NMU’s Bratrud, Michigan Tech’s Irwin named CCSA skiers of the week

CCSA Skiers of the Week

Kyle Bratrud of Northern Michigan University and Deedra Irwin of Michigan Tech have been named CCSA skiers of the week for their performances at US Nationals in Houghton, Michigan.

Bratrud was outstanding at US Nationals, winning the 15 kilometer freestyle race overall to take home his first national title. His race left little doubt about his ability this season; he took first place by an incredible 50 second margin. Bratrud’s success continued in the 30 kilometer classic mass start race. The inspired NMU senior led the race for much of the distance to finish third overall in a fiercely contested sprint to the finish.

Michigan Tech’s Deedra Irwin put together a set of excellent sprint races at US Nationals. Irwin led the CCSA women in both sprint races, making her way to the B Final of the classic sprint for 10th place, and finishing 18th in the freestyle sprint. In the distance races Irwin was 33rd in the 20 kilometer classic race overall, and 36th in the 10 kilometer freestyle.

Irwin and Bratrud have been selected to represent the United States at the U23 World Championships in Almaty, Kazakhstan. They will travel to Kazakhstan in late January to train ahead of the competitions held during the first week of February.

Telemark will host the next round of NCAA qualifiers this weekend January 17-18 in Cable, Wisconsin.

Frankowski, Schwencke named Central Region Athletes of the Year; Jorgenson and Fjeldheim take coaching honors

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Northern Michigan’s Rosie Frankowski and Fredrik Schwencke have been voted the Central Region’s Women’s and Men’s Athlete of the Year, respectively, by the CCSA coaches, the conference announced Monday. In addition, St. Olaf coach Tom Jorgenson collected the Women’s Central Region Coach of the Year recognition, while NMU head coach Sten Fjeldheim earned the same honor on the men’s side.

Frankowski earned the region’s top honor after writing a magnificent final chapter to her Northern Michigan career. The one-time walk-on was the national runner-up in the 15K skate race at the NCAA Championships, earning first-team All-American status. Frankowski also took sixth in the 5K classic race at nationals (good for a second-team All-American trophy), and also landed the top spot in both the regional and CCSA Championship skate events.

Schwencke, meanwhile, exceeded all expectations with his stellar first season with the Green and Gold. Like Frankowski, the freshman also collected a pair of All-American spots at the NCAA Championships, taking 10th in the 10K classic before finishing sixth as part of a massive lead pack in the 20K freestyle race. Schwencke found his best form at the right time of the season, helping the Wildcats to both CCSA and regional team championships by landing podium places at both events at the CCSA Championships.

The region’s Women’s Coach of the Year, Jorgenson has overseen a steady growth in St. Olaf’s skiing programs over his two-year tenure at the helm, culminating in an NCAA berth (and subsequent All-American finish) for Paige Schember this season. Schember took seventh place in the 15K freestyle at the NCAA Championships, and finished the season as the region’s fourth-ranked skier on the CCSA points list.

“I’m surprised, honestly, to win this award,” Jorgenson said. “I’m very honored, and I’m grateful to the other coaches for recognizing the improvements our program has made, as well as grateful for the high standards they have set that I can follow and work towards as a coach.”

Not far removed from CCSA competition himself — he skied for the Oles before graduating in 2011 — Jorgenson believes that experience has helped shape and inform his coaching. “It helps me to connect with my skiers a little bit more, and understand what they are going through as students and athletes,” he said. “For example, I know Paige so well at this point that the NCAA Championships was almost easy; we both knew what we needed from each other.”

Fjeldheim, meanwhile, continues to add to his impressive trophy cabinet, guiding his men’s team to team titles at both the CCSA and NCAA Central Region championships this season. Fjeldheim sent a full compliment of three men to the NCAA Championships earlier this month, where he helped the team ring up a total of three All-American places.

In addition, Fjeldheim, who earned the region’s men’s and women’s Coach of the Year honors a year ago, was also named the CCSA’s Coach of the Year following the regional championships in February.

NMU’s Cartwright, St. Scholastica’s Ahmed earn Skier of the Week honors; Fjeldheim named CCSA Coach of the Year

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For their contributions at the NCAA Central Region Championships last weekend, Northern Michigan’s George Cartwright and the College of St. Scholastica’s Sharmila Ahmed have taken home the season’s final CCSA Skier of the Week honors, the conference announced Saturday.

A fifth-year senior for the Wildcats, Cartwright played a vital role in helping NMU to secure the men’s and overall team titles over the weekend. The Wyoming native opened his stay in Houghton with a fifth-place finish in the men’s classic race (second-best on the team) before finishing as the top collegiate skier the mass start skate race, topping the rest of the CCSA field by more than 21 seconds. Cartwright’s efforts helped Northern Michigan to overturn a three-point deficit heading into the final day of regionals, lifting the Wildcats to a comfortable seven-point team victory.

Likewise, Ahmed contributed crucial points to her squad as well, helping the St. Scholastica women claim their best-ever finish at regionals, as the Saints took second just behind perennial powerhouse Northern Michigan. Ahmed saved her best race of the season for when it mattered most, taking second place in the women’s skate race to score 23 important points for her team. The junior also scored for her team in Saturday’s classic event as well, taking 11th place overall in the event. Her points helped St. Scholastica claim its first-ever podium in the NCAA Central Region Championships combined team scores; the Saints placing third for the weekend, behind just NMU and Alaska.

Northern Michigan head coach Sten Fjeldheim, meanwhile, collected the CCSA Coach of the Year honors for both the men’s and women’s side. Now in his 25th year at the helm for the Wildcats, Fjeldheim guided his team to a clean sweep at both the CCSA Championships and the NCAA Central Region Championships as NMU claimed the men’s, women’s and overall team titles at both events.

“It is a real honor to receive the CCSA Coach of the year award for both the men’s and women’s team, especially since it is all of the CCSA coaches who vote on this award,” Fjeldheim said. “It’s a real be honor to be selected by a group of coaches who we compete against all season long.”

Fjeldheim, however, was quick to praise his student-athletes for the team’s success.

“Much of the credit goes to the NMU ski team athletes and the way that they have supported one another all season, not just with their racing, but also their fall dry-land training and respecting one another as individuals. The team has depth and talent and most of all a very competitive atmosphere exists within this group, they pushed one another during the intense training sessions all fall and were ready to train no matter what the weather was, rain, shine, sleet or storm”.

St. Scholastica’s Allen, Schommer named CCSA skiers of the week

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St. Scholastica swept the CCSA skier of the week awards, as the Saints’ Sarah Allen and Paul Schommer collected conference honors for their performances at Mt. Itasca last week.

Allen etched her name into the St. Scholastica history books by becoming the school’s first women skier to win an NCAA qualifying event. The hard-working senior topped the podium in the Mt. Itasca 5K classic race, going 1-2 with teammate Anita Kirvesniemi to lift the Saints to their first-ever team victory in an event where perennial powerhouse Northern Michigan was present. Allen followed that up with a team-best seventh-place finish in the 5K skate on Saturday. Coming into the season with just one previous CCSA top ten finish in her career, the Minnesota native now has three this season alone – a testament to her improvement as a skier.

Schommer, meanwhile, has been a model of consistency in the CCSA this season, currently riding a run of five consecutive podium finishes. The Wisconsin native claimed his first career CCSA win over the weekend as well, and in convincing fashion: Schommer took the top spot in the men’s 10K freestyle by more than 24 seconds over his nearest competition. The junior also placed third in the 10K classic event at Mt. Itasca, giving him plenty of momentum and confidence heading into next week’s CCSA Championships.

The CCSA student-athletes enjoy a well-earned weekend off ahead before hitting the home stretch, with just four NCAA qualifiers (the CCSA and NCAA Central Region Championships) remaining in their 2014 season.

Alice Flanders, Kyle Bratrud collect conference honors

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For their performances at the Telemark Chase over the weekend, Michigan Tech’s Alice Flanders and Northern Michigan’s Kyle Bratrud have been named the CCSA skiers of the week, the conference announced Wednesday.

Flanders claimed her first win of the season with a dominant performance in the women’s 1OK freestyle event at the Telemark Lodge, crossing the line a full 37 seconds ahead of her nearest CCSA competitor. She followed that up with another top 10 finish in the 5K classic, taking ninth, to help the Huskies land a third-place overall team finish on the weekend. Thanks to her impressive results, Flanders currently sits third on the CCSA’s overall points list.

Bratrud, meanwhile, helped lift Northern Michigan to a silver medal team finish with a pair of podium spots of his own this weekend. First, the junior topped the field in Saturday’s men’s 15K skate by nearly a 10-second margin. Bratrud then showed his ability in the classic tracks as well, taking second in the 10K event and just missing out on his second straight win by just a second and a half. With two NCAA qualifiers in the books, Bratrud has risen to second place in the CCSA points list.

Flanders, Bratrud and the rest of the region’s student-athletes now head to Mt. Itasca for their third qualifier of the season. The event kicks off with the classic races, starting at 11 a.m. Friday.

St. Olaf’s Jake Brown, Alaska’s Nichole Bathe land CCSA skier of the week honors

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After enjoying breakout performances at U.S. Nationals, St. Olaf skier Jake Brown and Alaska’s Nichole Bathe have been named the CCSA skiers of the week, the conference announced Wednesday.

Brown turned plenty of heads at Soldier Hollow, topping the CCSA podium and placing 11th overall in Saturday’s 30K mass start skate race against a highly-competitive U.S. Nationals field. The junior from St. Paul, Minnesota also landed among the top ten (seventh) in the region for the 15K classic event as well.

“I think it was probably among the best, if not the single best, performance ever for the St. Olaf program at the national level,” head coach Tom Jorgenson said. “I won’t say I was expecting that 11th place from Jake, but I also wasn’t surprised. His Birkie performance last year showed that he was capable of it. Long skate races are his thing, especially mass starts.”

Bathe, meanwhile, kicked off her CCSA career in style – the freshman led the region and placed 19th overall in the women’s 10K classic at U.S. Nationals. She followed that up with a 36th-place finish (fourth in the CCSA) in the mass start freestyle race, then qualified for the A final and took bronze overall in the classic sprint. Thanks to her performances at U.S. Nationals, Bathe earned a spot on the U.S. team at the World Junior Championships, which kick off Jan. 29 in Italy.

The Telemark SuperTour stop now beckons for the CCSA skiers, as they head to Cable, Wisconsin for the next round of NCAA qualifiers on Jan. 18-19.

St. Scholastica’s Schommer, Alaska’s Konieczny land CCSA skier of the week honors

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The College of St. Scholastica’s Paul Schommer and Alaska’s Rebecca Konieczny have been named the CCSA skiers of the week, the conference office announced Wednesday. The duo received the awards for their displays of selflessness and character at the NCAA Central Region Championships this past weekend, as both Schommer and Konieczny overcame personal setbacks to help their teams achieve something special.

After a breakthrough freshman year in 2012, it’s safe to say Schommer’s season hasn’t quite gone as planned this time by. Sidelined for much of the CCSA season due to illness and competing in just four conference events, Schommer was unable to get back up to speed in time to qualify for his second NCAA Championships. Despite his disappointment, however, Schommer stepped up when his team needed him most, delivering his best race of the season by landing a seventh-place finish in the 20K mass start freestyle on Sunday. His performance helped boost St. Scholastica to third place in the overall team standings – the school’s first ever podium finish at regionals.

Konieczny, meanwhile, entered the weekend on the bubble for one of the region’s six NCAA berths. Just outside the top six, the Montana native would need two solid races in order to qualify for nationals. Unfortunately, hectic weather conditions on Saturday led to waxing difficulties and slow skis for Konieczny in the classic race, essentially bumping her out of contention. The senior shook off her personal disappointment, however, and raced solely for her team on Sunday, bouncing back to land a sixth-place finish in the skate event. Finishing the race as the Nanooks’ third scoring skier, Konieczny’s points proved vital – Alaska held on to capture the women’s regional crown by just four points over rivals Northern Michigan.

Wildcats’ Bratrud, Ross collect CCSA skier of the week honors

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Northern Michigan’s Kyle Bratrud and Jordyn Ross have been named the CCSA skiers of the week, the conference office announced Thursday. The duo played a vital role in lifting the Wildcats to a clean sweep of the CCSA titles at Mt. Itasca, as NMU claimed the men’s, women’s and overall trophies.

Bratrud, who has raced a limited CCSA schedule this season while skiing for U.S. Ski Team at the U23 World Championships, picked up right where he left off, claiming a pair of second place finishes at the conference championships. The Minnesota native just missed out on a CCSA individual crown as well, finishing just one second behind teammate Erik Soderman in the men’s 20K mass start freestyle event.

Ross, meanwhile, has been one of the Wildcats’ most consistent performers throughout the 2013 season, and proved her value to the NMU side with two top-five finishes at Mt. Itasca last weekend. Ross earned a podium position in the 5K classic race, taking third in the event, and placed fourth in the 15K mass start skate race on Sunday. All told, she amassed 49 points for the Wildcats over the weekend – tops on the team.

Bratrud, Ross and the rest of the CCSA field hit the trails for the final NCAA qualifier this weekend, where the region’s final spots at nationals will be decided. The action gets underway Sat., Feb. 23, with individual start classic races (10K for men, 5K for women) before Sunday’s finale – a 15K mass start freestyle for the men and 10K mass start skate for women.

Alaska’s Rjabov, NMU’s Cartwright collect CCSA skier of the week awards

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Alaska’s Marit Rjabov and Northern Michigan’s George Cartwright have been named the Central Collegiate Ski Association’s skiers of the week, the conference office announced Wednesday. It is both student-athletes’ first such award in the 2013 season.

Rjabov turned in a convincing performance to win her second straight CCSA sprint title at the conference championships free technique sprint on Saturday. The Estonia native finished second in both her qualifier and semi-final before cruising to a 40-meter victory in the A final. She also helped Alaska place second in the 3 x 5K relay on Sunday, lifting the Nanooks to second place as a team heading into the final weekend of the CCSA Championships.

Cartwright, meanwhile, cemented his place as one of the conference’s finest sprinters by claiming the CCSA crown in the men’s freestyle sprint. The junior skied a controlled, mature race, conserving his energy in the semi-final and coming from behind to win the A final. Cartwright then helped Northern Michigan to the classic relay title as well, turning in the best lap of his leg as the Wildcats pulled away to a comfortable 25-second victory.

The CCSA skiers return to action in a little over a week, when they meet in Mt. Itasca for the distance free and classic events that will decide the conference champions.

NMU’s Soderman, St. Scholastica’s Ahmed take CCSA skier of the week honors

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Northern Michigan University’s Erik Soderman and College of St. Scholastica’s Sharmila Ahmed were named the Central Collegiate Ski Association’s skiers of the week, the conference office announced Wednesday. It is both skiers’ first such award of the 2013 season, though it marks the second straight week that St. Scholastica has been represented in the conference awards.

The 2012 NCAA champion in the freestyle race, Soderman showed his ability in the classic tracks as well, winning the 10K event at the Saints Invitational by a comfortable 20-second margin. The junior came within a whisker of repeating the feat in Sunday’s mass start freestyle, finishing just behind teammate George Cartwright and Saint Scholastica’s Jeremy Hecker in one of the most exciting finishes of the CCSA season to date to earn his second podium spot of the weekend.

Ahmed, meanwhile, earned her best career finish in the women’s classic race at the Saints Invitational, taking second in the 5K event. The sophomore followed that up by landing another CCSA podium spot in the 15K skate, finishing third among conference skiers. Ahmed’s impressive weekend played a key role in helping St. Scholastica to a second place team finish for the weekend.

Soderman, Ahmed and the rest of the CCSA skiers head to Al Quaal for the first leg of the conference championships this weekend, starting with a 1.5K freestyle sprint on Saturday, Feb. 2.