New Mexico takes NCAA championships as Western schools sweep top four spots

New Mexico takes NCAA championships as Western schools sweep top four spots{mosimage}The University of New Mexico won its first NCAA championship in any sport Saturday, capturing the 2004 NCAA Skiing Championships.

The Lobos took the lead Friday following the men’s and women’s slalom events, overtaking Denver, which led the first two days, and defending NCAA champion Utah.

New Mexico wound up with a total of 623 points, followed by 581 for Utah and 568 for Denver. Colorado was fourth with 564, Vermont fifth with 533.5, Alaska-Anchorage sixth with 504 and Division III Middlebury seventh with 495.5 in the all-division championship. Host Nevada was ninth with 383 points.

Head coach George Brooks of New Mexico, in his 34th year, got good depth in all four disciplines, men’s and women’s alpine on Wednesday and Friday, and men’s and women’s cross-country on Thursday and Saturday.

Henning Dybendal of Utah won the men’s 20km classical race Saturday in 53:11.9 and was followed by Colorado’s Tor Erik Schjellerud in 53:16.7 and New Mexico’s Geir-Endre Rogn (53:21.7).

Winning the women’s 15km race was Sigrid Aas of Alaska-Fairbanks, edging fellow Alaska-Anchorage’s Mandy Kaempf. Aas finished in 53:04.7 to 53:12.8 for Kaempf. Helping the Lobos’ cause was Lena Jensen in third with a time of 53:21.6. Colorado’s Jana Rehemaa and Muriele Huberli were fourth and fifth, respectively.

Conditions were sunny and warm as the have been all week in the Truckee Meadows with temperatures quite warm for spectators and skiers, especially in the afternoon.

Top Three Individuals, Men’s 20km Classical
1. Henning Dybendal, UU, 53:11.9
2. Tor Erik Schjellerud, CU, 53:16.7
3. Geir-Endre Rogn, UNM, 53:21.7.

Top Three Individuals, Women’s 15km Classical
1. Sigrid Aas, Alaska-Fairbanks, 53:04.7
2. Mandy Kaempf, Alaska-Anchorage, 53:12.8
3. Lena Jensen, New Mexico, 53:21.6.

Final Team Scores, Day Four
(after eight events)
1. New Mexico 623
2. Utah 581
3. Denver 568
4. Colorado 564
5. Vermont 533.5
6. Alaska-Anchorage 504
7. Middlebury 495.5
8. Dartmouth 391
9. Nevada 383
10. Alaska-Fairbanks 219
11. Colby 210.5
12. Northern Michigan 198.5
13. Williams 178
14. New Hampshire 149
15. Montana State 127
16. Western State 110
17. Boise State 67
18. Whitman 62
19. Harvard 40
20. Bates 27
21. Michigan Tech 11
22. UW-Green Bay 1