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Hot off the Press
This juuuuusssst in – David Donaldson was named Collegiate Skier of the Year!
What an awesome accomplishment – Congrats, Dave!
End of an Era
Last week we said goodbye to our seniors on the Alpine Team. Athletes like Bryan Shpall, Andrew McNealus, David Donaldson, Aaron Robertson, and Christine Schozer only come around once every MILLION years – no, but seriously, these athletes are some of my favorite athletes EVER. They’ve helped me realize how much I love to coach and I will be forever grateful for that. They’ve had amazing results in their four years as members of this team, and they will continue to do amazing things outside the ski racing world in their years away from Middlebury. Congratulations, gang.
With that, we end an era and begin a new one as Bryan Shpall and Christine Schozer pass the captain’s torch on to Hig Roberts and Katelyn Barclay.
Get excited Panther fans – only 8 more month before we race again!
Johnson Named Nordic Ski Coach
Johnson Named Nordic Ski Coach
March 26, 2013
Former Middlebury skier and two-time U.S. Olympian Andrew Johnson has been named the new head coach of the nordic ski program at Middlebury College. Johnson comes to Middlebury from the University of Vermont, where he served as an assistant coach for the past three years, helping the Catamounts to the 2012 NCAA title.
“I couldn’t be happier to be joining the Middlebury athletic department and ski team,” said Johnson. “The strong culture and history of skiing at Middlebury makes it a unique place to be, both for students and as a coach.”
Before joining the Catamounts, Johnson was an assistant nordic coach at the University of Utah during the 2008 and 2009 seasons. While at Utah, he earned a B.S. in Environmental Studies.
“We are thrilled to welcome Andrew Johnson back to Middlebury to take over as the head coach of the nordic skiing program,” said Director of Athletics Erin Quinn. “Andrew brings a wealth of skiing experience at the highest levels of the sport, as well as excellent coaching experience. Most importantly, he is an outstanding teacher and his philosophies of coaching and building teams will be an excellent fit with Middlebury College.”
A native of Greensboro, Vermont, Johnson was a member of the U.S. Ski Team from 1999-2007. He competed in the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah, as well as the 2006 Olympics in Torino, Italy. He also competed in the Nordic World Ski Championships in 2003, 2005 and 2007. Johnson was the U.S. National Champion in cross-country skiing in 2005 and 2006.
Johnson began his career at Middlebury College where he was a three-time NCAA All-American from 1997-99 under head coach Terry Aldrich. He was the U.S. Junior National Champion in cross-country skiing in 1996.
“Middlebury’s demonstrated commitment to skiing coupled with its outstanding campus facilities and impressive upgrades at Rikert Nordic Center make it an ideal place to be,” added Johnson. “Having attended Middlebury College and skied for the program, it’s a bit of a dream come true to be able to return and help lead the ski team into its next chapter.”
Middlebury Skier Moves From NCAA Straight to the World Cup
March 16, 2013
Middlebury Skier Moves From NCAA Straight to the World Cup
Senior David Donaldson Earns Spot in the Professional Ranks
MIDDLEBURY, Vt. — David Donaldson of Toronto, Canada, a senior on the Middlebury College alpine ski team, capped off the most impressive winter of competition for an Eastern collegiate skier by placing second in the Audi Coupe Nor-Am Cup giant slalom standings. As a result of his dominant performance this season, Donaldson has earned himself a starting spot in every giant slalom race next winter on the most prestigious circuit of alpine ski racing on the planet, the FIS World Cup.
Donaldson will join professional athletes in competitions spanning from Beaver Creek, Colo. to Alta Badia, Italy, the same races contested by the likes of Ted Ligety and Bode Miller. But before he can take advantage of his newly earned spot on the tour, Donaldson, an economics major and history minor, will have to finish four more months of coursework at Middlebury as well as the summer German language program.
“Securing this spot enables me to compete in World Cups and still finish school. It allows me to ski on my own terms. And that’s the biggest thing,” noted Donaldson about his accomplishment.
“Over the past five years, since going to school, it has been my dream to clinch a NorAm giant slalom or slalom—or both—spots. I feel like I’ve been within an arm’s reach a few times and haven’t done it, and I almost failed to do it again. So it’s hugely fulfilling,” he added.
Donaldson, who grew up training at Georgian Peaks and was a member of the Ontario Ski Team, began his collegiate racing career at the University of Vermont, where he won the NCAA giant slalom national championship title during his freshman year in 2009. After pursuing skiing outside of college for several years but failing to make the national team, Donaldson returned to school at Middlebury in 2011. However, NCAA restrictions prevented him from competing for the Panthers until the 2012-2013 season, his final year of collegiate eligibility.
Middlebury College ski team head coach Stever Bartlett spent two years watching Donaldson progress as an athlete in his program.
“David worked hard in the early season making a few changes to his style and technique and then found a good balance between racing, school and rest,” remarked Bartlett. “He really found his confidence this season and that certainly was another factor in his success.”
In NCAA action this winter, Donaldson won five out of the six giant slalom as well as two slalom races on the Eastern Intercollegiate Ski Association (EISA) circuit. At the NCAA national championships, hosted by Middlebury, he finished as runner-up in the slalom event, missing the win by a mere three-tenths of a second. Donaldson was, by far, the most consistently dominant male athlete participating in EISA competitions this winter.
“Next season, I’ll be at EISA races as often as I can be. If I’m around, I’ll definitely be showing up,” Donaldson said. He has been a vocal advocate of the collegiate circuit for years, and he believes his time there prepared him for the next step in his career.
Heading into the final races of the tight Nor-Am Cup battle, Donaldson sat in a distant fourth-place in the giant slalom standings. The Nor-Am Cup is one of the Continental Cup series dominated by national team athletes who aspire to the professional ranks. But in a miraculous turn of fate, Donaldson, the college skier, won his first Nor-Am ever in the second to final race of the season, and he found himself suddenly catapulted to the top of the standings over national team athletes from both Canada and the U.S.
“I think it almost proved to those people, for more than just me, that there are a lot of great skiers out there who don’t need to give up just because their national teams aren’t supporting them,” Donaldson remarked.
In Friday’s final giant slalom of the season, Donaldson led the first run but had a costly error on the second when he fell on his side and slid across the snow before he was able to get back on his feet and complete the course. His sixth-place finish, however, was still good enough to secure second overall in the standings behind Canadian Ski Team member Phil Brown.
“I was focusing on just making sure I was in the moment, turn to turn, and not anywhere else on the planet. I was in the zone,” Donaldson remarked on his last NorAm race of the season, where he finally secured his World Cup spot.
The top two North American athletes in the final standings of each discipline of the Nor-Am Cup receive automatic starts to all races on the following season’s World Cup calendar. Donaldson will travel to races in Austria, France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, and Slovenia next year as an invitee to the Canadian Ski Team.
“I am proud of his accomplishments and the way he has embraced his experience as a member of the Middlebury ski team and the Middlebury College community,” said Bartlett. “David is several years older than most of the athletes on the team and is affectionately nicknamed ‘Uncle Donnie’ due to his veteran status. In many ways, he provided mentoring for the younger athletes—not only as a fast skier to chase in training, but also as an example of someone who never gives up on his dream.”
The Middlebury College alpine ski team has demonstrated on more than one occasion that its program can prepare athletes for competition beyond the NCAA. After his freshman year with the Panthers in 2011, Rob Cone of Killington, Vt. was named to the U.S. Ski Team. David Donaldson now adds his name to the list of skiers who have turned from the NCAA ranks to the major league.
Caption: David Donaldson racing on the NCAA circuit this winter
Credit: Cory Ransom
MEDIA CONTACT: C.J. Feehan, EISA Media Specialist
Cell: 802-342-2917
Email: cfeehan@gmail.com
David Donaldson on the World Cup Next Year
Congratulations to David Donaldson who finished second in the Nor Am GS standings which secures him a start right in every world cup gs next season. David won the GS yesterday in Nakiska and was 6th today to secure the spot.
Uncle Donny on a roll…wins Nor Am GS
Congrats Donny! way to score a 6 point result and move into the lead of the nor am standings.
Middlebury Men win NCAA Slalom Championship for the second year in a row
Congrats to the men’s team today. For winning the NCAA Slalom Championship for the second year in a row!
David Donaldson 2nd
Hig Roberts 6th,
Andrew McNealus 21st
Congratulations to Mary Sackbauer for her All American 9th place finish in the gs on Wednesday.
Incredible performance.
Athlete: David Donaldson
Photo Credit: Corey Ransom
Athlete: Mary SackBauer
Photo Credit: Jud Bartlett
Athlete: Hig Roberts
Photo Credit: Corey Ransom
Athlete: Andrew McNealus
Photo Credit: Jud Bartlett
Athlete: David Donaldson
Photo Credit: Jud Bartlett
Athlete: Hig Roberts
Photo Credit: Jud Bartlett
