Welcome to the 2022-2023 Season!
About Us
Background
The Colorado State University Alpine Ski Team provides an opportunity for competitive alpine ski racing at the collegiate level. The team is comprised of a Men's and Women's team. Both teams compete in the Rocky Mountain Conference of the United States Collegiate Ski Association. Events are held throughout the Rocky Mountain region, including Winter Park, Telluride, Keystone, Bogus Basin (ID) and more. CSU has been ski racing for over 50 years and is dedicated to continuing its storied success.
Each year the team participates in voluntary dry land practices in the fall, an on-snow training camp, optional daily weekday gate training with CU Boulder and the Colorado School of Mines at Eldora Mountain Resort and 4 race weekends (8 RMC-USCSA races; 4 Slalom, 4 Giant Slalom, and even a Parallel Slalom). Also, the team competes in the Western Regional Championships in which the top 5-7 male and top 5-7 female racers on the team compete. Selections for Western Regionals are based on performance in each discipline . The top 4 Western Regional teams (that do not have an NCAA affiliate) qualify for the National Championships, which rotates hosts each year between the Western and Eastern regions, with traditional hosts of Mammoth Mountain (CA) and Lake Placid (NY).
Schools that we are privileged to compete against in the Rocky Mountain Conference include:
Results of the 2021-2022 Season
This year, CSU showed out with a killer team! Our Women's team took second overall in the conference while our men finished 3rd at Western Regional Championships. Through the women's finish at regionals, it qualified them to compete at Nationals located in Lake Placid, NY.
Our stellar team consisted of 5 women, with Meredith Swirtz taking the Conference Champion title and Amelia Stocking in 5th place. Some notable mentions are: Jane Freund (12th), Hannah Hubbard (14th), and Casey Johnston (20th). Not to mention, our Men's team beat the odds and with only 3 men the whole season finished out 3rd at regionals, allowing them also qualify for nationals. Andrew Mangold led the pack for the second year in a row, finishing 7th in the conference, followed by Karl Gaertner (10th), and Jack Tobin (17th). At the 2022 USCSA National Championships, the team received a number of honors, including 3 Scholar All-Americans: Casey Johnston (1st team), Andrew Mangold (2nd), Amelia Stocking (2nd); as well as a top 5 finishes in the individual Parallel Slalom event: Karl Gaertner 2nd, Andrew Mangold 4th.
ACADEMICS
Each athlete must retain at least a 2.00 GPA to be able to participate in USCSA. Although athletes do receive excused absences for travel to races, they do not receive professor letters for optional morning training.
Optional morning gate training occurs 9 AM -12 PM daily throughout the spring semester at Eldora Mountain Resort. Athletes may arrange their Spring Semester schedule accordingly. Although training is offered daily, not everyone can do so. Many athletes can only train a few times a week, others more or less. Academics are highly prioritized and there are established study periods during each weekend for athletes to complete school work.
FINANCIAL COMMITMENT
The CSU Alpine Ski Team is a part of CSU Sports Clubs; as an independent Registered Student Organization. Thus, there is minimal financial support from the University.
Each member is required to pay dues between $950-$1300; depending on team size. The dues will be split up into multiple payments but must be paid in full by the first race of the season. This is an all inclusive cost that encompasses lodging, food, transportation, lift tickets, and race entry fees for all races. All racers will also need a USCSA membership, which will be explained and purchased in the fall.
EQUIPMENT
Each athlete must have their own FIS approved helmet to compete in USCSA. Athletes will be responsible for their own equipment and it is highly recommended to have (or plan to purchase) race specific equipment. The CSU Ski Team enjoys many relationships with equipment providers and can find new equipment at a reduced cost or used equipment.
This season, we are proud to announce that our jacket and equipment provider will be SYNC Performance. From jackets to pants to suits to arm guards to bags; SYNC will offer exclusive team pricing on their vast selection of products. The ordering process will be conducted in the fall prior to the season.
The Colorado State University Alpine Ski Team provides an opportunity for competitive alpine ski racing at the collegiate level. The team is comprised of a Men's and Women's team. Both teams compete in the Rocky Mountain Conference of the United States Collegiate Ski Association. Events are held throughout the Rocky Mountain region, including Winter Park, Telluride, Keystone, Bogus Basin (ID) and more. CSU has been ski racing for over 50 years and is dedicated to continuing its storied success.
Each year the team participates in voluntary dry land practices in the fall, an on-snow training camp, optional daily weekday gate training with CU Boulder and the Colorado School of Mines at Eldora Mountain Resort and 4 race weekends (8 RMC-USCSA races; 4 Slalom, 4 Giant Slalom, and even a Parallel Slalom). Also, the team competes in the Western Regional Championships in which the top 5-7 male and top 5-7 female racers on the team compete. Selections for Western Regionals are based on performance in each discipline . The top 4 Western Regional teams (that do not have an NCAA affiliate) qualify for the National Championships, which rotates hosts each year between the Western and Eastern regions, with traditional hosts of Mammoth Mountain (CA) and Lake Placid (NY).
Schools that we are privileged to compete against in the Rocky Mountain Conference include:
- United States Air Force Academy
- Colorado School of Mines
- Colorado Mesa University
- Western State Colorado University
- University of Colorado at Boulder
- University of Denver
- University of Wyoming
- Fort Lewis College
- University of Utah (Grand Teton Conference)
- Rocky Mountain College (Grand Teton Conference)
Results of the 2021-2022 Season
This year, CSU showed out with a killer team! Our Women's team took second overall in the conference while our men finished 3rd at Western Regional Championships. Through the women's finish at regionals, it qualified them to compete at Nationals located in Lake Placid, NY.
Our stellar team consisted of 5 women, with Meredith Swirtz taking the Conference Champion title and Amelia Stocking in 5th place. Some notable mentions are: Jane Freund (12th), Hannah Hubbard (14th), and Casey Johnston (20th). Not to mention, our Men's team beat the odds and with only 3 men the whole season finished out 3rd at regionals, allowing them also qualify for nationals. Andrew Mangold led the pack for the second year in a row, finishing 7th in the conference, followed by Karl Gaertner (10th), and Jack Tobin (17th). At the 2022 USCSA National Championships, the team received a number of honors, including 3 Scholar All-Americans: Casey Johnston (1st team), Andrew Mangold (2nd), Amelia Stocking (2nd); as well as a top 5 finishes in the individual Parallel Slalom event: Karl Gaertner 2nd, Andrew Mangold 4th.
ACADEMICS
Each athlete must retain at least a 2.00 GPA to be able to participate in USCSA. Although athletes do receive excused absences for travel to races, they do not receive professor letters for optional morning training.
Optional morning gate training occurs 9 AM -12 PM daily throughout the spring semester at Eldora Mountain Resort. Athletes may arrange their Spring Semester schedule accordingly. Although training is offered daily, not everyone can do so. Many athletes can only train a few times a week, others more or less. Academics are highly prioritized and there are established study periods during each weekend for athletes to complete school work.
FINANCIAL COMMITMENT
The CSU Alpine Ski Team is a part of CSU Sports Clubs; as an independent Registered Student Organization. Thus, there is minimal financial support from the University.
Each member is required to pay dues between $950-$1300; depending on team size. The dues will be split up into multiple payments but must be paid in full by the first race of the season. This is an all inclusive cost that encompasses lodging, food, transportation, lift tickets, and race entry fees for all races. All racers will also need a USCSA membership, which will be explained and purchased in the fall.
EQUIPMENT
Each athlete must have their own FIS approved helmet to compete in USCSA. Athletes will be responsible for their own equipment and it is highly recommended to have (or plan to purchase) race specific equipment. The CSU Ski Team enjoys many relationships with equipment providers and can find new equipment at a reduced cost or used equipment.
This season, we are proud to announce that our jacket and equipment provider will be SYNC Performance. From jackets to pants to suits to arm guards to bags; SYNC will offer exclusive team pricing on their vast selection of products. The ordering process will be conducted in the fall prior to the season.