Montana State’s Gartner Caps NCAA Championships with All-America Performance

Friday, March 9

Steamboat Springs, CO (Howelsen Hill)

Montana State University

NCAA Championships - Slalom

Stephanie Gartner (middle) placed fifth overall in the 2018 NCAA Slalom Championship.

Photo by: Andrew Pedersen

Montana State’s Gartner Caps NCAA Championships with All-America Performance

3/10/2018 4:58:00 PM | Men's Skiing, Women's Skiing, Skiing

“I focused on my aggression 100-percent,” Gartner said. “I just attacked every single run.”

By: Tom Schulz

For the second straight time at the 2018 NCAA Skiing Championships, Montana State junior Stephanie Gartner garnered All-America kudos. The product of Calgary, Alberta finished fifth in the slalom, and under the lights, on Friday night at Howelsen Hill.

Gartner recorded a 42.36 opening run and followed it with a 42.36 second-go for a total time of 1:20.93. Denver's Amelia Smart won the event in 1:19.21.

"I focused on my aggression 100-percent," Gartner said. "I just attacked every single run."

For her effort, Gartner earned First-Team All-America accolades. She captured Second-Team All-America recognition on Wednesday finishing sixth in the giant slalom. Since arriving in Bozeman, Gartner has notched five All-America honors.

"Stephanie's a competitor and it's really impressive," said MSU Alpine coach Kevin Francis. "She always seems to get into championship form right around regionals every year. When she comes into nationals she's skiing with confidence and you have to give her credit for stepping-up at the big events."

Senior Kari Hole added to MSU's alpine total placing 18^th-overall in 1:23.36 (40.23, 43.13). Benni Lyche, who won last year's NCAA giant slalom title, notched an opening time of 40.95, but did not finish her second run.

"It's always a tough one at these championship events," Francis said. "You don't know how the nerves are going to affect them."

Morten Bakke, Addison Dvoracek and Garret Driller sat eighth, ninth and tenth, respectively, after their first runs in men's slalom action, but weren't able to keep the momentum in the final race of the night.

Driller had the 14^th fastest second run, but just missed All-America honors finishing 11^th-overall in 1:22.58. Bakke fell nine spots, finishing 17^th in 1:23.68, while Dvoracek was disqualified after missing a gate.

Dartmouth's Tanguy Neff won the men's slalom crown in 1:20.49.

"I don't know if the guys came out in the second run with a little different tactic then was required on the run," Francis said. "They definitely came out with intensity like they were gunning for the win. The tactic that they used just didn't work as well on that second-run course."

MSU entered the NCAA meet after finishing a program-best third at the RMISA/NCAA West Regional Championships on Feb. 23-25 in Steamboat Springs.

"I can't believe it's over," Francis said. "It's been one of our most successful seasons. At regionals we did really well. I think that was absolutely amazing and really shows what we're capable of accomplishing.

"Our performance at the NCAAs was a little bit of a let-down, even with some great All-American performances and some incredible skiing by a lot of people," Francis continued. "We just didn't quite get the results we're capable of, but that's the way it goes sometimes. This group is one of the best teams I've ever worked with and I give them a ton of credit. They absolutely came together as a group and worked hard this year and got a lot accomplished."

After Slalom Events - Team Top 10: Denver 437, Colorado 411, Dartmouth 330.5, Utah 290.5, Vermont 279, New Mexico 239, Montana State 219, Middlebury 186, Alaska-Anchorage 131, New Hampshire 108.5.