Women's Skiing
- Title:
- Head Alpine Coach
- Phone:
- 406.994.2451
At the 2021 NCAA championships, Francis' men's squad finished first in alpine scoring with 150 points, while the women were fifth. In addition, the Bobcats finished first in giant slalom with 137 points and fourth in slalom with 101 points.
During his tenure with the Blue and Gold, Francis led the Bobcats to eight consecutive top 10 finishes at the NCAA Ski Championships, including a program best fourth place showing in 2016. In all, he's coached eleven First-Team All-America performers and 22 Second-Team All-America selections.
In 2017, Francis coached Benedicte Lyche to a national giant slalom title, making her just the fourth Bobcat to ever capture a national championship. For her efforts, Lyche was named the Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Ski Association Women’s Alpine Skier of the Year.
In 2016, Francis was named the United States Collegiate Ski Association National Coach of the Year as the Bobcats garnered four First-Team All-America honors and four Second-Team All-America selections at the national championships in Steamboat Springs, Colo. Francis is a three-time RMISA Coach of the Year honoree.
Francis took over the Bobcat program on Oct. 11, 2013. He previously served as the head alpine coach for the Mammoth Mountain team in California. He also was a member of an NCAA contingent from eastern schools that traveled to La Parva, Chile to conduct team focused camps. Francis was a member of the US Ski team from 2001-2009 and won the national Super G title in 2008.
