Location: Houghton, Michigan
Head coach: Joe Haggenmiller (7th season)
Assistant coach: Jason Cork (2nd season)
Graduate assistants: Karl Walczak (7th season), Adam Airoldi (2nd season), Ryan Tervo (2nd season)
Top male returners: Sr. Jesse Lang, Sr. Oskar Lund, So. Petter Sjulstad
Top female returners: Sr. Jenna Klein, Sr. Elizabeth Quinley, Jr. Jill Smith
Top newcomers: Henna Riikensen-Purtsi
Web site: www.athletics.mtu.com
2008-09 standings: Central Region: 2nd (Men) 3rd (Women); NCAA: 17th

2009-10 outlook: After an impressive 2009-10 season that saw the Michigan Tech women play a factor in the top of each CCSA event, Coach Haggenmiller has every right to be confident heading into this year. MTU qualified a full slate of three skiers for the NCAA championships last year, and return all three. Yet this year’s team is strong enough that Tech’s top skier may not be any of those three. With a reduced number (seven on the women’s side) of NCAA spots this year, though, nothing can be taken for granted. “We should have our women competing with NMU and UAF for the top spot in the CCSA week in and week out,” Coach Haggenmiller said. “But things in the CCSA will be tight this year.”
MTU’s top skier may be Finnish graduate student Henna Riikenen-Purtsi, who not only brings strong individual talent as well as an ability to contribute to the rest of the team. “She comes to our program with a number of top 25 finishes at the Finnish National Championships,” Haggenmiller declared. “Elizabeth Quinley and Jenna Klein consistently ski well in our classic races, and are working on bringing their skating up to the same standards. Having Henna training with them for the year should help them, and the rest of our women’s team make improvements.”
On the men’s side, MTU similarly returns a strong crop of skiers. All three of last year’s NCAA qualifiers returns this season. “With another year of training under their belts,” Haggenmiller said of his men’s team, “we should again challenge week in and week out for the top CCSA men’s team spot on the weekend. Hopefully, we can build on last year’s experience and turn some of the close seconds into first place team finishes.”
Oskar Lund was the Michigan Tech men’s skier with the most individual success last year, and returns for his senior season with high expectations. “We’re looking for big things from him each time he races,” Haggenmiller said. “If things fall right for him he should have significant improvements upon his two top 20 NCAA performances last year.” Lund, though, will see significant competition from within his own team. Senior All-American Jesse Lang was among the CCSA’s lone bright spots at last year’s NCAA championships, with an 8th-place finish in the freestyle race, and has already posted strong results in the early going this season.
Petter Sjulstad returns after an NCAA qualifying season to round out Tech’s “big three,” but Haggenmiller acknowledges other men’s skiers could move into the mix. “We have a lot of men’s depth, so you never know what wild cards may produce results throughout the year.” So much depth, in fact, that MTU’s entire crop of first years will likely redshirt this season and focus on the Junior National championships.

__________________________________________

University of Alaska Fairbanks
College of Saint Benedict
College of Saint Scholastica
Gogebic Community College
Gustavus Adolphus College
Michigan Tech University
Northern Michigan University
Saint Cloud State University
Saint John’s University
Saint Olaf College
University of Wisconsin – Green Bay

Click on school logo