MIDWAY, Utah – The Denver Pioneers ski team finished third at the 2026 NCAA Championships that wrapped up on Saturday with the Nordic 20K freestyle mass start races at Soldier Hollow Nordic Center.
DU finished with 386.5 points and edged fourth-place Montana State by 10 points (376.5). The Pioneers used a big push in the men's mass start event to hold off MSU after the Bobcats cut their deficit down to single digits following the women's event.
"Today was so nerve-wracking, and we knew we could secure the third spot if we just race as we have the whole season—but nothing at this year's championship was about good luck for us," said Denver Head Nordic Skiing Coach
Eliska Albrigtsen. "When the women fell short on energy and lost the lead pack, I thought maybe it wasn't our day. When a similar thing happened in the men's race, I really thought the ski luck was not with the Pioneers, but the men stayed steady and pushed and got away from the pursuant Bobcats.
"I am quite sure the women and men are not going to be looking back at their individual results from today's race with satisfaction. With that said, and with all that went wrong, with how drained everyone felt, they all fought with their hearts to show all their fans and all their coaches what the Pioneers are all about. It was an incredible team effort and strong hearts all the way to the finish line. Yes, it's not silver, and it's not gold, but it is just the beginning. We all feel the energy our team is picking up, and we are already excited to get to work again."
Freshman
Yannick Zellweger placed 15th for the DU men while sophomore
Eemil Juntunen came in 16th and graduate student
Sondre Oestervold was 18th.
Rookie
Synne Bollingmo was the top women's finisher for the Pioneers in 14th. Senior
Eve-Ondine Duchaufour was 25th and junior
Maja Moland was 26th.
Both Nordic races saw repeat champions from Thursday's 7.5K classic as Alaska Fairbanks' Rosie Fordham won the women's event and Mons Melbye of Utah finished first in the men's race. Dartmouth's John Steel Hagenbuch was second and Vermont's Tabor Greenberg was third in the men's closing event, while UVM's Haley Brewster UU's Erica Laven were second and third, respectively, for the women.
Melbye's win and two women in the top five was enough for Utah to erase a 6.5-point deficit going into the day and for the Utes to win the overall national championships on home snow. Utah won with 549.5 points while Colorado dropped to second with 539 points.
The victory for Utah was its second in a row and its seventh in the last 10 years.
UP NEXT: The collegiate season is now over, but Denver skiing still has several individual races over the next several weeks. Among the events are the conclusion of the FIS Nor-Am Cup season and the U.S. Alpine National Championships in Vail.
DENVER MEN 20K FREESTYLE INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
15.
Yannick Zellweger, 47:35.0
16.
Eemil Juntunen, 47:57.1
18.
Sondre Oestervold, 48:12.9
DENVER WOMEN 20K FREESTYLE INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
14.
Synne Bollingmo, 53:22.9
25.
Eve-Ondine Duchaufour, 55:46.7
26.
Maja Moland, 55:47.8
FINAL TEAM STANDINGS (through 8-of-8 events): 1. Utah 549.5; 2. Colorado 539;
3. Denver 386.5; 4. Montana State 376.5; 5. Vermont 334; 6. Dartmouth 314; 7. Middlebury 254; 8. Alaska Anchorage 235; 9. New Hampshire 210.5; 10. Alaska Fairbanks 205.5; 11. Colby 114.0; 12. Nevada 107; 13. Northern Michigan 91; 14. Westminster 69; 15. Michigan Tech 62.5; 16. Harvard 32; 17. Bowdoin 26; 18. Boston College 20.5; 19. St. Lawrence 18.5; 20. St. Michael's 17; 21. Williams 14; 22. St. Scholastica 2
MEN'S 20K FREESTYLE TOP 10 (40 finishers): 1. Mons Melbye, UU, 46:14.6; 2. John Steel Hagenbuch, DAR, 46:15.0; 3. Tabor Greenberg, UVM, 46:21.7; 4. Jakob Moch, CU, 46:21.8; 5. Ben Dohlby, UAF, 46:22.0; 6. Corbin Carpenter, UAA, 46:22.7; 7. Philipp Moosmayer, UAF, 46:23.9; 8. Simon Chappaz, MSU, 46:23.9; 9. Zachary Jayne, UU, 46:28.7; 10. Erling Bjoernstad, UAA, 46:43.7.
WOMEN'S 20K FREESTYLE TOP 10 (39 finishers): 1. Rosie Fordham, UAF, 51:54.6; 2. Haley Brewster, UVM, 52:22.4; 3. Erica Laven, UU, 52:22.7; 4. Ava Thurston, DAR, 52:22.9; 5. Witta Walcher, UU, 52:24.0; 6. Natalie Nicholas, UNH, 52:29.7; 7. Emma Crum, BOW, 52:26.1; 8. Hattie Barker, UNH, 52:26.6; 9. Tilde Baangman, CU, 52:57.3; 10. Lena Poduska, UVM, 52:59.0.
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