With skiers from the west region once again dominating, Whitman College sophomore Devon Spika placed 33rd in the women's 15-kilometer classic as the Nordic portion of the NCAA National Ski Championships came to a close Friday at Bohart Ranch near Bozeman, Mont.
Spika, who also finished 33rd in Wednesday's freestyle race, finished Friday's event in 1:04:56.2.
Maria Grevsgaard, a native of Norway and a senior at NCAA Div. I University of Colorado, took the gold medal with a time of 55:04.6, beating runner-up Polina Ermoshina of the University of New Mexico by nearly 55 seconds. The University of Denver's Antje Maempel was third in 56:09.5, giving the west region a sweep of the podium spots.
Grevsgaard also won Wednesday's freestyle race, leading the west region to a sweep in that event. In Friday's race, skiers from the west region -- one of three regions represented at the national championships -- filled eight of the top 12 spots.
"The competition at nationals this week was definitely tougher than it was a year ago, and our region was a big part of that," Whitman coach Calisa Schouweiler said. "I know Devon wanted to place higher this week, but it's remarkable that she even qualified for nationals while competing in a region as tough as the west."
For a second consecutive year, Spika was the only NCAA Div. III skier to qualify for nationals from the west region. "Given the level of talent here at nationals, any performance is a good performance," Schouweiler said. "Devon has felt really tired this week, and sometimes that happens to an athlete at the end of a long season. I'm proud of the way she competed and stayed mentally tough this week even though she was feeling a bit exhausted physically."
In the men's 20-kilometer classic on Wednesday, Marius Korthauer (Bonndorf, Germany), a senior at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks, was a winner in 1:03:07.6. The University of Colorado's Kit Richmond was second in 1:03.19.7, edging the University of Vermont's Juergen Uhl by one second.
The championships conclude Saturday with alpine slalom races.
Competing against top collegiate skiers from around the world, Whitman sophomore Devon Spika placed 33rd in the women's 5-kilometer freestyle as the 55th Annual NCAA National Ski Championships got underway Wednesday morning at Bohart Ranch near Bozeman, Mont.
Spika, the only Division III skier from the western U.S. to qualify for the championships, was clocked in 20:16.8, finishing about one minute out of the top 20. "It wasn't the greatest of races for Devon, but we need to remind ourselves that there are no divisions in NCAA skiing," Whitman coach Calisa Schouweiler said. "The championships represent the cream of the crop from schools of all sizes."
Norway's Maria Grevsgaard, a senior at the University of Colorado (NCAA Div. I), dominated the women's race, winning in 17:09.8. The Czech Republic's Lenka Palanova, a junior who also competes for Colorada, was second in 17:34.0, beating University of Denver junior Annelise Bailly (France) by nearly three seconds.
The west region, in addition to sweeping the top three spots, put five women in the top 10. The central region had three skiers in the top 10 with the remaining two coming from the east region. Wednesday's race featured an interval start, where skiers were spaced 30 seconds part.
Spika, who has dual U.S.-Canadian citizenship, was making her second appearance in as many years at the NCAA championships. She placed 26th a year ago in the freestyle event.
The ski championships continue Thursday with the men's and women's alpine giant slalom races. Spika and the Nordic competitors swing back into action Friday with classic races. The alpine slalom races are set for Saturday.
In the men's 10-kilometer freestyle on Wednesday, Dartmouth College claimed its first Nordic ski title in 41 years when junior Glenn Randall (Colburn, Colo.) took top honors in 30:37.3, finishing 11 seconds in front of Marius Korthauer (Bonndorf, Germany), a senior at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks. Norway's Jesper Ostensen, a freshman at the University of Colorad, was third in 31:03.2.
With her spot at the NCAA national skiing championships already assured, Whitman sophomore Devon Spika placed 20th in the women's 15-kilometer classic as the Nordic portion of the NCAA West Region Championships came to a close Saturday at Bohart Ranch near Bozeman, Mont.
"It was not Devon's best race, but there was no pressure today in terms of still having to qualify for nationals," Whitman coach Calisa Schouweiler said. "We're all very excited for Devon. She's looking forward to going back to the national championships."
Montana State University, which hosted the regional championships at Bohart Ranch, will also host nationals. The NCAA's Nordic championship races are set for March 5 & 7.
Meanwhile on Saturday, Whitman seniors Robert Marcotte and Davis Taylor had career-best performances in their final college races. Marcotte finished 20th in the men's 20-kilometer classic in 1:12:34.80. Davis was 26th in 1:14:29.55, finishing one spot in front of sophomore Warren McDermott, who posted a time of 1:14:57.24.
"It was great to put our top three guys in the top 30, and it was nice to see the two seniors end their seasons with such fantastic races," Schouweiler said. "The waxing conditions were very tricky today. There were 12 men who dropped out of the race because of wax problems."
The Whitman men's team finished with 30 points, placing eighth among nine schools. Senior Loren Schmidt also raced for the Missionaries, placing 33rd in 1:19:17.63.
Spika's time in the women's race was 1:00:58.19. Her four teammates filled spots 29 through 32. First-year skier Eloise Zimbelman led the way in 1:05:31.89 and was followed to the finish line by sophomore Adele Mery (1:06:54.49), first-year skier Paige Devlin (1:07:05.54), and sophomore Liz Forbes (1:07:27.27).
The Whitman women tallied 27 points to also place eighth among nine schools.
The University of Colorado was first in both the men's and women's team scoring. Colorado's Kit Richmond and Maria Grevsgaard were the individual winners. The same two skier won Friday's freestyle races.
Solidifying her grip on a national championship berth, Whitman sophomore Devon Spika placed ninth in the women's 5-kilometer freestyle as the Nordic portion of the NCAA West Regional Championships got underway Friday at Bohart Ranch near Bozeman, Mont.
"Devon had a great race," Whitman coach Calisa Schouweiler said. "I think it's safe to say that she has secured her spot at the national championships."
A year ago in her first season at Whitman, Spika qualified as the 10th women's seed from the Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Ski Association (RMISA). Based on season-long results, RMISA will send 16 women to the 2008 NCAA national championships in early March. The regular season comes to a close on Saturday with classic races at Bohart Ranch.
"It's nice that Devon can go into the last regular season race without worrying about nationals," Schouweiler said.
Clocked in Friday's race at 15:39.02, Spika finished about 10 seconds out of the sixth spot. The University of Colorado's Maria Grevsgaard, a senior from Geilo, Norway, continued to dominate the women's field with a winning time of 14:56.25.
In the men's 10-kilometer freestyle on Friday, Whitman sophomore Warren McDermott cracked the top 30 for a third straight week, placing 29th in 30:46.20. Senior Loren Schmidt was close behind in 31st with a time of 31:03.13. Also racing for the Whitman men were senior Davis Taylor (37th, 31:43.86), senior Robert Marcotte (39th, 32:15.24), and sophomore Jack Straus (40th, 32:55.90).
Eloise Zimbelman, a first-year skier, had Whitman's next-best finish in the women's race. She placed 29th in 17:09.49, finishing one spot in front of sophomore teammate Adele Mery, who was clocked in 17:19.04. Rounding out the Whitman women's contingent were sophomore Liz Forbes (34th, 17:55.78) and first-year skier Paige Devlin (36th, 18:55.54).
In the women's team scoring, Whitman finished seventh among nine schools with 39 points, beating both the University of Alaska-Anchorage (30) and Western State (15). Colorado was first in the women's scoring with 81 points while the universities of Denver and Nevada-Reno tied for second place with 67 points apiece.
The Whitman men scored 28 points to finish eighth, just ahead of ninth-place Western State and its 16 points. Led by Kit Richmond, a senior from Red Deer, Canada, Colorado took first in team scoring with 80 points. The University of Utah men were second with 67 points, finishing one point in front of Denver.
All but two members of Whitman's Nordic ski teams had season-best freestyle performances on Saturday at the University of New Mexico Invitational at the Enchanted Forest Nordic Center near Red River, N.M.
Senior Loren Schmidt had a strong race in the men's 5-kilometer freestyle, placing 25th in 15:01.9. That was seven spots higher than his previous best finish in a freestyle race this season. Sophomore Warren McDermott was close behind, placing 27th in 15:10.0. McDermott's season-best effort came a week ago, when he finished 26th.
In the women's 5-kilometer freestyle, sophomore Devon Spika placed 12th in 16:49.8. Slowed this weekend by the flu, Spika has placed as high as seventh in the freestyle this season.
Senior Davis Taylor completed the Whitman men's team score on Saturday, finishing 32nd in 16:02.4. Also racing were senior Robert Marcotte, who was 36th in 16:35.2, and sophomore Jack Straus, who was 38th in 16:52.4. It was a season-best freestyle finish for all three skiers.
First-year skier Eloise Zimbelman and sophomore Liz Forbes rounded out the team score for the Whitman women. Zimbelman was 27th in 18:29.8 while Forbes was 29th in 19:00.9. First-year skier Paige Devlin was 36th in 20:14.7. The placings were season-best efforts for each of the three competitors.
Both Whitman teams placed eighth in a field of 10 schools. The Missionary women scored 34 points, finishing just six points behind seventh-place University of Alaska-Anchorage. With 25 points, the Whitman men finished nine points back of the University Utah and 12 behind the University of Nevada-Reno.
The University of Denver's Annelise Bailly won the women's event in 15:28.0. The University of Colorado's Maria Grevsgaard was second in 15:37.7.
Colorado's Kit Richmond was first on the men's side in 13:33.3. Raphael Wunderle, skiing for Alaska-Anchorage, was the runner-up in 13:50.1.
Slowed by a bout with the flu, Whitman sophomore Devon Spika still managed to place 16th in the women's 5-kilometer classic in Friday's Nordic portion of the University of New Mexico Invitational at the Enchanted Forest Nordic Center near Red River, N.M.
In the men's 10-kilometer classic, sophomore Warren McDermott was the first of four Whitman skiers who finished in spots 30 through 33.
"Devon had a great race given the fact that she has the flu," Whitman coach Calisa Schouweiler said. "We're hoping she will be a little stronger for Saturday's freestyle race."
Spika finished Friday's classic in 19:57.6. First-year skier Paige Devlin and sophomore Liz Forbes rounded out Whitman's team score, placing 27th and 28th, respectively, with times of 21:59.8 and 22:00.9. Eloise Zimbelman, also a first-year skier, placed 31st in 22:21.9. Sophomore Adele Mery hit a tree at one point on the course and was unable to finish.
"Adele is okay and there's still a chance she can race on Saturday," Schouweiler said.
McDermott's 30th-place time in the men's race was 35:59.4. Placing in the next three spots for Whitman were three seniors: Loren Schmidt in 36:11.4, Davis Taylor in 36:13.8, and Robert Marcotte in 36:32.5. Sophomore Jack Straus was 40th in 38:03.7.
In the team scoring, both Whitman squads placed seventh. The women tallied 33 points, beating the University of Wyoming (12) and Western State (9). The Whitman men scored 24 points, edging Western State by three points and beating Wyoming by 14.
With Maria Grevsgaard winning yet another race, the University of Colorado women finished first in the team scoring with 82 points. New Mexico was second and Denver third.
John Stene won the men's race, leading Denver to a first-place total of 84 points. Colorado was second with 81 points.
Whitman's Devon Spika cracked back into the top 10 -- a remarkable feat for an NCAA Division III athlete competing against a multitude of Division I racers -- in the women's 10-kilometer freestyle event as the Nordic portion of the Western State Invitational concluded Saturday at Colorado's Crested Butte Mountain Resort.
Spika placed seventh in 30:27.5 and was just five seconds out of the sixth spot, which was filled by Germany's Antje Maempel, a sophomore at the University of Denver. Norway's Maria Grevsgaard, a senior at the University of Colorado, won her sixth consecutive college race, with a time of 29:03.9. The only racer close to Grevsgaard was the runner-up, Denver's Annelise Bailly (Ruffieu, France), who was clocked in 29:04.4.
"Devon had a great race," Whitman coach Calisa Schouweiler said. "She looked strong from the start and was able to maintain her position to the finish line."
Spika finished in front of all skiers from the University of Utah, one of the stronger NCAA Div. I schools in the Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Ski Association (RMISA). "That speaks for itself," Schouweiler said. "We are all ecstatic with how well she finished today."
For Spika, who has joint U.S.-Canadian citizenship, Saturday's finish was her best this season. She placed in the top 10 four times last winter, finishing as high as fifth, while qualifing for the NCAA national championships in her first year at Whitman.
With two weekend events left in the current RMISA season, Spika is a good bet to be one of the 16 Nordic women from the West Region who will qualify for the national championships in March. Prior to this weekend, her previous results had her in 11th place in the RMISA individual standings.
In the men's 20-kilometer freestyle Saturday, Whitman sophomore Warren McDermott had his best race of the season, placing 26th in 39:34.7. "Warren also had a great day," Schouweiler said. "It's great to see him back in the 20's."
In the team scoring, the Whitman women scored 36 points and placed seventh in the 10-school field for a second consecutive day. First-year skier Eloise Zimbelman and sophomore Adele Mery completed Whitman's team score, placing 33rd and 38th, respectively, with times of 35:07.0 and 36:43.7. Also skiing for Whitman were sophomore Liz Forbes (39th, 36:54.0) and first-year skier Paige Devlin (44th, 38:56.3).
The Whitman men finished with 28 points, upping their total by five from Friday, and placed eighth for a second straight day. Seniors Loren Schmidt and Davis Taylor rounded out the Whitman team scoring, finishing 32nd and 36th, respectively, with times of 41:08.7 and 42:38.4. Senior Robert Marcotte was 39th in 43:10.8 and sophomore Jack Straus was 44th in 48:35.1.
Norway's Snorri Einarsson and Even Sletten, both skiing for Utah, finished one-two in the men's race for a second day in a row, although it was Einarsson rather than Sletten winning on Saturday. Not surprisingly, it was Utah placing first in the men's team scoring with 76 points. Montana State was second with 68 points and Denver third with 64.
Colorado won the women's team scoring with 79 points. Denver was second with 67 points. Three schools -- Utah, Montana State and Nevada -- tied for third.
RMISA's Nordic season continues next Friday and Saturday at Red River, New Mexico.
Sophomore Devon Spika and senior Robert Marcotte were the top finishers Friday as the Nordic portion of the Western State Invitational got underway with classic races at the Crested Butte (Colo.) Nordic Center.
Battling tons of new snow and a 9,000-foot elevation, Spika placed 13th in the women's 5-kilometer classic with a time of 20:55.1. "Devon had a solid race," Whitman coach Calisa Schouweiler said. "She beat women she had not yet beat this season, and she's still in good position to qualify again for the national championships."
In the men's 10-kilometer, Marcotte placed 33rd in 33:47.6, edging sophomore teammate Warren McDermott (34th) by 9.2 seconds. "Robert had our race of the day," Schouweiler said. "He looked strong throughout the race. I'm not surprised that he finished first for us today because his strength in the classic has continued to improve ever since our training camp in West Yellowstone."
Spika paced the women's team to a seventh-place finish in the women's team scoring. Whitman totaled 36 points, outscoring the University of Alaska-Anchorage 30, University of Wyoming 12, and Western State 9. The University of Colorado took the top spot with 78 points, edging the University of Utah by one point and the University of Denver by two. The University of New Mexico was fourth with 55 points, followed by Montana State with 47 and the University of Nevada with 45.
First-year skier Eloise Zimbelman and sophomore Adele Mery completed Whitman's team score, placing 33rd and 35th, respectively, with times of 23:23.6 and 23:38.2. Rounding out the Whitman women's contingent were sophomore Liz Forbes (38th, 23:51.3) and first-year skier Paige Devlin (39th, 24:14.9).
In the men's event, senior Loren Schmidt was the third and final contributor to the Whitman men's score. He placed 38th in 34:47.0. Others racing were senior Davis Taylor (40th, 35:07.9) and sophomore Jack Straus (44th, 37:04.7).
The Whitman men finished eighth in the team scoring with 23 points, beating Western State's 14 points and Wyoming's 8. Colorado was first with 78.5 points, one-half point ahead of runner-up Utah. Denver, third with 74.5 points, was followed by Alaska-Anchorage 55, Montana State 51, New Mexico 42, and Nevada 41.
Colorado's Maria Grevsgaard, a senior from Geilo, Norway, won her fifth consecutive college race, finishing the women's event in 19:03.7. Denver's Antje Maempel, a sophomore from Stutzerbach, Germany, was second in 19:29.6.
In the men's event, Norwegians and University of Utah teammates Even Sletten and Snorri Einarsson finished first and second, respectively, in times of 29:10.3 and 29:22.0.
The Nordic competition continues on Saturday with freestyle races.
Whitman sophomores Devon Spika and Warren McDermott posted their best classic performances of the season Sunday on the final day of the University of Colorado Invitational at Snow Mountain Ranch near Winter Park, Colo.
Spika finished the 10-kilometer classic in 33:45.3, placing 15th, to lead the Missionary women's team to a seventh-place finish in a 10-school field. McDermott was clocked in 46:23.2 in the 15-kilometer event, placing 32nd as the Whitman men finished eighth.
With times of 35:54.2 and 38:20.9, sophomore Adele Mery and first-year skier Eloise Zimbelman placed 27th and 32nd, respectively, to give the Whitman women a team score of 36 points. That allowed the NCAA Division III Missionaries to top two Division II schools, University of Alaska-Anchorage (31 points) and Western State (11), as well as Division I University of Wyoming (10).
Whitman senior Robert Marcotte finished his race in 47:40.2, placing 35th -- 15 spots higher than his performance in a classic race on Jan. 11 in Utah. Loren Schmidt, also a senior, completed the Missionary men's team score by placing 38th in 48:05.7. Whitman was eighth in the team scoring with 19 points, two points ahead of Western State and 10 points clear of Wyoming.
Also racing for Whitman men were senior Davis Taylor (39th, 48:18.5) and sophomore Jack Straus (43rd, 51:01.4). For the Missionary women, first-year skier Paige Devlin had her best race of the season, placing 35th in 30:04.5. Sophomore Liz Forbes was 37th in 39:46.9.
The University of Colorado's Maria Grevsgard, a senior from Geilo, Norway, continued to dominant the women's field, winning her fourth consecutive race in 30:32.9. The University of New Mexico's Polina Ermoshina, a sophomore from Moscow, Russia, was a distant second in 31:52.9.
Norwegians and University of Utah teammates Snorri Einarsson and Even Sletten finished first and second, respectively, in times of 39:53.6 and 39:56.1.
Colorado, the invitational host, was first in Sunday's team scoring for the men and women. The Buffaloes also finished first in the overall scoring, amassing 549 points in the four alpine and four Nordic events. Utah was second with 522 points, followed by Denver 515, New Mexico 464, Nevada 429, Alaska-Anchorage 416, Montanta State 401, Western State 180, Whitman 166, and Wyoming 41.
Sophomore Devon Spika placed 13th, finishing just four seconds out of the 10th spot, to give Whitman its top performance in Nordic freestyle races Saturday morning at the University of Colorado Invitational at Snow Mountain Ranch near Winter Park, Colo.
With skiers hitting the course at assigned intervals and racing against the clock, Spika finished the women's 5-kilometer freestyle in 16:18.1. There was a good chance Spika would have cracked the top 10, Whitman Nordic coach Calisa Schouweiler said, but she had trouble passing a slower competitor. "We know Devon is capable of finishing in the top 10. She's right where she needs to be in terms of her fitness level."
The University of Colorado's Maria Grevsgard, a senior from Geilo, Norway, won her third consecutive college race in decisive fashion, crossing the finish line in 14:50.5. The rest of the field was tightly bunched, with Spika finishing less than one minute behind the runner-up, Denver University's Annelise Bailley (Ruffieu, France).
In the men's 10-kilometer freestyle, senior Loren Schmidt was top dog for Whitman, placing 34th in 30:18.7. Sophomore teammate Warren McDermott was right on his heels, placing 35th in 30:21.8. Senior Davis Taylor rounded out Whitman's team score, placing 38th in 31:58.1.
Denver's Rene Reisshauer (Katzhutte, Germany) won the men's race in 26:40.6. Raphael Wunderle (Bubenbach, Germany), skiing for the University of Alaska-Anchorage, was second in 26:47.2.
Finishing in the second and third team spots for the Whitman women were first-year skier Eloise Zimbelman, who was 30th in 17:54.8, and sophomore Adele Mery, who was 32nd in 17:58.7.
The Missionary women finished with 33 team points, tieing Alaska-Anchorage for seventh place. Colorado was first with 72 points, edging the University of Nevada and its 70 points. The University of Utah and Montana State tied for third with 63 points. Denver was fifth with 61 points and New Mexico sixth with 43. Wyoming with 13 points and Western State with eight filled the last two spots.
The Whitman men scored 21 team points, beating both Western State (15) and Wyoming (9). Alaska-Anchorage and Montana State tied for first in the men's team scoring with 71 points. Next in line were Denver 67, Utah 65, Colorado 57, New Mexico 53, and Nevada 36.
Other competitors for the Whitman men were senior Robert Marcotte, who was 44th in 32:31.3, and sophomore Jack Straus, who was 48th in 34:05.4.
Also racing for the Whitman women were sophomore Liz Forbes, who was 37th in 19:24.2, and first-year skier Paige Devlin, who was 39th in 19:56.9.
The invitational's Nordic competition continues Sunday with classic races.
Taking her first step on what she hopes is a return trip to the NCAA national championships, Whitman sophomore Devon Spika placed 12th in the women's 10-kilometer freestyle as the Nordic portion of the University of Utah Invitational concluded Saturday at Soldier Hollow, Utah.
Spika finished the course in 16:38.0, just 30 seconds behind the runner-up, Montana State junior Claire Rennie. Both Spika and Rennie are from Ottawa, Canada. The University of Colorado's Maria Grevsgard, a senior from Geilo, Norway, was a decisive winner in 15:39.3. Grevsgard also won Friday's classic race.
Based on regular season results a year ago, Spika qualified for the NCAA championships as the women's 10th seed from the 10-school Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Ski Association. A total of 18 Nordic women from RMISA will qualify this season for nationals, which are set for early March at Bohart Ranch, Mont.
In the men's 15-kilometer freestyle on Saturday, sophomore Warren McDermott placed 35th in 30:47.2 to pace the Whitman men's team. Snorri Einarsson (Tromso, Norway), skiing for Utah, won the men's race in 27:31.2. The University of Denver's Rene Reisshauer (Katzhutte, Germany) was a close second in 27:32.6.
In the women's team scoring Saturday, Whitman finished a strong eighth with 35 points, just two points behind the University of Alaska-Anchorage and eight points behind the University of New Mexico. The Missionary placed sixth in the classic team scoring on Friday.
Sophomore Adele Mery and first-year skier Eloise Zimbelman also contributed to Saturday's Whitman team score. Mery was 33rd in 17:53.8 while Zimbelman was 36th in 2:36.8. Also placing for the Missionaries were sophomore Liz Forbes, who was 41st in 19:44.5, and first-year skier Paige Devlin, who was 42nd in 19:55.8.
Other team scores on the women's side were Colorado on top with 81 points, followed by Utah 72, Nevada-Reno 62, Montana State 60, and Denver 54.
The Whitman men, after placing eighth in their team scoring on Friday, slipped to ninth on Saturday. The Missionaries tallied 19 points, a single point behind Western State College. Denver was first with 74 points, followed by Colorado 70, Alaska-Anchorage 66, Montana State 61, Utah 58, New Mexico 54, and Nevada-Reno 37.
Sophomore Jack Straus was second for Whitman, placing 50th in 33:13.7. Senior Loren Schmidt completed the team score, finishing 54th in 34:00.7. Also skiing for the Missionaries were senior Robert Marcotte, 55th, 34:01.2; senior Davis Taylor, 57th, 34:51.4; and sophomore Bailey Arend, 59th, 35:21.7.
The Whitman Nordic teams compete next Saturday and Sunday in the University of Colorado Invitational near Winter Park. The alpine portion of the Colorado invitational was held earlier this month.
With sophomore Devon Spika leading the way, the Whitman women's Nordic ski team got its season off to a fine start Friday morning, placing sixth among 10 schools in the classic races at the University of Utah Invitational at Soldier Hollow, Utah.
Scoring 40 points in the team scoring, the Whitman women edged the University of Nevada-Reno (37) and the University of Alaska-Anchorage (35) and easily outdistanced the University of Wyoming (14) and Western State College (110).
Meanwhile, sophomore Warren McDermott paced a Whitman men's team that scored 17 points to finish eighth among 10 schools. The Missionary men beat both Western State (16) and Wyoming (12).
Spika, who qualified for the NCAA national championships a year ago, finished 18th in Friday's 15-kilometer classic in 50:40.9. Adele Mery, a second Whitman sophomore, was 27th in 1:02:01.1. Eloise Zimbelman, a first-year skier, completed Whitman's team score, placing 31st in 1:05:16.1. Also placing for the Missionaries were sophomore Liz Forbes (35th, 1:08:42.5) and first-year skier Paige Devlin (36th, 1:09:51.5).
McDermott finished the men's 20-kilometer classic in 1:11:30.5, placing 40th. Seniors Loren Schmidt (48th, 1:16:26.1) and Davis Taylor (49th, 1:16:46.8) rounded out the Whitman team score. Robert Marcotte, a third Missionary senior, was 50th in 1:16.53.5 while sophomore Jack Straus was 53rd in 1:19:54.9.
With three women placing in the top five, Utah was first in the women's team scoring with 83 points. The University of Colorado placed its top three in the first six slots and took second with 82 points. Next in line were the University of Denver (59), Montana State (55) and the University of New Mexico (46).
Colorado's Maria Grevsgard, a senior from Geilo, Norway, won the women's race in 51:49.8. utah's Bo Kjersti, a first-year skier from Klaebo, Norway, was a distant second in 55:10.4.
In the men's team scoring, Colorado took top honors with 82 points. Kit Richmond, a senior from Red Deer, Alberta, Canada, placed second overall in 1:02:05.5 to pace the Buffaloes.
Denver was second in the men's team scoring with 71 points. Other teams finished ahead of the Whitman men were Alaska-Anchorage 66, Utah 63, Montana State 53, New Mexico 50, and Nevada-Reno 35.
Denver's Rene Reisshauer, a senior from Katzhutte, Germany, won the men's race in 1:01:28.4.
The Nordic portion of the Utah invitational continues on Saturday with men's and women's freestyle races.