News & Notes From Around PioNation

One can't help but notice that while Coach Gwozdecky is trying to renegotiate his current contract with DU, his two proteges signed contract extensions with their respective schools. Enrico Blasi at Miami University and Seth Appert at RPI. And one of Enrico's assistants at Miami just named the head coach at Western Michigan. The family tree is growing.

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More post season honors for DU skiers. Senior Nordic skier Antje Maempel, and sophomore alpine skiers Leif Kristian Haugen and Lindsay Cone were named Collegiate Skiers of the Year by Ski Racing magazine. DU skiers swept three of the four awards. Maempel, who won the NCAA individual titles in both the classical and freestyle races for the second consecutive year, was named Women’s Nordic Collegiate Skier of the Year. Haugen, who won the 2010 NCAA individual title in men’s giant slalom, was named Men's Collegiate Alpine Skier of the Year. Haugen represented Norway at the Vancouver Olympic Games, finishing 28th in giant slalom. Cone won the Women's Collegiate Skier of the Year award after finishing second in both slalom and giant slalom at the NCAA Championships, earning All-American First Team honors in both events.

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Goaltender Marc Cheverie earned his second consecutive Most Valuable Player honor, while senior captain Rhett Rakhshani was named Most Inspirational Player as the University of Denver celebrated its 54th Annual Hockey Awards Evening at the Cable Center. Matt Donovan earned the Barry Sharp Memorial Award as top freshman, while Nate Dewhurst and Chris Nutini shared the Murray Armstrong Award as most improved players. Matt Glasser earned the Dr. Ken Bredesen Award for sportsmanship and shared the Dr. Art Mason Award for top scholar-athlete with Tyler Ruegsegger. Barandon Vossberg earned the Bob Martin Memorial Award for community service for the fourth consecutive season.

NCAA On Campus Interviews Antje Maempel

(above) Antje Maempel was profiled by NCAA On Campus eariler this year

DU Wins School's 21st NCAA Skiing Championship

(above) Kate Dolan, Antje Maempel & Mari Elden closed out DU's 21st National Championship in the Freestyle Cross Country on Saturday

(above) The University of Denver Ski Team won its third straight NCAA Championship today

NCAA Official Results

The University of Denver ski team held a healthy lead heading into the fourth and final day of the NCAA National Championships. With the University of Colorado ready to pounce, DU was going to need an improved effort from their men's Freestyle Cross Country team to hold off the Buffaloes.

In the morning session the Denver men turned in an inspired effort and held their ground with a 4th, 18th and 21st place finish. When DU's Harald Loevenskiold crossed the line in fourth place and CU wasn't able to gain many points in the standings, the meet was all but over. Andrew Dougherty finished 18th and Kristian Soerlund finished 21st to hold off CU's skiers.

All that remained was for DU's über-skier Antje Maempel to work her magic for three laps on Steamboat's 5K Cross Country course and the title was in the bank. Maempel won by six seconds over a pair of CU skiers. Mari Elden finished 8th for DU and Kate Dolan finished 11th to pad the margin of victory for the Pioneers.

It was a sensational week for the Pioneer skiers. Five 1st place finishes out of eight events.(Lief Kristian Haugen won the Giant Slalom). Two second place finishes for Lindsay Cone and a third place finish for Mari Elden.

The best news? Maepel is just a Junior.

2nd Day - DU Leads NCAA Skiing Championships

(above) DU cross country skiers Antja Maempel & Mari Elden on the podium on Thursday

(above) DU's Lief-Krista Haugen won the Men's Giant Slalom on Wednesday

Live Scoring Updates

Steamboat Pilot Wednesday Recap

Steamboat Pilot Thursday Recap

Day Two of the four-day NCAA Skiing Championships kicked off this morning in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. The University of Denver was even more dominant in the morning session than yesterday, with two Pioneers on the podium in Nordic Cross Country Skiing. In the Men's Cross County event the University of Colorado moved back into contention, but DU finishes of 18th, 19th & 23rd kept the Pioneers safely out in front of the CU.

Friday, March 12th
5:15 PM MST - Men’s Slalom (first run) – Howelsen Hill
6:30 PM MST - Women’s Slalom (first run) - Howelsen Hill

Men's Cross Country - DU skiers Kristian Soerlund finished 18th, Andrew Doughtery came in 19th and Harald Loevenskioldr crossed the line 23rd.

(left) DU's Golden Girl Antje Maempel won the NCAA 5K Classical Cross Country Skiing Championship for the second year in a row

Women's Nordic Cross Country - The University of Denver ski team is making a mockery of the NCAA Skiing Championships in Steamboat Springs Colorado. DU's Antje Maempel won the Women's Nordic Cross Country Championship for the second year in a row. She has also now won three consecutive NCAA cross country championships in a row. DU's Mari Elden finished third and Kate Dolan came 13th.

Maemple's margin of victory this morning was by an astounding 43 seconds. In a sport winning is sometimes by a tenth of a second and ties have occurred, 43 seconds is massive margin in a 5K race.

(left) DU's Lief-Krista Haugen, who skied in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics for Norway, won the NCAA Giant Slalom Championship yesterday in Steamboat

The Men's Giant Slalom yesterday - DU's Lief-Krista Haugen won the Men's Giant Slalom to pace the University of Denver's ski team to a massive opening day at the NCAA skiing Championships in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Haugen's teammates A.J. Arvin & Andreas Kilde finished 5th and 8th respectively.

(left) DU's Lindsey Cone finished 2nd in the Giant Slalom yesterday

Women's Giant Slalom - The University of Denver Skiing Team was in 1st place after the Women's Giant Slalom yesterday morning. Lindsey Cone paced the DU skiers with a 2nd place overall finish, while her teammates Ida Dillingoen and Jennifer Vanwagner finished 5th and 9th. Dillingoen's performance was particularly impressive since she was seeded 23rd in the event.