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The 2025 Team at the US National Championships

Alpine Skiing 1/15/2026 10:00:00 AM Braden Golisek - Assistant Director of Sports Information

PREVIEW: Wildcat Alpine Begins 2026 after Succesful 2025 Campaign

MARQUETTE, Mich . -- On the coattails of a dominant 2025 campaign, the NMU alpine ski team gears up for its first competition of the 2026 season.

USCSA Wild Mountain is first on the schedule, taking place Saturday, January 17, and Sunday, January 18 at Wild Mountain in Taylor Falls, Minnesota. The last time the 'Cats competed at Wild Mountain was the opening weekend of the 2023 season, where both teams finished first as a team while earning all four first-place finishes across the slalom and giant slalom. Live results will be linked when made publicly available.

The Wildcats remain under the direction of head coach Erik Lundteigen, who has been the leader of the Wildcats since the 2020-21 season. Lundteigen was named USCSA Coach of the Year after the 2025 campaign, which saw the men finish third and the women finish 11th at the 2025 National Championships, highlighted by three First Team and five Second Team All-Americans, and a pair of bronze medals.

"I am extremely proud of this team," said head coach Erik Lundteigen after the conclusion of the National Championships last season. "We have established ourselves as one of the 'big dogs' in the room at nationals. We had some really good skiing from our athletes over the week, and I really liked the way our teams got after it on race day."

Among the All-America honors, the Wildcats are highlighted by the return of First-Team selection and leading male skier, Kyan Hopke, who was named Male Newcomer of the Year to go along with the men's alpine ski team being named Team of the Year for the entire NMU Athletics department at last season's Wildcat Awards.

Both Reed Heathman and Anthony Petkov return to the roster after representing the men's team at nationals last season.

Leading returner on the women's side is Tommie Springer, who finished sixth in the giant slalom at nationals for a Second Team All-America honor, just 0.51 seconds out of a first team honor.

The men's team has nine student-athletes, while the women's side boasts 15 skiers.

The men's team is broken down into four seniors: Heathman, Mitchell Forsberg, Connor Abraham, and Nathan Dehart. Hopke and Petkov return for their second seasons, and the 'Cats welcome freshmen Noah Bindas, Eli Heathman, and Cashton Jaeger.

The women's team has an experienced group, with eight skiers making up their upperclassmen group. Maya Bubolz, Kaylee Byrne, Annika Nye, and Maddy Stern are seniors, and Springer, Julia Greene, Georgette Sake, and Cassidy Whitener are juniors. Anna Roethlisberger, Onalee Wallis, and Marisa Witte return for their second season, and Ashley Schaffer, Blanca Srock, Lucy Stern, and Camryn Zotalis enter their first year.

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Players Mentioned

Connor Abraham: 6' 1"; Senior

Maya Bubolz: 5' 9"; Senior

Kaylee Byrne: 5' 3"; Senior

Nathan Dehart: Senior

Mitchell Forsberg: 5' 11"; Senior

Julia Greene: 5' 7"; Junior

Reed Heathman: 5' 10"; Senior

Kyan Hopke: Sophomore

Annika Nye: 5' 10"; Senior

Anthony Petkov: 6' 0"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Connor Abraham
: 6' 1"; Senior

Maya Bubolz
: 5' 9"; Senior

Kaylee Byrne
: 5' 3"; Senior

Nathan Dehart
: Senior

Mitchell Forsberg
: 5' 11"; Senior

Julia Greene
: 5' 7"; Junior

Reed Heathman
: 5' 10"; Senior

Kyan Hopke
: Sophomore

Annika Nye
: 5' 10"; Senior

Anthony Petkov
: 6' 0"; Sophomore