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| [h=1]Awards Handed Out At Annual Ski Banquet[/h] Release: 04/19/2013 Courtesy: Curtis Snyder, Associate SID | ||||||
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| BOULDER—The 2012-13 team awards for the National Champion University of Colorado Ski Team were handed out at the team’s annual banquet Thursday night, honoring six CU seniors that put caps on storied careers. The senior class of Khyla Burrows, Eliska Hajkova, Max Lamb, Ian Mallams, Joanne Reid and Mary Rose were all honored with senior watches. The class captured three Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Ski Association Championships and two NCAA Championships in their three to five years with the CU ski team. Reid was also awarded with both the Dick Schoenberger Memorial Award as the team’s most outstanding skier and along with Hajkova and Lamb, the trio was given the Outstanding Career Performance Award. Reid capped one of the best seasons in NCAA history by capturing the individual NCAA Championship in the 15K freestyle race, a key part in CU’s come-from-behind victory to capture the team national championship. In 12 races this season, Reid won nine, the third most in CU history, including the RMISA Individual Champion in the 5K classical race. In her career, Reid won 11 races and was a seven time All-American, including five first-team All-America honors. She completed 39 races in her career with 28 top five finishes and she reached the podium 21 times. Hajkova finished her storied career with eight race victories, including one NCAA Individual Championship and three RMISA Individual Championships. She was a six-time All-American and in 48 career races, she finished in the top 10 45 times with 33 podium appearances, the third-highest total in CU history. Lamb transferred to Colorado after spending one season on the Utah ski team, and immediately helped the Buffaloes to the 2011 NCAA Championship, being named All-RMISA and All-American that season. At CU he raced 40 times, finishing 36 with 25 top 20 finishes and 12 top 10 performances. Sophomore Rune Oedegaard was awarded the Buddy Werner Memorial Scholarship, which is a scholarship commemorating former CU skier Buddy Werner, established in 1973 as a benefit to a deserving team member. Oedegaard capped his season with an incredible performance at the NCAA Championships in which he won the men’s 10K individual National Championship and finished second in the 20K freestyle race, allowing the Buffs to complete a the biggest final-day comeback in NCAA Championship history. On the season, he competed in 12 races and won four races, another of which was an RMISA Individual Championship. He was the runner-up in five races and hit the podium 10 times in 12 races. The Laura Sharpe Flood Award, given to the CU skier who best exemplifies the spirit, enthusiasm and dedication of Laura Flood, was given to Mary Rose. Flood tragically lost her life on April 3, 1989 after losing control on an early morning training run at Eldora. Rose had a spectacular senior season which solidified her as one of the most improved skiers in the history of the program. Her first top 10 performance came at the 2012 RMISA Championships, when she finished fifth in the final race of the season to qualify by just two points and ensure the Buffs qualified a full team that year. She continued that success into her senior year, where she competed in eight races with five top 10 finishes. She started the season with four straight top 10s, then missed the New Mexico Invitational with an illness,, and then she slowly moved her way back into the top 10, earning an eighth place finish in her final collegiate race at the RMISA Championships. The Lucie Hanusova Memorial Award, given to those who overcome adversity and challenges with smiles and enthusiasm, was given to Adam Zika. Zika missed the 2013 season after capturing the individual NCAA Championship in the giant slalom in 2012. Zika had surgery on his knee and is slated to return for the 2014 season for the Buffaloes. The Outstanding Alpine Woman award was given to freshman Brooke Wales and the Outstanding Nordic Woman Award was given to Eliska Hajkova, the third time she has won that award in her storied career. Hajkova competed in 12 races as a senior, winning one and hitting the podium seven times despite some nagging injuries. Her race victory was at the RMISA Championships, winning the 15K freestyle race there. The Spencer Nelson Memorial Award was presented to Shane McLean. McLean suffered a concussion late in the season and was unable to compete for the Buffaloes at the NCAA Championships. Prior to her injury, McLean finished seven of her 10 races with four top five finishes and two podium appearances, all in giant slalom action. Also announced this week was the United States Collegiate Ski Coaches Association National Coach of the Year honor, which was awarded to CU head coach Richard Rokos, who led the Buffaloes to the NCAA Championship for the seventh time in his 23 seasons. This CU team was the second under Rokos and just the third team out of the west to win every meet in a season. Rokos and Nordic Coach Bruce Cranmer were both honored with the Rocky Mountain Intercollegaite Ski Association Coach of the Year honors, Rokos for alpine and Cranmer for Nordic. Cranmer’s Nordic teams scored more points at the NCAA Championships than any other team, a feat he has accomplished six times in the last 10 years, including three of the last four and four of the last six seasons. Cranmer’s skiers won 17 races this season, including 11 of 12 on the women’s side by three different skiers, and with Oedegaard and Reid winning individual titles, he now has coaches 10 different skiers to a total of 12 individual NCAA Championships. from cubuffs.com |
