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Women's Skiing 1/4/2026 1:19:00 PM Braden Golisek - Assistant Director of Sports Information

Henriette Nilssen leads Women's Nordic in 10k at US Nationals

LAKE PLACID, NEW YORK -- The NMU women's ski team completed day one of the US National Cross-Country Ski Championships, and it was Henriette Nilssen who paced the Wildcats.

This 10k interval start race acted as the first CCSA NCAA qualifying race of the season. A full list of results can be found here

Nilssen, a junior returner from Nittedal Norway, finished 35th overall and first among CCSA conference skiiers with her time of 31:45.7, a mark that was 3:03.2 off the leader; Hailey Swirbul of the APU Nordic Center, who posted a time of 28:42.5. Nilssen posted the 60th fastest time at the 1.25k mark, then moved up to 44th at 3.75k before hitting 42nd at the 5k mark. She slipped to 47th at 6.25k, but then shot to 39th at 8.75k before crossing the line at 35th for the full 10k.

In a field that featured 281 racers to start and dwindled to 278 that finished, graduate student Lauren McCollor was the next 'Cat at 78th overall and 4th among CCSA skiers with her time of 33:17.6. McCollor was in 59th after the first marker, then dropped to 73rd by 3.75k and would hang around in the 70's before crossing at 78th.

Senior transfer student, Greta Leitheiser, was the third Wildcat in the standings, finishing 92nd overall and sixth among conference racers. The leading point-earner for College of Saint Scholastica and seventh-best skier in the CCSA a season ago posted a time of 33:41.6.

Freshman Emma Klevenberg (35:17.7) finished 166th overall, and sophomore Lena Kjelstrup (36:06.1) and junior Jordan Parent (36:11.4) finished 195th and 198th.

Freshman from Marquette, Michigann, Monet Argeropoulos, posted the 229th fastest time among world-class competition at 37:42.7, and fellow freshman Riley Grossklaus ended her race at 232nd (37:53.4).

Both freshman Meija Peterson and senior Ella Niznik DNS.

The 'Cats now wait for Tuesday, when they compete in the Skate Sprint. The qualification race begins at 11:45 AM, and the finals will take place at 2:10 PM should you advance through the quarterfinals and semifinals.

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Players Mentioned

Lena Kjelstrup: Sophomore

Lauren McCollor: Graduate Student

Henriette Nilssen: 5' 3"; Junior

Ella Niznik: Senior

Jordan Parent: Junior

Riley Grossklaus: Freshman

Emma Klevenberg: Freshman

Greta Leitheiser: Senior

Meija Peterson: Freshman

Monet Argeropoulos: Freshman

Players Mentioned

Lena Kjelstrup
: Sophomore

Lauren McCollor
: Graduate Student

Henriette Nilssen
: 5' 3"; Junior

Ella Niznik
: Senior

Jordan Parent
: Junior

Riley Grossklaus
: Freshman

Emma Klevenberg
: Freshman

Greta Leitheiser
: Senior

Meija Peterson
: Freshman

Monet Argeropoulos
: Freshman