Ski team sets sights on nationals

By TIM HYLAND
Collegian Sports Writer

Last season, the Penn State Ski Team won the Allegheny Conference title and went on to compete in the United States College Ski Association National Tournament. The team expects to do the same this year.

"For the past 10 or 15 years, we have sent at least one of our 'A' teams to nationals," said Todd Fearer (senior-wildlife and fisheries science), president of the club. "We have the same expectations this year."

Penn State has been a permanent fixture at the USCSA nationals every year since 1980, when the tournament began.

The squads this year are led by a pair of sophomores -- Ty Rost leads the men and Erin Furimski guides the women. The pair has consistently led the team throughout the year, earning praise from teammates. But Furimski is not comfortable being a leader.

"This is only my first year, so I just try to help out," the art major said. "I think we are all equal."

Rost, who serves as the overall team captain, said the team can go as far as it wants as long as it keeps on track.

"If we keep on skiing as well as we have been up to this point, we won't have a problem," the engineering major said, "and we'll definitely be (at nationals)."

The path to the nationals is a rough one, but the team has traveled it many times.

After this weekend's home race at Tussey Mountain, in which the men finished second and the women did not place, the team learned it had once again qualified for regionals. The regionals will take place this weekend in Mercersburg.

The men's squad won the Allegheny Conference this year, which is comprised of teams from Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia. The women finished second in the conference -- a top three finish guarantees a trip to the regionals.

The teams must finish in the top three at regionals to qualify for nationals, which will take place March 8-11 in Brundidge, Idaho.

Once at nationals, teams such as Nevada and Air Force should provide a stiff challenge for the squad, Rost said.

"The nationals are rough," he added. "Some of those western teams have Olympians skiing for them."