After a successful Winter Carnival, Middlebury’s skiers travelled to Utah to compete in the NCAA Skiing Championship. The event lasted four days and included the Giant Slalom and Slalom for Alpine, and the 7.5k Individual Classic and 20k Mass Start for Nordic skiing. Middlebury finished seventh overall with 254 team points after qualifying a full roster of 12 skiers.
An impressive performance by Julian Arthur ’29 saw him clinch the second-fastest finish in the Slalom and put Middlebury, followed by Nicholas Unkovskoy ’27, flying down Utah’s Olympic Park and finishing third in the Giant Slalom. On the women’s side, key performances included Kjersti Moritz ’28, who finished sixth in the Giant Slalom, as well as Shea Brams ’26, who came in 10th in the 7.5k classic Nordic race.
Although the Middlebury team was unable to challenge the powerhouse ski programs of the west, such as the University of Utah, the University of Colorado and the University of Denver, the Panthers provided a strong showing at the national meet. Middlebury sent the maximum number of athletes they could to nationals, produced multiple All-Americans, and was the strongest NESCAC performer by a solid margin.
“It was amazing to represent the Panthers on the national stage. Although conditions weren’t exactly ideal, we fought hard and put down some respectable performances,” men’s Nordic captain Mason Wheeler ’26 said. “Huge thanks to the coaching and waxing staff. We can’t do what we do without the countless hours of their hard work.”
Utah continued its dynasty by scoring 549.5 points and winning its sixth championship in seven years and 18th title overall. Middlebury performed well, although the Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Ski Association (RMISA) programs in the West still dominate NCAA skiing owing to greater resources and their proximity to major training venues. The top teams from the East Coast, traditionally Middlebury, Dartmouth and UVM, usually battle for a place in the top 10.
Overall, the stunning second-place finish by first-year alpine skier Arthur is a promising sign for the future of Middlebury skiing. The Nordic team shares this hope as well.
“It was awesome to be there with my teammate Finn, given we have three more years to work, adapt, and hopefully start beating those RMISA guys,” Nordic first-year Nathan Doughty ’29 said about his teammate Finn Veit ’29.
“It was a fun and unique opportunity to go out there as a freshman, and it felt like being a little fish in a big pond. I think everyone who’s going back is feeling excited to be bigger fish next year.”
Middlebury’s skiing ceiling is high. The Panther skiers leave Utah with momentum, experience and a clear next step: turning consistency into contention.
Simon Schmieder '26 (he/him) is a Senior Sports Editor.
Simon is an avid runner and biker and enjoys spending time outdoors. He is a philosophy and political science joint major with a minor in German, in addition to being a Philly sports fan.
