Michigan Tech Huskies
Location: Houghton, Michigan
Head coach: Joe Haggenmiller (10th season)
Top male returners: Mikko Harju, Matt Dugan, Sondre Sandivk
Top female returners: Malin Eriksson, Alice Flanders, Sarah Daniels
Website: www.michigantechhuskies.com
2011 CCSA Championships: Men – 3rd, Women – 3rd
2011 NCAA Central Region: Men – 3rd, Women – 3rd

A solid returning core on both the men’s and women’s side should see Michigan Tech again challenging for CCSA and Central Region honors. On the men’s side, sophomore Mikko Harju returns for his second season with the Huskies. The Finn proved to be a revelation in his freshman season, turning in an impressive season that ended with a trip to the NCAA Championships. Harju was a mainstay among the top 10 CCSA skiers last season, including fifth-place finishes in the CCSA Championship classic and skate races.

The Huskies also return another talented sophomore in Matt Dugan; the Wisconsin native earning a ninth-place finish at the regional skate race a year ago. Likewise, Sondre Sandivk and Jesse Smith are also more than capable of popping big races for the Huskies. Sandivk was the team’s top finisher at the regional classic race, taking tenth, while Smith earned a sixth place finish at the Michigan Tech SuperTour event.

Equally as deep on the women’s side, the Huskies welcome Malin Eriksson back for her second season. Eriksson earned a trip to the NCAA Championships in just her first collegiate season. Among her many highlights from 2011, Eriksson claimed a CCSA title by winning the mass start classic race in Ishpeming a year ago.

Fellow sophomore Alice Flanders, meanwhile, was unlucky not to earn a trip to nationals as well, finishing the year less than three points away from qualifying for her first NCAA Championship. Flanders earned top ten finishes at both the regional freestyle race (fifth) and the CCSA Championship skate race (sixth). With a handful of other talented women returning, including Lynn Duijndam, Christina Mishica and Sarah Daniels, expect to see many Huskies among the leaderboards in the CCSA this season.