NMU ski teams capture NCAA Region title

Courtesy of NMU Athletics

HOUGHTON, Mich. – Seniors George Cartwright and Rosie Frankowski won their respective freestyle races as the Northern Michigan University Nordic skiing team won the NCAA Central Region Championship Sunday.

The Wildcats scored 129 points on the men’s side and 128 points on the women’s side. Alaska was second on the men’s side with 122 points followed by St. Scholastica in third with 93. St. Scholastica was second in the women’s standings with 109 points followed by Alaska with 99.

“We had an awesome day of competition,” said NMU head coach Sten Fjeldheim. “We had some great conditions to ski in and the course was really fast. It was exciting to see Cartwright pull away from the pack and win the race as a senior. We raced really well as a team and that was exciting to see.”

NMU was first and second in the men’s freestyle race as Cartwright posted a time of 40:57.9 and junior Kyle Bratrud was second with a time of 41:19.7. Freshman Fredrik Schwencke was sixth with a time of 41:24.3 followed by freshman Adam Martin in seventh 41:27.1, sophomore Sam Elfstrom in 14th (43:30.7), senior Ben Hugus in 20th and freshman Krystof Kopal in 28th (45:23.0).

The Wildcats finished first and third in the women’s freestyle race as Frankowski crossed the finish line with a time of 32:22.7 followed by sophomore Hannah Boyer in third with a time of 33:07.4. Junior Mary Kate Cirelli was sixth at 33:21.3 followed by freshman Kristen Bourne  in ninth (34:11.1), junior Felicia Gesior in 13th (34:44.7), freshman Sophie Schimpl in 17th (35:12.6) and sophomore Malin Eriksson in 40th (41:26.9).

NMU will now await the selection process for the upcoming NCAA Championships March 6 & 8 in Midway, Utah.