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Alpine Ski January 3, 2015

CU Alpine Ski Preview - 2015

Junior Taylor Manderson is one of six returning MacConnell Division All-Stars
Following up two of the best finishes in program history last year at the USCSA National Championships will be a tall order, but the Clarkson University Alpine Ski team returns virtually its entire roster from 2014 and should make another run when the season comes to a close in March this year in Bend, Oregion.

The Golden Knights' men placed second among 19 teams at the Nationals, while the women came in sixth out of 18 teams, though the two teams were certainly aided with familiarity of the mountain when the USCSA chose Lake Placid, NY as its site for the 2014 Championships. Regardless of previous knowledge, Clarkson's skiers produced impressive results throughout the regular season, regionals and nationals.

Junior Sean Donohue (Bolton Landing, NY) finished the season as Clarkson's top skier, placing ninth overall the USCSA Nationals thanks to 17th-place showings in both the giant slalom and slalom among 104 skiers. Donohue also placed third in the MacConnell Division standings during the regular season's 10 races, one spot behind sophomore Hayes Lowth (Meredith, NH). Lowth came in second with three first-place finishes, and took 46th overall at the nationals thanks to the top finish of any Clarkson skier in any of the races, as he came in 14th in the giant slalom at Lake Placid. Joining Donohue and Lowth as MacConnell Division all-stars were junior Austin Florian (Southington, CT) and senior Alex Slemp (Clifton Park, NY). Florian combined with Donohue and Lowth to win eight of the conference's 10 races, including all five giant slalom events, to help the Knights dominate the field. Florian and Slemp then finished 22nd and 26th, respectively, at the USCSA Nationals.

Though the four all-stars helped Clarkson win six of the 10 races in the MacConnell Division in 2014, the depth that the Golden Knights had also aided when the occasional hiccup was endured. Juniors Christian Avery (Lyme, NH), Eli Greenwald (Manhattan, NY) and Ian Williams (Fleischmanns, NY), as well as sophomore Bryce Recer (Ballston Spa, NY) all had their moments in 2014 and provided Clarkson with key points in the world cup-style scoring system. Looking to bolster the roster this season are freshman Asa Frankowski (Madison, NH), Greg Murray (Trumbull, CT), and Christopher Stocken (Hanover, NH). 

Clarkson's women posted their second-best finish ever at the USCSA Nationals, breaking into the top third of the standings for just the second time ever, thanks to a roster that utilized synergy rather than standout individual efforts. Junior Taylor Manderson (Ballston Spa, NY), also a MacConnell Division all-star, finished 14th overall at the USCSA Nationals with two top-20 finishes in the giant slalom and slalom. She and classmate Ashley Yoviene (Boston, NY) were two of only three skiers to participate in both races at the nationals, with Yoviene taking 36th in the slalom. The rest of the squad skied where they were needed, helping the team reach its finish. Junior Kelly Rowland (West Windsor, NJ) and sophomore Casey Abraham (Westbrook, CT) finished 29th and 32nd, respectively, in the giant slalom, while sophomores Sierra Spring (Saratoga Springs, NY) and Kara Van Herwarde (Killington, VT) produced 43rd and 56th place finishes, respectively, in the slalom. Van Herwarde was named a MacConnell Division all-star along with Manderson last year, helping the team place second overall in the conference with seven top three finishes, including five times in the second spot. 

While the six returners will definitely buoy the program in the MacConnell Division, three newcomers will likely push Clarkson to loftier heights in 2015. Sonja Gagen (Aspen, CO), Libby McCusker (Grafton, MA), and Tara Seigle (Poland, NY) each provide skills that will make them dynamic additions to the Golden Knights. 
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Players Mentioned

Casey Abraham

Casey Abraham

Sophomore
Christian Avery

Christian Avery

Junior
Sean Donohue

Sean Donohue

Junior
Austin Florian

Austin Florian

Junior
Eli Greenwald

Eli Greenwald

Junior
Hayes Lowth

Hayes Lowth

Sophomore
Taylor Manderson

Taylor Manderson

Junior
Bryce Recer

Bryce Recer

Sophomore
Kelly Rowland

Kelly Rowland

Junior
Alex Slemp

Alex Slemp

Senior
Sierra Spring

Sierra Spring

Sophomore
Kara Van Herwarde

Kara Van Herwarde

Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Casey Abraham

Casey Abraham

Sophomore
Christian Avery

Christian Avery

Junior
Sean Donohue

Sean Donohue

Junior
Austin Florian

Austin Florian

Junior
Eli Greenwald

Eli Greenwald

Junior
Hayes Lowth

Hayes Lowth

Sophomore
Taylor Manderson

Taylor Manderson

Junior
Bryce Recer

Bryce Recer

Sophomore
Kelly Rowland

Kelly Rowland

Junior
Alex Slemp

Alex Slemp

Senior
Sierra Spring

Sierra Spring

Sophomore
Kara Van Herwarde

Kara Van Herwarde

Sophomore