MIDDLEBURY, Vt. – Middlebury College has recently been named the host school for the 2013 NCAA Skiing Championships. Middlebury is one of just two ski programs in the country which owns and manages its skiing facilities. Alpine events will take place at the Snow Bowl, while the Rikert Ski Touring Center will host the nordic races.

“We’re pretty thrilled to show our coaching colleagues and fellow programs our best efforts at hosting a National Championship,” said Stever Bartlett, head alpine coach. “It’s been over 10 years since we’ve hosted and it’s an important role to play on the national stage of skiing.”

Over the last five years, over two million dollars have gone into improvements in trail safety and to replace the well-loved Worth Mountain Chair lift, a necessary expense for the aging equipment. “Since Middlebury last played host to the collegiate skiing championships, skiing has evolved, courses have changed and with this selection, we can show that our program and facilities have kept pace,” added Andrew Gardner, head nordic coach.

Further preparations for the championships will begin this summer with improvements to the nordic trails. A new nordic groomer has been approved for purchase for the 2010- 2011 ski season, an acquisition that comes as a groundswell of Nordic Skiing participation that has welled up in Addison County. Gardner noted, “The Frost Mountain club has a number of great programs from the youngest kids to master athletes. They’ve built a great culture of skiing in the county over the last few years and I know that the effect of having the country’s best skiers on the same trails as the local Bill Koch league will spill over in enthusiasm and love for skiing.”

2013 will mark the fifth time the school has hosted the event, previously hosting in ’61, ’73, ’88 and ’01.

Photo: Panthers’ 2010 freshman phenom Bryan Schpall will be a senior when his team hosts the 2013 NCAA Champs. Credit: Bryce Hubner