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Herland, Lavén Claim RMISA MVP Honors
3/8/2026 11:22 AM | Skiing
Pair of Utah Utes honored for RMISA-leading qualification points totals
SALT LAKE CITY – Johs Braathen Herland and Erica Lavén of the Utah Ski Team have been recognized with RMISA MVP honors, the conference announced this week. Herland was named the MVP for men's slalom with Lavén claiming the award in women's classic.
The award is given in each discipline—both men's and women's—to the skier who accumulates the most NCAA qualification points during the regular season.
Herland was named MVP in men's giant slalom during the 2025 season and Lavén swept the women's Nordic MVP honors a year ago—both in classic and freestyle. A Utah women's Nordic skier has now won an RMISA MVP in five of the last six seasons.
Herland owns 13 top-10 results out of 14 starts this season, with 10 podiums and six wins. He tallied 200 points in slalom, dominating the discipline with a 35-point pad on the next closest athlete. Four of his six wins have been in slalom. He won the first four races of the season—which included two slalom events—and became the first Utah skier (men's or women's) since at least 2019 to win the first four alpine races of an RMISA season. He is a two-time All-RMISA First Team selection, picking up those laurels both in 2025 and '26.
Lavén, also a two-time All-RMISA First Team pick, tallied 160 points in classic races to claim the MVP nod. She has won seven of her eight starts this season, including all five in classic—most recently a West Region individual title in the discipline. The sophomore added a commanding victory on home snow during the Utah Invitational 15K classic, winning that mass start by 54 seconds. Additionally, Lavén was the 2025 NCAA Individual Champion in the women's 7.5K classic.
Utah is gearing up to host the 2026 National Collegiate Skiing Championships, which run from Wednesday through Saturday, March 11-14. Alpine events will take place in Park City, Utah, from the Spencer F. Eccles Olympic Mountain Center at the Utah Olympic Park. Nordic races will go down at Soldier Hollow Nordic Center in Midway, Utah. Parking and admission are free for all four days of racing.
Additional information about the national meet is available by clicking here.
2026 RMISA MVPs
Alpine
Filip Wahlqvist, Colorado (Men's GS)
Johs Braathen Herland, Utah (Men's SL)
Louison Accambray, Colorado (Women's GS)
Sara Rask, Denver (Women's SL)
Nordic
Storm Pedersen, Colorado (Men's CL)
Simon Chappaz, Montana State (Men's FS)
Erica Lavén, Utah (Women's CL)
Tilde Baangman, Colorado (Women's FS)
Follow the Utah Ski Team
Follow the Utah Ski Team on social media @utahskiteam. Download the Utah 360 app here.
The award is given in each discipline—both men's and women's—to the skier who accumulates the most NCAA qualification points during the regular season.
Herland was named MVP in men's giant slalom during the 2025 season and Lavén swept the women's Nordic MVP honors a year ago—both in classic and freestyle. A Utah women's Nordic skier has now won an RMISA MVP in five of the last six seasons.
Herland owns 13 top-10 results out of 14 starts this season, with 10 podiums and six wins. He tallied 200 points in slalom, dominating the discipline with a 35-point pad on the next closest athlete. Four of his six wins have been in slalom. He won the first four races of the season—which included two slalom events—and became the first Utah skier (men's or women's) since at least 2019 to win the first four alpine races of an RMISA season. He is a two-time All-RMISA First Team selection, picking up those laurels both in 2025 and '26.
Lavén, also a two-time All-RMISA First Team pick, tallied 160 points in classic races to claim the MVP nod. She has won seven of her eight starts this season, including all five in classic—most recently a West Region individual title in the discipline. The sophomore added a commanding victory on home snow during the Utah Invitational 15K classic, winning that mass start by 54 seconds. Additionally, Lavén was the 2025 NCAA Individual Champion in the women's 7.5K classic.
Utah is gearing up to host the 2026 National Collegiate Skiing Championships, which run from Wednesday through Saturday, March 11-14. Alpine events will take place in Park City, Utah, from the Spencer F. Eccles Olympic Mountain Center at the Utah Olympic Park. Nordic races will go down at Soldier Hollow Nordic Center in Midway, Utah. Parking and admission are free for all four days of racing.
Additional information about the national meet is available by clicking here.
2026 RMISA MVPs
Alpine
Filip Wahlqvist, Colorado (Men's GS)
Johs Braathen Herland, Utah (Men's SL)
Louison Accambray, Colorado (Women's GS)
Sara Rask, Denver (Women's SL)
Nordic
Storm Pedersen, Colorado (Men's CL)
Simon Chappaz, Montana State (Men's FS)
Erica Lavén, Utah (Women's CL)
Tilde Baangman, Colorado (Women's FS)
Follow the Utah Ski Team
Follow the Utah Ski Team on social media @utahskiteam. Download the Utah 360 app here.
Players Mentioned
Alpine
/ Skiing
Nordic
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