The College of Saint Scholastica’s Jeremy Hecker and Alaska’s Aly McPhetres were named the Central Collegiate Ski Association’s male and female skiers of the week, the conference announced Thursday. It is both skiers’ first such award of the 2013 season.

A participant at the NCAAs a year ago and a key part of Saint Scholastica’s landmark 2012 season, Hecker looks to have picked up right where he left off, turning in a pair of impressive performances at the Tour de Twin Cities SuperTour stop last weekend. The senior placed fifth among college skiers in the 10K skate race, and used a trademark late surge to earn second place in the CCSA (and 16th overall) in the 20K mass start classic.

McPhetres, meanwhile, enjoyed a breakthrough weekend at the Tour de Twin Cities, announcing herself as a genuine NCAA contender with a pair of top-ten overall finishes at Wirth Park. The Chugiak, Alaska native earned her first collegiate win in the women’s 5K freestyle race, where she placed ninth overall, and followed that up with a second place CCSA finish in the 15K classic – a race head coach Scott Jerome labeled as “her best classic race ever” for the Nanooks.

The CCSA skiers return to action this weekend as they head to Giants Ridge to take part in the St. Scholastica-hosted Saints Invitational. Races kick off at noon CST, as the men hit the trails for a 10K classic event, followed by the women’s 5K classic.