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Maya Bubolz

Alpine Skiing Braden Golisek - Assistant Director of Sports Information

National Girls & Women in Sports Day: Maya Bubolz

National Girls & Women in Sports Day is celebrated annually on the first Wednesday of February. This day is dedicated to recognizing female athletic achievements and promoting opportunities for girls in sports.

Today, the NMU Athletics Department is celebrating girls and women, both past and present, to honor the achievements of women in sports, acknowledge the impact of sports participation, and advocate for equality and inclusion for girls in athletics.

MARQUETTE, Mich. -- For some, the desire to compete at the highest level of a respective sport is something that they never experience. 

For senior Maya Bubolz, the realization that sports would play an important role in their life was something that dawned on her from one of the earliest memories she had.

The driving force behind it? Her sisters.

"I realized that sports would play an important role in my life when I was in elementary school. When I was younger and first started to ski race, I would race against my sisters, which gave me a feeling of competitiveness that I had never experienced before. I fell in love with pushing myself to grow, becoming faster, and believing in myself."

Bubolz hails from Okemos, Michigan, was a Capital Area Activities Conference (CAAC) All-Academic Award recipient from 2019-22 before arriving with the Wildcats during the 2022/23 school year, and has been a consistent feature for all four of her seasons with the Green and Gold. 

If you ask any athlete, almost everyone will have someone they looked up to growing up, who they tried to emulate in their craft. For Bubolz, that someone was one of the most decorated alpine skiers in the world, Lindsey Vonn.

"Lindsey Vonn was truly an inspiration and the definition of a strong work ethic. Watching Lindsey Vonn win World Cup races and the Olympics was hugely impactful for me at a young age."

Vonn retired in February 2019 primarily due to insurmountable physical toll from chronic, severe knee injuries and accumulated damage, stating her body was "broken beyond repair". Despite wanting to continue, persistent pain and an inability to compete at her desired level forced her to end her career on her own terms. Vonn returned in 2024, shocking the world and becoming the oldest person ever to win a World Cup race at the age of 41, man or woman. 

Bubolz says that Vonn's hard work, dedication, and mental fortitude are qualities that inspire her, and something that she can channel not only for herself, but for younger athletes as well, especially when things may not go as planned. 

"I try to be a role model for younger athletes by working hard and showing a positive attitude even when things don't go as planned. It is crucial to have a growth mindset and a positive attitude, especially in a sport that has so many uncontrollable variables."

The women's ski team has been extremely successful to begin the 2026 campaign; the team has yet to lose a race and has swept every podium in each race so far. Competing and training with some of the best racers in her sport is something that she credits to her and the team's overall success. 

"I appreciate the passion, intensity, and dedication that the women on my team have for this sport. Every day, we are pushing each other to get stronger and faster. Whether we are on the hill, in the weight room, or at an extra practice, I can count on my teammates to cheer each other on and push each other to be the best we can be. It's clear to see just how much each woman cares about this sport and about our team."

Bubolz says that being able to compete in her respective sport and represent women at the collegiate level "is such a privilege", especially in a field as competitive as alpine skiing. 

"Having this platform to grow as an athlete and as an individual has proven invaluable to me, and I will always be grateful for the opportunity to represent women in my sport at this level. I hope that the young women in alpine skiing know that their hard work will pay off and that they should never stop believing in themselves!"

Whether competing with her sisters, emulating Lindsey Vonn, or pushing her teammates every day, "knowing your strength and always believing in yourself" is the powerful message that National Girls and Women in Sports Day boils down to for her.

"Being a woman in sports has provided me with opportunities and challenges that have made me a stronger and more well-rounded person. On the hill, whether at practice or a race, I have been fortunate enough to help build and fully experience a supportive and energetic team over the past four years."

"Alpine skiers are often within hundredths of a second of the next athlete, so it has become a priority of our team to support each other through the ups and downs of our sport, as it can be mentally and emotionally challenging. We know that balancing school, skiing, and other commitments is difficult, and knowing that we have support from the women on our team is one of the reasons we can do all that we do."

And even now, as the chapter of her collegiate career winds to a close, Bubolz still looks back to the beginning.

Those winter days in Okemos, racing with her sisters. 

"I would thank my sisters, Sal and Kendall, who I always looked up to and continue to learn from. Being able to compete against my sisters are some of my favorite memories from all of my years of ski racing, and growing up with such wonderful role models taught me how to be a strong competitor. I learned from them how to learn and grow from the losses rather than letting them affect me negatively. They shaped me into someone who cares about the team as a whole, and someone who works hard, no matter what." 



 
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Players Mentioned

Maya Bubolz

Maya Bubolz

5' 9"
Senior

Players Mentioned

Maya Bubolz

Maya Bubolz

5' 9"
Senior