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Alpine Skiier

Alpine Skiing Braden Golisek - Assistant Director of Sports Information

Wildcat Alpine Opens 2026 with a Win at Wild Mountain

The women and men combined for five of six podium spots and 17 of the top 20 times

TAYLOR FALLS, Minn. -- The NMU alpine ski team had a dominant season-opening competition, as both teams claimed gold in the giant slalom.

The Wildcats opened the season at USCSA Wild Mountain, competing in the giant slalom before competing in the slalom tomorrow. Athletes ski two runs, and their combined timed total from the two runs determines where they place among the field. 

The women posted a combined time of 2:40.31, thanks to a podium sweep from Tommie Springer (52.50), Ashley Schaffer (53.85), and Onalee Wallis (53.96). Madalyn Stern (54.04) finished fourth, and NMU claimed seven of the top nine spots.

The men posted a combined time of 2:29.54, thanks to silver and bronze from Reed Heathman (49.76) and Noah Bindas (49.77), and a fourth-place finish from Kyan Hopke (50.01). Anthony Petkov (50.20) and Cashton Jaeger (50.61) finished fifth and sixth, and NMU claimed seven of the top 10 times. 

The 'Cats now complete the weekend with the slalom tomorrow, competing in the same format as today. Individual and team results for both the women and men can be found below. 

Women - Individual Results | Team Results
The women began the day with the first runs, dominating the top of the leaderboard by controlling the top seven run times, and nine of the top 11 spots after run one.

Junior Tommie Springer led the way after the first run, posting a time of 26.07, followed by freshman Ashley Schaffer (26.42) as the second-fastest and senior Madalyn Stern (26.53) with the third quickest. Sophomore Onalee Wallis was fourth down the slope and last of the NMU 'A' team, posting a run time of 26.72.

Shortly behind Wallis were teammates Georgette Sake (26.75), Maya Bubolz (26.81), and Blanca Srock (26.97), who rounded out the top seven times in the first run of the day. Cassidy Whitener (27.23) posted the ninth-quickest time, and Julia Greene (27.40) the 11th fastest. 

Lucy Stern (27.91) and Anna Roethlisberger (28.38) also posted good times in their first runs, and Camryn Zotalis DNF.

After the second run, the Wildcats claimed the top four finishes and seven of the top nine, led by Springer once again. After posting the fastest 1st result, she claimed the fastest 2nd result with her run time of 26.43 to claim gold.

Despite posting the sixth-fastest run two time (27.43), the freshman Schaffer was able to hold on for silver, just 0.11 seconds ahead of Wallis, who posted the third-quickest run two result at 27.24. Stern claimed the fourth position after her second result of 27.41. 

Sake posted a second result of 27.90 to finish seventh, Srock a 27.71 to finish eighth, and Whitener a 27.72 to finish ninth. 

Greene's second run was a 28.30, Stern's a 28.27, and Roethlisberger's a 28.76. After a DNF in run one, Zotalis posted a 35.32 in the second run, and Bubolz DNF in her second run after sitting in sixth after the first result. 

Men - Individual Results | Team Results
The 'Cats controlled the top of the leaderboard immediately out of the gate, claiming nine of the top 10 times after the first runs. Freshman Noah Bindas paved the way, finishing first with his run time of 24.58.

Brothers Eli Heathman and Reed Heathman were third and fourth with times of 24.61 and 24.63, respectively, followed by Kyan Hopke in fifth with his time of 24.89.

Anthony Petkov (25.07), Cashton Jaeger (25.14), Nathan Dehart (25.33), and Connor Abraham (25.35) claimed spots six through nine after the first run.

The 'Cats slipped a bit in the second run, as Hopke was the leading Wildcat at 25.12, the third-fastest time among the second results. Petkov and Reed's time of 25.13 was tied for fourth, and Bindas' time of 25.19 was sixth-fastest. 

Jaeger posted a time of 25.47, Dehart 26.29, Abraham 26.87, and E. Heathman 29.99. 

Mitchell Forsberg DNS both runs. 
 
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Players Mentioned

Connor Abraham

Connor Abraham

6' 1"
Senior
Maya Bubolz

Maya Bubolz

5' 9"
Senior
Nathan Dehart

Nathan Dehart

Senior
Mitchell Forsberg

Mitchell Forsberg

5' 11"
Senior
Julia Greene

Julia Greene

5' 7"
Junior
Reed Heathman

Reed Heathman

5' 10"
Senior
Kyan Hopke

Kyan Hopke

Sophomore
Anthony Petkov

Anthony Petkov

6' 0"
Sophomore
Anna Roethlisberger

Anna Roethlisberger

5' 8"
Sophomore
Georgette Sake

Georgette Sake

5' 0"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Connor Abraham

Connor Abraham

6' 1"
Senior
Maya Bubolz

Maya Bubolz

5' 9"
Senior
Nathan Dehart

Nathan Dehart

Senior
Mitchell Forsberg

Mitchell Forsberg

5' 11"
Senior
Julia Greene

Julia Greene

5' 7"
Junior
Reed Heathman

Reed Heathman

5' 10"
Senior
Kyan Hopke

Kyan Hopke

Sophomore
Anthony Petkov

Anthony Petkov

6' 0"
Sophomore
Anna Roethlisberger

Anna Roethlisberger

5' 8"
Sophomore
Georgette Sake

Georgette Sake

5' 0"
Junior