MSU Adds Men's Skiing
11/12/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Skiing, Women's Skiing
Beginning next winter, MSU’s men’s and women’s ski teams will compete in the Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Ski Association, comprised of schools in the mountain west. The men’s team will offer the equivalent of two scholarships in 2003-04, four scholarships in 2004-05, and six in 2005-06. Scholarship money may be divided in skiing by rules of the NCAA, which allows men’s program the equivalent of 6.3 scholarships. "This is a great opportunity for skiers in this area, and it’s good for the ski community in the state of Montana," Fields said. "The Bozeman and Big Sky area has an active and supportive ski community, and I think this is an exciting addition for many people. This also gives us the opportunity to compete for an NCAA Championship." NCAA ski meets are scored as combined men’s and women’s events, which eliminates programs without both men’s and women’s teams from the possibility of winning a national title. Dan Brelsford, who has been MSU’s ski coach since the women’s program was revived in 1993, will serve as Director of MSU Skiing this season. Former Bobcat skier and local ski coach Kraig Kempt will coach MSU’s alpine skiers this year on an interim basis, while Tav Striet was hired last summer to coach the nordic team. With the addition of a men’s program next year, each program will add an assistant coach. "Craig Kempt is an excellent coach and teacher, and he will do a great job for us," Brelsford said. "He has a great deal of experience. We’re lucky to have him." Brelsford indicated that Kempt, who competed at MSU in the mid-1980s, has been head coach for both the Big Sky and Bridger Bowl ski education foundations in the past decade. Operating costs for the program will be covered by the Bobcat Skiing Boosters, which consists of local business people and ski enthusiasts, and which was organized to raise funds for the MSU program. Coaching salaries and two men’s scholarships will be funded by MSU Athletics. Fund-raising will begin immediately.
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