Skiers sweep conference title, look ahead to regional tournament

By AMY O'DONNELL
Collegian Staff Writer

Consistency has been the key for the Penn State men's and women's ski teams this season. Solid performances from all members equaled big wins this past weekend in Seven Springs, as both the men and women swept the Allegheny Collegiate Ski Conference and the won the overall combined championship.

Penn State now advances to the regional championships of the United States Collegiate Ski Association to again be held in Seven Springs this Saturday and Sunday.

This season has been marked by consistent performances, and not only from Penn State's top skier Ryan Church, a perennial top-three finisher on the men's side. Teammates Mark Kogelmann, Matt Green, J.T. Owens and Jason Bender have helped add depth to Penn State's roster.

"We were consistent as a team all year long and had good team results," team director/coach Bill Hetrick said.

Church placed second this past weekend in both the men's slalom and giant slalom races, earning All-Allegheny team status along with Kogelmann who finished ninth in the slalom and eighth in the giant slalom. Church was especially pleased with Penn State's finishes, especially its three top-10 finishers -- Church, Kogelmann and Green.

"We skied well in a pressure situation and we won the conference in a very exciting way," Church said. "We are peaking at the perfect time. We're doing great in the end and that's when it really counts."

On the women's side, solid contributions across the board earned the Penn State women the championship as well. While some teams have one or two regular first- or second-place finishers, Penn State has consistently secured solid places top to bottom that add up in team points.

"If one person falls, someone always backs them up," all-conference team member Tamra Malczyk said. "No matter what, we always come through."

Remarkably, every member of the women's team -- Courtney Scott, Paige Williamson, Malczyk, Kim Clarke and Erin Edwards -- was named to the all-conference team.

While the skiers appreciate the individual accomplishments, both teams stress teamwork and group effort. After all, this strategy has propelled them to the top throughout this season, and they are hoping for more of the same at this weekend's Mid-Atlantic Regionals at Seven Springs and the national championships at Mammoth Mountain, Cal.

Penn State coach Lee Gonder was already busy motivating his team for nationals after last weekend's races.

"He showed us a brochure from Mammoth Mountain, California, where nationals are held and it got us all psyched," Edwards said.

But before Penn State can book flight reservations for Nationals, it must finish in the top four teams overall at regionals.

But if both teams show the consistency they've flashed all season, California may be a lot closer than it seems.