NMU signs up four new skiers
Tue, Jul 28, 2009 - By David Faiella
MARQUETTE, Mich. – Sten Fjeldheim the head men’s and women’s Nordic ski coach at Northern Michigan University announces the following student-athletes have signed a National Letter of Intent to attend NMU and ski for the Wildcats. A total of three women and a man signed on the dotted line.
Signing to join the women’s team were Libby Ellis, Monica Markvardsen and Karmen Whitham. George Cartwright is set to join the men’s team.
Ellis, a native of Minneapolis, Minn., competed for Southwest High School and Go Training. She was a four-time All-American during her high school career and was second at the Minnesota State High School Championships as both a sophomore and junior while placing fourth as a senior. Ellis placed 10th at the Junior Olympics in 2009 in the 10K freestyle event.
Markvardsen hails from Rossland, B.C. and competed for the Black Jack Ski Club. At the 2009 Senior Nationals she placed 35th in the 5K freestyle and 19th in the classic sprint events. Markvardsen won the 5k classic race at the 2009 Junior Nationals, was fourth in the 10K freestyle and sixth in the freestyle sprint. She was selected to participate at the 2008 Scandinavian Cup, was the top qualifier for the 2009 edition of the Scandinavian Cup and was a member of the 2009 national training group.
The final woman joining the ‘Cats is Whitham from Readsboro, Vt. and the Stratton Mountain School. She was 30th in the freestyle race at the 2008 Open Canadian Nationals and 23rd in the classic race. Whitham was a two-time All-American at U.S. Nationals. She was a five-time member of the Junior National Championship Team and was a member of the Women’s Nordic National High School Championship Team in 2008 and 2009.
From Lander, Wyo. is Cartwright. He competed for Lander Valley High School. Cartwright was the top placing J1 at U.S. Nationals in the 10K freestyle during the 2007-08 and 2008-09 seasons. He placed third at the Junior Nationals in the 15K freestyle and was a member of the World Junior Championship Team this past season. Last year he was a member of the Scandinavian Cup Team was he was the first American and 17th overall in the 15K classic. During the 2006-07 season at the Junior National Championships he won the sprint, the 5K freestyle and the 5K classic races.