Feb. 6, 2007
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The University of New Mexico ski team hosts the New Mexico Invitational at Taos and Red River, N.M. this weekend. The Lobos are beginning to shake off their slow start to the 2007 season after posting a fourth place finish at Denver last weekend. UNM is currently in sixth in the Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Ski Association with 1,147 points. Colorado leads the conference race with 1,536 points, followed by Denver (1,468), Utah (1,402) Montana State (1,169) and Alaska-Anchorage (1,161). Only 22 points out of fourth place, New Mexico is poised to make a big jump in the standings this weekend on its home trails.
This New Mexico Invitational will be the final home meet for longtime Lobo head coach George Brooks. Brooks is in his 37th year at the helm of the New Mexico ski team and is the only coach in the history of the program. He has been a part of Lobo athletics longer than any other member of the the program and brought home the only national championship in school history in 2004. Brooks has guided over 80 All-Americans and nine individual NCAA Champions during his time at New Mexico. UNM has finished in the top-10 23 times at the NCAA Championships and has been in the top-5 for the last eight years, including a runner-up finish last season.
The Alpine teams will make their runs at Taos Ski Valley on the Stauffenberg trail off of the West Basin Lift. Action begins on Thursday, Feb. 8, for the Alpine teams who are making up the postponed giant slalom races from the Montana State Invite earlier in the year. The New Mexico Invite will consist of giant slalom races on Friday and slalom races on Saturday. Skiing begins at 9:00 a.m. (M.S.T.) each morning for the Alpine teams.
The Nordic teams hit the trails at the Enchanted Forest Ski Area in Red River, N.M. Teams will ski 5/10K classic races on Friday beginning at 9:30 a.m. (M.S.T.). Saturday's action will feature 5/10K freestyle races starting at 9:00 a.m. (M.S.T.).
Brooks' Last Stand
Head coach George Brooks has announced that the 2007 season will be his last at the helm of the Lobo ski team. He is currently in his 37th year at UNM, the longest tenure of any current member of the Lobo athletics department.
NCAA Runner-Up in 2006
After winning the school's first NCAA title in any sport in 2004, the Lobo ski team placed second in 2006. It is just the third second place finish for any Lobo team in any NCAA sport in school history. The ski team was second in 1992 and the men's soccer team made it to the NCAA finals in 2005.
Men's Alpine Leading the Way
The Lobo men's Alpine team has taken over the top spot in the RMISA behind strong finishes from senior Lars Loeseth. Loeseth won the giant slalom and placed fourth in the slalom last weekend at Denver. He is currently No.1 in the giant slalom and fifth in the slalom in the RMISA. Sophomore Tor Fodnesbergene is sitting in second place in the giant slalom while senior Alex Mach is fourth in the slalom.
Montana State Invitational
Giant Slalom Make Up
Thursday, Feb. 8 • Taos Ski Valley
Women's First Run - 9:00 a.m.
Men's First Run - 11:30 a.m.
Women's Second Run - 1:30 p.m.
Men's Second Run - 3:00 p.m.
New Mexico Invitational
Friday, Feb. 9
Alpine Giant Slalom - Taos Ski Valley
Women's First Run - 9:00 a.m.
Men's First Run - 11:30 a.m.
Women's Second Run - 1:30 p.m.
Men's Second Run - 3:00 p.m.
Nordic Classic Races - Enchanted Forest Ski Area
Red River, N.M.
Men's 10K Classic - 9:30 a.m.
Women's 5K Classic - 10:30 a.m.
Saturday, Feb. 10
Alpine Slalom - Taos Ski Valley
Men's First Run - 8:45 a.m.
Women's First Run - 11:00 a.m.
Men's Second Run - 12:30 p.m.
Women's Second Run - 1:45 p.m.
Nordic Freestyle Races - Enchanted Forest Ski Area
Red River, N.M.
Women's 5K Freestyle - 9:00 a.m.
Men's 10K Classic - 10:00 a.m.
ALPINE TEAM NOTES
Overall, the Alpine team is currently in fourth place in the RMISA with 605 points, just two points behind third place Utah. Colorado leads with 703 points, followed by Denver at 671. The men are in first place while the women are sixth. The women are ranked sixth in the slalom and seventh in the giant slalom in the RMISA. The men's team is second in the slalom and giant slalom.
ALPINE INDIVIDUAL NOTES
Lars Loeseth (Sr.) - Won the Denver GS...ranked No. 1 in the GS and No. 4 in the slalom in the RMISA...trying to become just the second four-year Alpine All-American (4th overall) at UNM...Five career Alpine wins is second all-time at UNM
Alex Mach (Sr.) - Top-ranked slalom skier in the RMISA last season...three top-5s in 2007 and currently ranks fourth in the slalom
Peter Roering (Sr.) - All-American in 2004 coming off a broken leg he suffered in training last season...Has fallen in all three of his races this season....did not compete at Denver last weekend
Tor Fodnesbergene (So.) - Three top-5s in 2007...Four career Alpine wins is tied for third all-time at UNM...Ranked No. 2 in the RMISA GS
Gary Beresford (Fr.) - 22nd in the slalom at Denver last weekend
Olivier Lacaille (Fr.) - 16th in the Denver slalom is top result in 2007
Jon Masdal (Fr.) - Ranked 9th slalom in the RMISA
Amy Beresford (Jr.) - 18th at the MSU slalom is best result in 2007
Lene Kaasa (Jr.) - 18th in Denver GS is the best result this season
Karin Ohlin (So.) - 5th in the MSU slalom for her best showing in 2007
Jessica Dakers (Fr.) - Solid 17th place time in the Denver giant slalom
Malin Hemmingson (Fr.) - Ranked 10th in the slalom after three races
NORDIC TEAM NOTES
The Nordic squad moved up to sixth place in the RMISA after the Denver meet last weekend. The women are ranked sixth and the men ranked seventh after three races. The women are fourth in the freestyle and fifth in the classic. The men are seventh in both the classic and freestyle events. With 335 points, the Nordic women are just four points out of fourth place behind Denver (339) and Alaska-Anchorage (338). Montana State leads the women's Nordic standings with 433 points.
NORDIC INDIVIDUAL NOTES
Jedd Young (Sr.) - Finished 24th in the MSU classic for his best finish of the season
Casey Dyck (So.) - 17th in the freestyle at Utah for his top mark of the season...is currently 21st in the RMISA freestyle.
Rick Grahn (So.) - Best finish this season is 42nd in the Utah freestyle
Erlend Saetre (Fr.) - 12th place finish in the MSU classic is the top finish for any of the Lobo men in 2007...currently ranks 24th in the classic after three events.
Vsevolod Soloviev (Fr.) - Best finish is 20th in the Utah classic
Tiffany Callahan (Jr.) - 25th in the Denver classic is best mark in 2007
Laura Van Alst (Jr.) - All-American in 2006...5th in the freestyle at Denver for her top mark in 2007...rankes 11th in the RMISA freestyle
Crystin Jaques (So.) - 7th in the freestyle at Denver tied her career best finish...currently ranks 13th in the classic and 17th in the freestyle
Melanie Zemp (So.) - Has been very consistent to start the season with six top-20 showings...9th in the Denver classic is her best finish...currently 14th in the classic
Polina Ermoshina (Fr.) - Top skier for the Lobo women...Ranked 4th in the classic and 8th in the freestyle in the RMISA...Four top-10s on the year...2nd in the classic at Denver is her best finish
