Colorado Rockies to honor DU ski team in pregame event

The Colorado Rockies baseball team will honor the 2008 NCAA champion University of Denver ski team in a pregame ceremony prior to Tuesday night’s game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Coors Field.
The Colorado Rockies baseball team will honor the 2008 NCAA champion University of Denver ski team in a pregame ceremony prior to Tuesday night’s game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Coors Field.
     In one of the best seasons in their history, the Pioneers captured their 19th national title in 2008, edging second-place Colorado by 30.5 points after entering the final day of competition trailing the Buffaloes by 17.5 points. DU’s win marked the first time in 13 years that a team had overcome a deficit entering the final day to win the title.
     Denver’s 19 team championships in skiing are the most in NCAA history, ahead of Colorado’s 16 and Utah’s 10. This year’s win also marked the Pioneers’ fifth championship since 2000. DU also won in 2000, ’01, ’02 and ’05.
     John Buchar was the second Pioneer in as many years to claim both the men’s slalom and giant slalom individual titles. Adam Cole won both events last year, but missed this season after breaking his left leg during the first run of the year.
    Along with claiming the national title, nine Pioneers earned All-American honors. Annelise Bailly made First Team All-American in both classical and freestyle, while Antje Maempel earned First Team honors in classical and Second Team in freestyle. Rene Reisshauer was a First Team honoree in freestyle, and John Stene earned Second Team All-American honors in both classical and freestyle.
     In alpine, Jenny Lathrop and Buchar were First Team All-Americans in both slalom and giant slalom. Francesco Ghedina made the First Team in giant slalom and the Second Team in slalom, while Seppi Stiegler earned First Team honors in slalom. Molly Ryan joined Lathrop in representing the alpine women, earning Second Team honors in giant slalom.