Montana State’s Francis Named RMISA Alpine Coach of the Year
4/2/2015 12:30:00 PM | Men's Skiing, Women's Skiing, Skiing
Francis led a much-improved Bobcat alpine squad in 2015 that saw its best results at the end of the season.
The Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Ski Association Thursday announced its winners for the Alpine and Nordic Coaches of the Year for the 2015 season. Voted on by the Association's membership, winners were Montana State's Kevin Francis for Alpine Coach of the Year and Colorado's Bruce Cranmer for Nordic Coach of the Year.
Francis led a much-improved Bobcat alpine squad in 2015 that saw its best results at the end of the season. Several of his skiers had breakout campaigns. Garret Driller was the RMISA individual champion in the giant slalom, winning the race at the RMISA Championships, was named second-team All-RMISA and was a top 10 qualifier for the NCAA Championships in both slalom and GS. David Neuhauser finished sixth in the slalom at the NCAA Championships, earning second-team All-America honors, was a first-team All-RMISA selection and the No. 2 ranked GS skier in terms of NCAA Qualifying out of the RMISA, and was fifth in the men's alpine MVP race. On the women's side, Benedicte Lyche earned second-team All-America honors by finishing seventh in the women's GS race at the NCAA Championships.
Cranmer completed yet another stellar season at the help of the Buffaloes Nordic squads. Five of the six skiers that competed at the NCAA Championships for the Buffaloes earned two All-America honors, including two first-team honors each for the men's duo of Rune Oedegaard and Mads Stroem, who finished 1-2 in nine of the 10 races leading up to the championships and both had top five finishes in both races at NCAA Championships. Cranmer's squad compiled the most point in the RMISA regular season, the most Nordic points at the RMISA Championships and the most Nordic points at the NCAA Championships, enabling the Buffaloes to capture the program's 20th National Championship.
The RMISA capped off yet another dominant season in collegiate skiing with all six RMISA squads finishing in the top nine at the NCAA Championships, including the top three teams and four of the top five. Behind Colorado in second place was Denver while Utah took third. New Mexico was fifth, Montana State seventh and Alaska Anchorage ninth.
The 2016 season will get underway in January and conclude in March in Steamboat Springs with the 2016 NCAA Championships, hosted by the University of Colorado.
Francis led a much-improved Bobcat alpine squad in 2015 that saw its best results at the end of the season. Several of his skiers had breakout campaigns. Garret Driller was the RMISA individual champion in the giant slalom, winning the race at the RMISA Championships, was named second-team All-RMISA and was a top 10 qualifier for the NCAA Championships in both slalom and GS. David Neuhauser finished sixth in the slalom at the NCAA Championships, earning second-team All-America honors, was a first-team All-RMISA selection and the No. 2 ranked GS skier in terms of NCAA Qualifying out of the RMISA, and was fifth in the men's alpine MVP race. On the women's side, Benedicte Lyche earned second-team All-America honors by finishing seventh in the women's GS race at the NCAA Championships.
Cranmer completed yet another stellar season at the help of the Buffaloes Nordic squads. Five of the six skiers that competed at the NCAA Championships for the Buffaloes earned two All-America honors, including two first-team honors each for the men's duo of Rune Oedegaard and Mads Stroem, who finished 1-2 in nine of the 10 races leading up to the championships and both had top five finishes in both races at NCAA Championships. Cranmer's squad compiled the most point in the RMISA regular season, the most Nordic points at the RMISA Championships and the most Nordic points at the NCAA Championships, enabling the Buffaloes to capture the program's 20th National Championship.
The RMISA capped off yet another dominant season in collegiate skiing with all six RMISA squads finishing in the top nine at the NCAA Championships, including the top three teams and four of the top five. Behind Colorado in second place was Denver while Utah took third. New Mexico was fifth, Montana State seventh and Alaska Anchorage ninth.
The 2016 season will get underway in January and conclude in March in Steamboat Springs with the 2016 NCAA Championships, hosted by the University of Colorado.
Players Mentioned
Alpine
/ Men's Skiing
Alpine
/ Women's Skiing
Alpine
/ Men's SkiingWednesday, June 10
Thursday, November 12
Saturday, March 10
Thursday, March 08
