The Skiin’ Utes 2009 Utah Skiing Media Guide Table of Contents Quick Facts Quick Facts and Sponsors ................................ 1 The 2009 University of Utah Skiing media University of Utah Information Season Outlook .............................................2-3 guide is a product of the Utah sports informa- Location ..............................Salt Lake City, Utah 2008 Review .................................................... 3 tion office. Written and designed by Brooke Elevation ............................................... 4,500 ft. Founded ......................................................1850 Coaching Staff...............................................4-6 Frederickson, Assistant Sports Information Enrollment ...............................................28,619 Roster ............................................................... 7 Director. Editorial assistance provided by Nickname ................................................... Utes Skier Profiles ...............................................8-13 the Sports Information staff. Cover designed Colors ................................. Crimson and White Record Book .................................................. 14 by Rocky Lindgren. Photography by Mike Mascot ......................Swoop (Red-Tailed Hawk) All-Americans ............................................15-16 Dunn, Sam Beck,, Tom Smart, Steve Wilson, Facility ....... Park City Mountain Resort (Alpine) University of Utah.......................................... 17 the Utah Travel Council and the Salt Lake .......................... Soldier Hollow Resort (Nordic) Athlete Development ..................................... 18 Convention and Visitors Bureau. Other photos Web Site .............................www.UtahUtes.com Academic Support .......................................... 19 courtesy of Montana State. Conference .................................Mountain West Sponsors .................................................20, IBC President ................................ Michael K. Young Athletics Director ......................... Dr. Chris Hill Coaching Staff Director of Skiing/Head Nordic Coach ............... ............................................................Eli Brown Career/Utah Record .........................Fourth Year Office Phone ..............................(801) 581-3524 Email [email protected] Special Thanks To... Head Alpine Coach ......................Jaka Korencan Office Phone ..............................(801) 585-6552 Email [email protected] Team Manager ............................. Kristina Casey Email [email protected] Office Phone ...............................(801-581-3524 Assistant Nordic Coach .............Andrew Johnson Assistant Alpine Coach ................Sean McKenna Team Information 2008 NCAA Finish ....................................... 3rd 2008 West Regional Finish .......................... 2nd Media Information Associate AD/Sports Information ...........Liz Abel Assistant SID/Skiing Contact .................. Brooke ........................................................Frederickson Phone .........................................(801) 581-8997 Email ........... [email protected] Mailing Address .......1825 E. South Campus Dr. ...................................Salt Lake City, UT 84112 Brooke Frederickson Assistant Sports Information Director Season Outlook After finishing the 2008 season as one of Women’s Alpine Men’s Alpine the strongest teams in the country and one of three squads to qualify a full team for the NCAA Utah has a solid group of competitors in All- The Utes return three of four NCAA quali- Championships before finishing third, the Utah Americans Chirine Njeim, Mikaela Grassl and fiers from the 2008 campaign in seniors Scott ski team is anxious to get back on the snow and Huckova. The three were the top women’s alpine Veenis, Thomas Zumbrunn and Kyle Kung. The compete for its 12th national title. team at the NCAA Championships last season. fourth qualifier from last year, Tague Thorson, Utah returns all but four of the 16 skiers that Huckova, a first-team All-Rocky Mountain accepted an invitation to join the U.S. Ski Team. qualified for NCAA’s. The top returning athlete Intercollegiate Ski Association selection, was the Utah was the only team in the country to have is All-American sophomore Eva Huckova, who top overall NCAA Championships giant slalom four men’s alpine qualifiers. finished second in both the women’s giant slalom qualifier. She qualified fourth in the slalom Veenis is a three-time NCAA qualifier and and slalom events. standings before finishing second in both events three-time All-American. He was the only Utah Joining the veterans is a solid group of new- at the Championships. Huckova had two wins qualifier to place in the top-10 in both the final comers who look to make an impact immediate- on the year, placing first in the GS at the Utah slalom and giant slalom standings. Veenis is ly, including a transfer student who qualified for Invitational and winning the slalom at Western aiming to go out on top with his second national the NCAA Championships at her former school, State. title after winning the NCAA giant slalom in Devon Spika. Grassl, a three-time All-American and a team 2006. He spent the fall semester training and “Our team has the most returning athletes in captain, had her best slalom finish of the year at studying in New Zealand. the country,” Director of Skiing Eli Brown said. the NCAA Championships last season, placing Zumbrunn, a second-team All-RMISA selec- “This is the biggest team we have ever had and fourth. The senior was also 14th in the giant tion, was the fifth overall slalom qualifier in his we have a lot of depth. Everyone is training hard slalom at NCAA’s, while her best finish of the first season last year. He had four top-six finishes and getting along well, and we are having a hard year in the giant slalom was a sixth-place run at in the slalom last year. time waiting for the race season. the Utah Invitational. Kung is a two-time NCAA qualifier, al- “Our first and main goal of the season is to Njeim, who overcame a difficult personal though he did not race in the championships last qualify a whole team again, then prepare for tragedy to qualify for nationals for the second- year because of team limits. The team captain the championships. The veterans know what to straight season, was the ninth overall qualifier finished in the top-10 in four giant slalom races expect and they want that championship. They in the slalom last year. She earned All-America last season. want that ring on their finger. They’re passion- honors in the giant slalom in 2007 with a sixth- Adding depth to the team will be sophomore ate enough about it that it’s rubbing off onto the place finish. Hermann Lager, who had two top-10 finishes new kids, and they want to do it for the older Senior Chelsea Laswell and sophomore Sofia in the giant slalom last year. He had joined kids. The older ones want it bad. I don’t know if Smith round out the women’s alpine team. the team just before the season started and will any other program can match our desire and pas- benefit from a year of experience under his belt sion. That will be our strength this year.” at the college level. Newcomers Nick Cohee and Torjus Krogdahl will also provide depth. Cohee was among the top juniors in the country and Krogdahl was on the Norway junior national team. Men’s Nordic Utah took one of its biggest hits in men’s cross country with the loss of Snorri Einarsson, who was the top men’s Nordic NCAA qualifier in 2008 and won a national title in the 20-km classic in 2007. The Utes have two NCAA qualifiers return- ing, led by Even Sletten. Sletten was first-team All-RMISA selection and an All-American in both the 20-km classic and 10-km freestyle last year. Ben Fick is also a returning qualifier, he finished 12th in the 20-km classic at NCAA’s while placing 24th in the 10-km freestyle. Sophomore Ian Havlick returns for his sec- ond season. His top finish was a 17th-place run at the 15-km freestyle at the Utah Invitational. Senior Fabian Figi continues to feel the effects of an injury suffered last year and will likely redshirt. Three newcomers will look to make an im- pact - Rolf Figi, Didrik Smith and Tom Smith. Women’s Nordic With nine women’s cross country racers, including four returning NCAA qualifiers and a transfer who is a two-time qualifier, Utah has immense talent and depth among its team. Eva Huckova had one of the strongest fresh- A two-time All-American, Sarah Schweiger is Sarah Schweiger is a returning two-time All- man campaigns ever at Utah with second- poised to have a strong senior campaign. American and three-time NCAA qualifier. She place finishes in both the slalom and GS. had six top-10 finishes in 2008 before finishing 2 2009 Utah Skiing Media Guide Season Outlook 15th in the 15-km classic at NCAA’s. Schweiger is a two-year team captain. Annelies Cook is a two-time NCAA qualifier and a second-team All-RMISA selection last sea- son. Her best finish last season was a fourth-place run in the 15-km classic at the Western Regional. Cook, who is also a member of the national biathlon team, is also preparing for the Olympics in that event. Zoe Roy started her career at Utah as a walk- on and qualified for NCAA’s. She never finished out of the top-15 during the regular season, including four top-10 finishes. Roy also prepared