Bobcats Qualify Ten for NCAA Ski Championships; Four Alpine Racers Named All-RMISA

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Freshman Louis Muhlen-Schulte

Photo by: Andrew Pedersen

Bobcats Qualify Ten for NCAA Ski Championships; Four Alpine Racers Named All-RMISA

2/27/2019 5:41:00 PM | Men's Skiing, Women's Skiing, Skiing

The Bobcats will compete at the NCAA Ski Championships beginning Wednesday, March 6 with the 5/10-kilometer Nordic freestyle at the Trapp Family Lodge.

By: Tom Schulz

BOZEMAN, Mont. – Ten Montana State skiers have qualified for the 2019 NCAA Ski Championships next week in Stowe, Vermont. In addition, four members of the Bobcat alpine squad earned All-Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Ski Association honors, announced on Wednesday afternoon.

Freshmen Åge Solheim and Louis Muhlen-Schulte, along with senior Jocelyn McCarthy qualified on the alpine side, while Ti Donaldson, Eli Jensen, Ty Godfrey, Emma Tarbath, Kathleen O'Connell and Anna Fake will represent the MSU Nordic team. Senior alpine standout Stephanie Gartner, a five-time All-American, also qualified for her fourth NCAA championship, but will be sidelined from the meet after tearing an ACL two weeks ago.

McCarthy, a product of Edmonton, Alberta, was named first-team All-RMISA after reaching the top of the podium on three occasions during the season. Last week, she captured both the University of Alaska Anchorage and RMISA/NCAA West Regional slalom titles. Gartner garnered second-team All-RMISA accolades behind eight top 10 performances.

Muhlen-Schulte, who recently returned to the Bobcat squad after competing in the World Junior Championships in Val di Fassa, Italy, where he placed fifth in combined (Super G/downhill and slalom), was named first-team All-RMISA after winning the Colorado slalom title and placing second at New Mexico. His best giant slalom of the winter was a second place showing at the MSU Invite.

Solheim put together a consistent season on the RMISA circuit to capture second-team All-RMISA honors. The product of Staarheim, Norway registered eight top 10 finishes, including a third place showing at the Colorado Invitational in giant slalom.

"It was a great year on the RMISA circuit," said MSU Alpine head coach Kevin Francis. "It was a very competitive season with a lot of parity from top to bottom. We're looking forward to getting on some hard snow in Vermont. We'll have three days of training on it, so I don't expect to have any problems. All three alpine kids have been on the top of the podium this season and they'll be in the hunt for national titles."

The Bobcats will compete at the NCAA Ski Championships beginning Wednesday, March 6 with the 5/10-kilometer Nordic freestyle at the Trapp Family Lodge.