WALLA WALLA, Wash. -- The Whitman College ski teams wrapped up their fifth consecutive all-around national titles on Saturday, March 13, as the U.S. Collegiate Ski Association championships concluded at Mammoth Mountain, Calif.
"We take a great deal of pride in having complete ski teams, and it means a lot to us to keep our string of all-around national titles alive at five," Whitman director of skiing Tom Olson said.
"Even though our alpine and cross country teams compete at different venues, our alpine and cross couintry teams rely a lot on one another," added Olson, who coaches the alpine teams. "It's all part of being a team. One part needs the other."
The all-around titles are based on combined results from two alpine and two cross country events.
Whitman had little difficult notching its fifth all-around title on the women's side. The Missionaries finished with 30 points, well ahead of second-place Carleton College and its 69 points.
The men's all-around race was much closer. Whitman finished on top with 59 points. Carleton was second with 69 points and Cornell University third with 83 points.
"It was a good week for Whitman with each one of our teams contributing at different times," Olson said. "Of the two dozen athletes competing for Whitman, 14 will come back with All-American awards."
Four skiers also earned Academic All-American awards. They are Megan Corazza and Emily Nelson from the cross country team and Heidi Shelton and Dana Wong from the alpine squad.
For more detailed results on the Whitman alpine teams at the national championships, please click here.
For more detailed results on the Whitman cross country teams at nationals, please click here.
Dave Holden, Whitman Sports Information, (509) 527-5902
Email Address: holden@whitman.edu