Women's ski team competes at Nationals: Pfeifer reels in the accolades

One of Alfred’s unique sports offerings is Alpine Skiing, and the ladies ski team wrapped up another year on the slopes, culminating into a 13th place finish at the United States Collegiate Ski Association national championships at Winter Park, CO.

The team started the season fast, opening the year by winning its first two contests at Labrador Mountain and its own Invitational at Swain. The women finished second at Bristol Mountain and Greek Peak before finishing fourth at Toggenburg.

But, all of the attention was centered in Colorado come March 4.

“There were 21 teams competing at National Championships,” Kevin Walsh, AU’s men’s and women’s ski coach said in an e-mail to the Fiat Lux.

Walsh added that there were approximately 110 women competing.

In collegiate Alpine skiing, there are five skiers, each granted two runs unless a skier falls. There are two events: Giant Slolam and Slolam.

“Slolam turns are short fast turns, each turn is approximately one second apart from the next turn,” Walsh said.

GS, on the other hand, are larger turns about 50-70 feet from each turning gate and two seconds between each turn, according to Walsh.

AU placed 12th of 20 teams in the slalom and, combined with the Lady Saxons’ 14th-place finish in Wednesday’s giant slalom, took 13th in the combined final team standings.

Senior Rachel Beckwith was 52nd in the slalom, while senior Ulana Bihun was 71st.

Junior Lauren Pfeifer was 16th in the slalom. Pfeifer, who was 23rd in the GS, placed 12th in the combined individual standings.

It was Pfeifer who collected the honors after the season individually.

Pfeifer has been named a United States Collegiate Ski Association (USCSA) All-American.

Pfeifer was also named a Second Team All-American in Winter Park.

It marks the third year Pfeifer has been named an All-American. She was a Second Team All-American in the giant slalom last season and earned Second Team honors in the slalom as a freshman in 2007.

Pfeifer was also named a Second Team USCSA Academic All-American for the 2009 season.