2011 Utah Skiing Preview

12/31/2010 12:00 AM | Skiing

Dec. 31, 2010

Three words were used frequently by Utah Director of Skiing Kevin Sweeney while describing what it will take for the Utes to return to the podium at the 2011 NCAA Skiing Championships --- focus, commitment and balance.

Sweeney was at the helm of the Ute program from 2000-05 and led Utah to its 11th national title in school history in 2003 so he is no stranger to the essentials of an NCAA championship. After serving as the National Director of Competition for Swix Sport USA, Sweeney returns to Utah and is impressed with what he has seen since being hired on Sept. 15.

"I've always been extremely impressed with the academic and athletic resources available at Utah and I'm excited to see that those types of things have only grown since I've left," Sweeney said. "The other aspect I've experienced right away is how positive it has been re-connecting with the alums in the area as well as the ski resorts at which we train. It's been very nice to rekindle these relationships and friendships."

With all of these resources at his disposal, Sweeney is confident that he, along with the help of the team's talented core of seniors and captains, can foster success, both on the individual and the team levels. Sweeney will rely on the leadership of the team's captains Ian Havlick, Sarah MacCarthy, Sofia Smith, Nick Cohee and Parker Tyler. The Utes will also benefit from the experience of seniors Eva Huckova, Zoe Roy and Madelieine Talkington.

"The seniors and captains have done a remarkable job of making sure our team goals are kept in sight," Sweeney said. "They know that we want to achieve excellence in academics, as well as athletics. They did a great job assisting [Nordic Head Coach] Abi Holt and [Head Alpine Coach] Jaka Korencan in keeping this team focused in that time period before I was hired. Additionally, they've been a great resource in communicating with me once I was on board."

"This communication and feedback assists me in defining the focus we need to be champions" Sweeney said. "I find it very hard to remember having such strong leadership and team captains, so that's extremely favorable."

This core group had a hand in the team's successful summer conditioning despite the coaching change.

"The athletes did an excellent job of staying in shape during the offseason," Sweeney said. "It's still early, but it appears that the athletes took their summer training seriously. I am receiving reports from the strength and conditioning department and medical and field tests and testing numbers are up, injuries are healing and performance focus refined. Understandably, there was some uncertainty because I wasn't hired until quite late in the summer. That's not the easiest thing to deal with, but I was impressed with how the athletes stayed focused.

"We will need this level of commitment to continue in order for the Utes to return to the podium at the end of the NCAA Championships," Sweeney said. "I have confidence we are on track."

Every skier on the team will be held to the same set of expectations to ensure that the strength of the team will be balanced throughout.

"In order for us to be successful, we have to be very well-balanced in all events. Each skier needs to be a solid two-event competitor," Sweeney said. "We have fantastic training opportunities in utilizing the Olympic venues for training and competitions. We are able to train equally well in all disciplines, techniques and distances. This greatly enhances our ability to be well prepared and well balanced. End result is we should be capable of scoring well in all events.

"Consistency and balance are the focus," Sweeney said. "We have the talent but we still need three athletes to score in the top 10 in RMISA competition in each event on a consistent basis. If we're skiing at that level, we definitely have a shot at the title."

Men's Alpine

A talented and experienced trio of skiers returns for the Utes in the men's alpine events. Cohee is the top returner after qualifying for the NCAA Championships in 2010, serving as an alternate due to team limit. Junior Torjus Krogdahl was an All-American in both the slalom (second) and giant slalom (ninth) in 2010 and has qualified for the NCAA Championships in each of the last two years. Sophomore Ryan Wilson, who turned down an invitation to the 2009-10 US Ski Team to compete with the Utes, ran in four races for Utah last season before suffering a knee injury. Incoming freshmen Eian Sandvik and Jeremy Elliot both have polished pedigrees and are poised to have an impact.

Women's Alpine

Three accomplished skiers return to anchor Utah in the women's alpine events. Huckova is the reigning NCAA giant slalom champion. Smith earned All-American honors in the giant slalom during the 2010 season and Kocken placed third in the slalom at NCAA's last year. Newcomer Tii Maria Romar joins the Utes from Mustasaari, Finland. Sophomore Julia Wong has successfully recovered from injury and will return to the roster this season. Local product Jaime Dupratt joins the team as well after competing with the Park City Ski Education Foundation.

Men's Nordic

Miles Havlick leads the Ute lineup in the men's nordic events. He qualified for two events in the NCAA Championships as a freshman in 2010, earning All-America honors in the 10-km classic with an eighth-place finish and also finishing 22nd in the 20-km freestyle. Last season, Rolf Figi qualified for the national meet and was an alternate due to team limits. Team captain Ian Havlick returns after competing in six races, as will two-time NCAA qualifier Didrick Smith, who finished 12th in the 20-km freestyle and placed 17th in the 10-km classic at last season's national meet. Junior Tom Smith registered six top-25 finishes, while Bend, Ore., native Charlie Smith looks to make an immediate impact.

Women's Nordic

A pair of three-time NCAA qualifiers, MacCarthy and Roy, will team with Rose Kemp, who was an NCAA qualifier in both the 5-km and 15-km freestyle last season, to form the focal point of Utah's women's nordic events. Tyler, Madeleine Talkington, Maria Graefnings, Marta Larsen, and Mali Noyes will compete in nordic events for the Utes. "We have five athletes who have earned All-American honors," Sweeney said. "That kind of experience is invaluable. They will be able to share with fellow athletes what it's really like to compete at the NCAA Championships. I plan on using them to share that experience so we can build off of it."

The Utes will host a pair of meets this season. The Utah Invitational takes place over two weekends, with the alpine portion Jan. 8-9 in Park City and the Nordic events Jan. 21-22 in Midway. The RMISA Western Regional will be held Feb. 25-26 in Park City and Midway.

"I'm very excited about our competition schedule this year," Sweeney said. "It's something to look forward to, and we'll be able to spend less time on the road. We are utilizing these Olympic venues to showcase the University of Utah and to provide a world class racing experience for all the RMISA competitors. I could not be more happy with the support we have and in turn what we are able to offer."