Back To 100 Percent, Stroem Is Hungry Entering NCAA Championships

BOULDER – Colorado men's Nordic skier Mads Stroem is one of the most decorated athletes in CU history.

Right from the start of his career, he achieved a very high level of success. In fact, he won an individual NCAA Championship his freshman season in the freestyle race.

By his junior year in 2016, he was the best Nordic skier on the collegiate circuit. He was named the men's Nordic Skier of the Year by both FasterSkier and the USCSCA Collegiate Ski Coaches Association after winning eight races, including six-straight to end the year, both records for a male CU skier, alpine or Nordic.

In winning the individual NCAA Championships in the freestyle and classic races last season he became the sixth Buff to sweep titles in the NCAA Championships, joining Skajem (1987, Alpine), Line Selnes (1998, Nordic), current CU Nordic assistant coach Jana Rehemaa Weinberger (2006, Nordic), Maria Grevsgaard (2008, Nordic) and Lucie Zikova (2008, Alpine).

"It's been a crazy ride I would say, it's been so much fun," Stroem said this week when asked what he thinks about looking back on his career. "I didn't know what to expect when I came here from Norway. I didn't really know what the level was like, how fast the guys were in school and everything, but I look back at it and it has been the best experience of my life so far."

Coming into his senior year, Stroem was on track to attack the Colorado record books. His 14 career wins were tied for the fourth most in school history. If he repeated the success he found in 2016, there stood a chance he could reach the school record for wins in a career. Grevsgaard set that mark with 24 in her career between 2006-09.

But on the day before the Buffaloes were set to open up the 2017 season at the Utah Invitational, Stroem woke up with an intense pain in his stomach.

"I said to (head Nordic coach) Bruce (Cranmer), this is bad," Stroem said. "We met a doctor at the venue and he said 'you got to go to the hospital right now.' "

Stroem did, and the next day, on opening day, he had an appendectomy.

The surgery went smoothly and Stroem was told by doctors that since he was an athlete in phenomenal shape, his recovery would be shorter. He had two weeks of no physical activity and after that he started working his way back into it.

By Feb, 7, one month after his surgery, Stroem was back competing. In his first race back at the Seawolf Invitational, he finished ninth in the freestyle sprints. The next day, he helped CU win the mixed gender relay. But later that weekend, now in the UAA Invitational, he placed 16th in the 10K classic race and was not able to finish the 20K freestyle.

"It was something I never experienced before because I've never had a surgery," Stroem said. "It was something that sidelined me for three to four weeks and they said two of those weeks I could not have any physical activity. I was unsure of how the season would turn out. I wasn't even sure that I was going to be able to qualify for NCAAs."

How he skied in Alaska did not sit well with him.

"That was kind of bad for my standard," he said of his first races back after surgery. "I was still outside of qualification for NCAAs, so I had to really put in some good results in Minturn this past weekend (at the RMISA Championships) and finally I started to feel like myself again after a couple of heavy training weeks. I finally returned to my normal self and hopefully I can ski as fast as last year at NCAAs."

After a strong showing at the RMISA Championships, which included a second-place finish in the 5K classic – his 27th career podium finish – Stroem is back to felling 100 percent heading into next week's NCAA Championship.

"I think he could be back at a really high level fighting to win," head Nordic coach Bruce Cranmer said. "I think there is a little unknown. Last year he had been on just such a high, it was a big wave he was riding and he had all the confidence that he could win both of those races without question.

"He set his goals early and was on track the entire season. Obviously, this year having a major setback with a pretty big surgery, I think there is a little more question there, but I firmly believe he can be in there for the hunt."

Stroem believes too. In fact, he is hungry to get out there and defend his titles.

"The approach this year is definitely different than last year," Stroem said. "Last year I was a big favorite going into the NCAA Championships, but this year I would say I'm an outsider. But I know my body well enough to know that I am capable of winning again, especially with how I am feeling right now.

"I want to defend my titles, that is why I'm out there. Definitely it is going to be different this year, but the expectations are to win."

Cranmer said he is excited to have Stroem back one final time, as his presence will undoubtedly help the Buffs from the team scoring standpoint. Then there is the excitement to see what he can do racing at sea level that should aid in his chances.

"I'm perfectly comfortable knowing that he will be there for the team," Cranmer said. "I hope that he'll be there for himself to have a great last race as a college skier. He set a really high bar last year, so it will be a little hard to top that, but I think he can be on the podium to the top of the podium. That is all possible."

Did You Know?
• Mads Stroem has appeared on the podium (top three finish) in 27 of 37 career races.
• His three NCAA individual titles are just one off of the most by any skier in CU history. Bill Marlot (1963-66), Mike Porcarelli (1970-72) and Buddy Werner (1961-63) all won four NCAA individual national championships.
• The NCAA record for most individual titles in a career is six, held by Chiharu Igaya from Dartmouth (1955-57). Otto Tschudi from Denver (1970-72) is the only skier in NCAA history to win five individual titles. There are eight total skiers who have won four titles, which includes CU's trio.
• Stroem has finished fourth or better in all six of his races at the NCAA Championships.

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)

Colorado University Athletics

Back To 100 Percent, Stroem Is Hungry Entering NCAA Championships

Related News

Players Mentioned

Mads Stroem

Related Videos