordic skiers are still in contention for the 20 NCAA Championships spots that will be awarded to the Central Region (comprised of schools from the Central Collegiate Ski Association).
Seven of the conference’s nine NCAA-qualifying races are complete, with the final pair taking place today and Sunday at the Central Region Skiing Championships in Houghton, Mich.
If the season ended today, Northern Michigan University and Michigan Tech University would send a full allotment of six skiers (three men and three women), while Alaska-Fairbanks would qualify four, Wisconsin-Green Bay would send two and Gustavus Adolphus and College of Saint Scholastica would send one apiece. That could all change, however, after this weekend’s results.
Martin Banerud and Marie Helen Soderman of NMU lead the current standings.
The top 20 skiers for men and women after 7 of 9 qualifying races are listed below. The score is calculated by averaging the skiers’ best two freestyle and best two classic races.
WOMEN
(11 qualify, but only three per school)
1. Marie Helen Soderman, NMU, 106.0
2. Laura DeWitt, NMU, 107.2
3. Theresia Schnurr, Alaska, 109.1
4. Elizabeth Quinley, MTU, 120.8
5. Christina Gillis, NMU, 121.9
6. Anna Bergland, NMU, 123.9
7. Julia Pierson, Alaska, 125.6
8. Carolyn Freeman, USGB, 127.1
9. Ingrid Fjeldheim, NMU, 128.1
10. Kelly Chaudoin, 130.9
11. Jenna Klein, 131.1
12. Anna Coulter, Alaska, 135.2
13. Jill Smith, MTU, 144.9 (*FINAL QUALIFIER*)
14. Allison Bohn, GAC, 145.1
15. Christina Mishica, MTU, 152.9
16. Elisabeth Habermann, Alaska, 153.1
17. Lindsey Marshall, UWGB, 155.0
18. Shaina Short, St. Olaf, 156.8
19. Christi Nowak, College of St. Benedict, 157.1
20. Erin Eppler, GAC, 158.4
MEN
(nine qualify, only three per team)
1. Martin Banerud, NMU, 120.3
2. Phil Violett, NMU, 125.2
3. Santiago Ocariz, UWGB, 130.3
4. Oskar Lund, MTU, 135.6
5. Tim Cook, NMU, 142.3
6. Kevin Cutts, NMU, 144.2
7. Justin Singleton, NMU, 145.2
8. Oeyvind Watterdal, Alaska, 145.7
9. Jesse Lang, MTU, 147.3
10. Petter Sjulstad, 147.8
11. Tyler Kjorstad, CSS, 149.6 (*FINAL QUALIFIER*)
12. Jens Brabbit, GAC, 150.3
13. Sindre Stokke, 155.9
14. Craig Hertz, UWGB, 160.8
15. Erik Mundahl, 162.3
16. Waylon Manske, CSS, 164.2
17. Einar Often, Alaska, 164.6
18. John Parry, Alaska, 167.7
19. Erik Soederstroem, Alaska, 168.6
20. Ray Sabo, Alaska, 170.7
Complete standings to date: