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Program Notes
Bates’ training and competition facilities are among the best in New England. The alpine team trains and races at Sunday River in Bethel, Maine, while the Nordic team has a home course at Black Mountain in Rumford, Maine. In March 2009, Bates will host the NCAA championships at these home courses for the first time since 1999. The Lewiston-Auburn area boasts several trails close to campus for in-season training. Campus and the surrounding area offer challenging terrain for dry-land training. 2009 Review The Bates College Nordic team had a terrific season amidst all the hype of hosting the 2009 NCAA Skiing Championships on their home mountain, Black Mountain, in Rumford, Maine. The Bobcats had three skiers earn a spot in the NCAA Championships, with a number of others vying for a spot in the Championships right up until the last carnival race of the season. With only one senior, Nicole Ritchie (East Dummerston, Vt.), and one junior, Abby Samuelson (Freeport, Maine), the women’s Nordic team was full of youthful talent. The women were led by sophomore sensation Natalie Ruppertsberger (Plainfield, N.H.). Ruppertsberger recorded four top-10 finishes out of eleven individual races during her second carnival season. Her most impressive race of the season was a third-place finish in the women’s10K classical at the Middlebury Carnival. These impressive performances earned Ruppertsberger her first NCAA Championship appearance. Also racing well throughout the season were Samuelson and sophomore Kristen Gill (Jackson, N.H.). First-years Caitlin Curran (Waitsfield, Vt.), Beth Taylor (Norwich, Vt.) and Sophie Leonard (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.) also showed immense potential in their first collegiate carnival season. The women have many things to look forward to in 2010 including the return of all of their top skiers.
All-American Ellefson claimed seven top-10 finishes in 11 races including a first-place finish in the men’s 10K Free Technique race at the UNH Carnival. Ellefson also had a span of three straight top-four EISA race performances during the season. Ellefson qualified and competed in his four NCAA Championships this season. Fellow senior Evans-Brown had a breakout year, claiming five top-10 performances in 11 races, and he achieved his goal of making his first trip to the NCAA Championships. All three of Bates' Nordic skiers skied well at the NCAAs with Ellefson and Evans-Brown recording a 21st and 36th place finish respectively in the men’s 10K Classic and an impressive 12th and 27th-place finish in the 20K Free Technique. Ruppertsberger, in her first NCAA appearance, placed 22nd in the 5K Classic and 29th in the 15K Freestyle. Ellefson, Evans-Brown and Ruppertsberger, along with their alpine counterparts Liz Thompson (Rangeley, Maine) and Micaela Holland Belmont, Mass.), helped Bates finish 13th in the country, up two spots from last season and the team's fourth consecutive top-15 national finish.
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