Buffs Qualify Full Squad For 2017 NCAA Skiing Championships

INDIANAPOLIS – The NCAA announced Tuesday the 74 men and 74 women from 21 schools selected to participate in the 2017 NCAA Skiing Championships to be held March 8-11 at Cannon Mountain in Franconia, N.H. and Jackson Ski Touring Center in Jackson, N.H.

The University of Colorado qualified a full 12-skier squad, one of seven schools to do so. Of those seven, five came out of the west (Alaska Anchorage, Denver, New Mexico and Utah join Colorado) and two from the east (Dartmouth and Vermont).

CU is fielding a veteran squad as the Buffaloes seek their 21st national championship in program history. Of the 12 skiers who qualified, nine of them have competed in the NCAA Championships prior to this year.

Under 27-year head coach Richard Rokos, the Buffs this season had 12 different skiers who reached the podium. There have only been two seasons under Rokos when he had more Buffs reach the podium, with his 1995 and 1991 squads both seeing 13 different skiers up on the podium. Rokos' 1995 and 1991 teams won national championships, as did his 2006 squad that had 12 different skiers reach the podium that year.

The last three times (2015, 2013, 2011) the NCAA Championships were held back east, Colorado took home the title and actually six of CU's last eight national championships have been won back east. That includes the 1995 national championships also held in Jackson, N.H.

This year's skiing championships will be webcast live on NCAA.com. Visit http://www.ncaa.com/liveschedule to watch all the action. A full schedule of the championship events is listed below.

A look at each of the 12 Buffs selected:

Nora Christensen, Sophomore, Women's Alpine
She will be competing in her second NCAA Skiing Championship … finished the 2016 NCAA Championships in fifth in the slalom to earn first-team All-America honors in the event … this season she has finished 10 of 12 races with seven finishes in the top 10 … she has reached the podium twice in 2017, both in slalom events and most recently with her third-place finish at the RMISA/NCAA West Regional Championships.

Isabella Fidjeland, Freshman, Women's Alpine
First NCAA Championship … she qualified with a pair of 10th place finishes in the slalom and giant slalom at the RMISA/NCAA West Regional Championships … missed the first four meets and two alpine qualifiers at the start of the season when she was recovering from an injury sustained in the fall when she was hit by a car riding her bike.

Jackson Hill, Senior, Men's Nordic
He will be competing in his second NCAA Championship; finished 14th in the 10K freestyle and 36th in the 20K classic races at the 2015 NCAA Championships in Lake Placid … this season he has three top 15 finishes, two of which came at the RMISA/NCAA West Regional Championships … best finish of the season was a 12th place showing in the 15K freestyle in the season-opening Utah Invitational.

Petra Hyncicova, Junior, Women's Nordic
Set for her third NCAA Championships … is a three-time All-American, earning first-team honors in the freestyle in 2016 when she finished second in the race and second-team honors twice in 2015 (freestyle and classic) … she opened this season winning three of her first four races before a heel injury caused her to miss both Alaska meets … rebounded to compete at RMISA/NCAA West Regional Championships, placing fifth in the 5K classic and third in the 15K freestyle race … No. 1 qualifier in the west in women's Nordic and first-team All-RMISA selection … represented the Czech Republic at the 2017 FIS Nordic U23 World Ski Championships held Jan. 31-Feb. 4 at Soldier Hollow Resort in Midway, Utah.

Ola Johansen, Sophomore, Men's Alpine
Making his second appearance at the NCAA Skiing Championships … earned second-team All-America honors in 2016 with his 10th place finish in the giant slalom at NCAAs … 2016 RMISA MVP for men's alpine and 2017 first-team All-RMISA selection … this year he finished 7 of 9 races he competed in, missing three others due to injury … had three podium finishes (two in giant slalom, one in slalom) and one victory, which came in the giant slalom alpine qualifier to start the season … at the RMISA/NCAA West Regional Championship he finished second in the slalom and sixth in the giant slalom.

David Ketterer, Freshman, Men's Alpine
First NCAA Championship … 2017 RMISA MVP for men's alpine and the top NCAA qualifier out of the west region … finished top five in 10 of 11 races this season with seven podiums … he won five overall races (four slalom and one giant slalom), tying for the second-most wins by a CU men's alpine skier in Colorado single-season history … is the current points leader in the slalom in the NorAm Cup, holding a 160-point lead in the event … competed in the FIS World Cup in Kitzbühel, Austria on Jan. 22 and 24 … ranked No. 44 in the world in the men's slalom with 7.59 FIS points.

Jesse Knori, Senior, Women's Nordic
Making her second-straight NCAA Skiing Championships … earned first-team All-America honors in 2016 with her fifth place finish in the 15K classic race in Steamboat Springs … this season she has six top 10 finishes with one race victory, the first of her career that came in the 5K classic at the UAA Invitational … was a 2017 second-team All-RMISA selection … represented the United States at the 2017 FIS Nordic U23 World Ski Championships held Jan. 31-Feb. 4 at Soldier Hollow Resort in Midway, Utah.

Max Luukko, Sophomore, Men's Alpine
Making his second appearance at the NCAA Skiing Championships … earned first-team All-America honors in 2016 with his fifth-place slalom finish at NCAAs … 2017 second-team All-RMISA selection … finished all 12 races this season with three podiums – all in the giant slalom … finished eighth in the giant slalom and fifth in the slalom at the 2017 RMISA/NCAA West Regional Championships.

Petter Reistad, Sophomore, Men's Nordic
Making his second appearance at the NCAA Skiing Championships … earned two All-America honors as a freshman in 2016, finishing sixth in the 10K freestyle and ninth in the 20K classic races at the NCAA Championships … this year he earned first-team All-RMISA honors, finishing third in the west in NCAA qualification points … had five podium finishes with one event victory, which came in the 20K classic race at the MSU Invitational.

Christina Rolandsen, Sophomore, Women's Nordic
First NCAA appearance … this year she earned first-team All-RMISA honors, finishing fourth in the west in NCAA qualification points … had three podium finishes and placed inside the top 10 in all eight races she competed in … top finish was a second-place showing in the 5K classic race at the UAA Invitational.

Mads Stroem, Senior, Men's Nordic
This will be his fourth NCAA Championship … he is a three-time NCAA Champion, winning both the classic and freestyle races last year and the 20K freestyle race as a freshman in 2014 … six-time All-American and the 2016 men's Nordic skier of the year … in 37 career races he has reached the podium 27 times and his 14 race victories are tied for the fourth most in CU history … needs one more NCAA individual title to tie for the most by any skier in CU history … had his appendix removed on the first day of the 2017 season, healed quickly and recorded a podium finish in the 10K classic race at the RMISA/NCAA West Regional Championships.

Tonje Trulsrud, Sophomore, Women's Alpine
Second NCAA appearance … earned first-team All-America honors as a freshman with her third place giant slalom finish at the 2016 NCAA Championships … 2017 first-team All-RMISA selection, finishing fourth in NCAA qualification point in the west … finished 11 of 12 races this season, placing in the top 10 in 10 of those with four podiums.

2017 NCAA Championships – Schedule of Events (all times Mountain)

Wednesday, March 8
7 a.m. - Women's GS: Run to completion. (Cannon Mountain)
10:30 a.m. -Men's GS: Run to completion. (Cannon Mountain)

Thursday, March 9
8 a.m. - Women's 5k Classical: Individual start. (Jackson Ski Touring Center)
9:30 a.m. -Men's 10k Classical: Individual start. (Jackson Ski Touring Center)

Friday, March 10

7 a.m. - Women's Slalom: First Run. (Cannon Mountain)
8 a.m. - Men's Slalom: First Run. (Cannon Mountain)
10:30 a.m. - Women's Slalom: Second Run. (Cannon Mountain)
11:15 a.m. - Men's Slalom: Second Run. (Cannon Mountain)

Saturday, March 11
8 a.m. - Men's 20k Freestyle: Mass Start. (Jackson Ski Touring Center)
10 a.m. - Women's 15k Freestyle: Mass Start. (Jackson Ski Touring Center)

Buffs Qualify Full Squad For 2017 NCAA Skiing Championships

Players Mentioned

Nora Christensen

Isabelle Fidjeland

Jackson Hill

Petra Hyncicova

Ola Johansen

David Ketterer

Jesse Knori

Max Luukko

Petter Reistad

Christina Rolandsen

Mads Stroem

Tonje Trulsrud

Colorado University Athletics