Everyone was up way past bedtimes in Steamboat Springs to watch University of New Mexico senior Malin Hemmingsson do what no other Lobo has done - win her THIRD NCAA women's slalom national championship. Under the lights at Howelsen Hill, Hemmingsson recorded the best combined time of the night to defend her 2009 national title in the event and add to her 2007 title. Hemmingsson, along with freshmen Anne Cecilie Brusletto and Kate Williams, won the women's slalom event with 122 points. The women's slalom win and the men's second-place team finish pushed UNM in to second place with 535 points, 54.5 points behind the leader Denver (589.5) and 31 points ahead of host Colorado (504). For the second day in a row the Lobos advanced one place in the team standings, staying in contention for the top of the podium on Saturday.

With three top-12 finishes in the men's classical race this morning, the University of New Mexico moved into third place at the halfway mark of the 2010 NCAA National Ski Championships with 319 points. UNM is 101 points behind the leader, Denver (420 points), and 32 points behind host Colorado (351). The men finished second as team in the 10-kilometer race with 102 points and All-America finishes by Martin Kaas and Pierre Niess. Senior Polina Ermoshina stumbled during the women's 5-kilometer race, but recovered to finish sixth overall and earn her fourth classic All-America honor.

The snow held off for most of the day and teams needed a little bit of luck on the first day of the 2010 NCAA National Ski Championships at Mt. Werner in Steamboat Springs, Colo. The University of New Mexico is in fourth place after the first day of events, the men's and women's giant slalom with 173 points, 5.5 points behind third-place Vermont (178.5) and 66 behind first-place Denver (239). Fellow RMISA member Utah is in second with 196.5 points. The Lobos got three All-America performances from senior Malin Hemmingsson, junior Thomas Schwab and freshman Anne Cecilie Brusletto.

Up Next at NCAA Championships: Thursday - Classic Races - 9:30 a.m., women's 5K; 11:30 a.m., men's 10K

They go into the NCAA Championships a skier short, no longer ranked No. 1 in the nation, but maybe, just maybe, the team to beat. It just of depends on whether all that blue-ribbon Lobo talent skis like it has skied all season -- or not. "I think we`re the team with the most top skiers," said Lobo coach Fredrik Landstedt. "We have a lot of skiers who can win races and they are so talented that even if they don`t have their best day, they can still be up there." The NCAA finals run Wednesday through Saturday in Steamboat Springs, Colo. The Lobos are looking to go from underdogs to top dogs.