Andy Olsson, a junior, paced the men's team throughout the conference season,
winning five of the six events he entered. In the only event he did not win, Olsson was edged
into second place by little more than a half second.That's what the Missionary skiers did last weekend (February 8-9) at Oregon's Mt. Hood, winning three of four events as the conference season came to a close.
The Whitman men finished a near perfect season, winning the slalom on Saturday and the giant slalom on Sunday. That gave the men's team seven victories in eight conference events. In the only conference event they didn't win, they placed second -- by little more than a half second -- on a day when three of their top skiers competing in an NCAA race.
Andy Olsson, a junior, paced the men's team throughout the conference season,
winning five of the six events he entered. In the only event he did not win, Olsson was edged
into second place by little more than a half second.
Charlie Woodruff, a freshman, won one conference event, placed second three times, and finished third on three other occasions. Mike Craven, a junior, had a pair of second-place showings as well as two fourth-place finishes. Gery Benedetti, the lone senior on the team, placed third in three events.
"We've never had a men's team with the talent and depth to dominate the way we have this season," Whitman alpine coach Tom Olson said. "This is the first time we've had the potential to sweep the top four or five spots each and every week."
For a young team not favored to win the conference season, the Whitman women also turned in a new flawless season. The Missionaries were victorious in one of two events on the final conference weekend, giving them six victories in eight events during the season. They also finished second once and fourth once.
Heidi Reifenstein, a freshman, won all four giant slalom events during the conference
season. She also placed second, fifth and sixth in slalom events.
Two of Reifenstein's teammates won two of the four slalom events. Amy Johnson, also a freshman, picked up one of those slalom victories. Dina Gagarina-Pedro, a sophomore, registered the other slalom victory, and she placed second in another of the slalom events.
Despite a broken hand, sophomore Jessica Burke was a key contributor in the giant slalom, placing second once, third twice and fifth once. Ingrid Backstrom, a freshman, was steady throughout the conference season, placing in the top eight in seven events.
"On paper, Albertson College was the early season favorite to win the women's title," Olson said. "I really thought they were going to blow everyone away, and that we would finish in the top three or four. But while Albertson, for the most part, failed to ski to its potential, our women were exceeding their point profiles, week after week."
In the final conference standings, the Whitman men finished on top with 150 points. The University of British Columbia (UBC) was a distant second with 109 points. Albertson was third, followed in order by Oregon State University (OSU), University of Washington (UW), University of Puget Sound, Eastern Oregon State College and Seattle University.
The Whitman women also won their conference title with 150 points. Albertson finished second with 125 points and Seattle University was third. Rounding out the top eight, in order, were UBC, University of Oregon, UW, Western Washington University and the University of Idaho.
The top eight men's and women's team advance to the western region championships in Winter Park, Colo.
The Whitman women became the first women's team in Northwest Conference history to win four consecutive titles. After beginning their string by finishing in a first-place tie at the end of the 1993-94 season, they have won the last three titles outright.
Whitman is the second men's team to four straight conference crowns. The College of Idaho (now Albertson) ran off four straight titles from 1980 through 1983.
Tom Olson, Whitman Director of Skiing, (509) 527-5844
Email Address: olson@whitman.edu
Dave Holden, Whitman Sports Information, (509) 527-5902
Email Address: holden@whitman.edu