Whitman news since 1896

Whitman Wire

Vol. CLIV, Issue 6
Whitman news since 1896

Whitman Wire

Whitman news since 1896

Whitman Wire

Nordic ski team faces tough competition

The Whitman Nordic ski team is used to running with the big dogs. Since they changed divisions in the 2002-’03 ski season, the ski team has been the only Division III school in the Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Ski Association (RMISA), a conference comprised of ski powerhouses such as the universities of Utah, Colorado, Nevada, Denver and New Mexico.

Because Division III schools don’t offer athletic scholarships, Whitman skiers routinely face very stiff competition. This year, however, they have risen to the challenge.

“The team as a whole has improved dramatically this year despite a competitive field of mostly European skiers,” said sophomore Warren McDermott, who has finished in the top for Whitman in five of eight races so far this season.

A striking example of this European presence is University of Colorado senior Maria Grevsgard from Norway, who has won all but two races this season. The men’s races have similarly been dominated by Norwegian and German skiers, many of whom are several years older than Whitman’s skiers. In spite of this, both teams have regularly finished ahead of several teams, including the University of Alaska Anchorage and University of Wyoming.

Much of the improvement talked about by McDermott can certainly be attributed to the closeness of the team. With only five skiers traveling for each team, they become very close and are forced to push each other.

“Our men’s team this year is a great example of why endurance sports can be team events,” said senior Robert Marcotte.

Even though only the top three skiers from each school score points in each race, everyone who has raced for the men’s team has scored points in one of the eight races so far this season. Furthermore, McDermott, Marcotte and senior Loren Schmidt have all taken the top place for Whitman in at least one race. This turnover in placing can be attributed to closeness in skill developed from long hours of training as a team. Even more impressive, in New Mexico on Feb. 8, four of the five Whitman skiers placed in sequential order and within 35 seconds of each other.

“This shows how we train as a team, race as a team, and improve as a team. It’s really exciting,” said Marcotte.

“With just 10 of us traveling, we have gotten pretty close on those 12 hour van rides,” echoed first-year Paige Devlin, who cited team chemistry as a major factor in this season’s success.

Devlin also brought up an added factor to this year’s dynamic: new coaching.

“This year we also had a new coach, Calisa Shouweiler.  I think she did a great job with the team and I think everyone had a lot of fun with her,” said Devlin.

Regionals, to be held on Feb. 22 and 23 at Montana State University in Bozeman, will probably be the last race for a number of seniors on the men’s team. Sophomore Devon Spika looks to qualify for Nationals for the second time, after an impressive 19th finish in the 15 kilometer classic her freshman year at the national level. This year, Spika, who has dual Canadian-American citizenship, had her highest finish in Crested Butte, Colo., coming in seventh in the 10 kilometer.

“Overall, I am very impressed with how much faster our whole team has gotten this year. I think we can do some great things at Bozeman, and I think Devon will qualify for nationals,” said McDermott.

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