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The Bates ski team is consistently one of the most successful programs at the College, finishing among the top-20 in the nation for seven straight years, including 2003's 16th-place finish.
The alpine team has a lot to look forward to with an impressive recruiting class according to second-year coach Rogan Connell. The team returns 11 first-years and seven sophomores who all gained valuable experience competing against some of the best in the country last year.
Erin Bragg '06 (Park City, Utah) was one of the consistent point scorers for the women's team in 2003. Bragg's top finish was 11th in the slalom at the University of Vermont Carnival. The Bobcats will also count on Rachael Levitz '06 (Lake Placid, N.Y.), and first-year skier Emily Bragg '07 (Park City, Utah).
The men's team boasts several returning veterans, including David Baker '04 (Greenwich, N.Y), who will take over as the 2004 captain, and Sean McKenna '06 (Manchester, N.H.), who had the best results of the season for the Bobcats despite missing two carnivals with a shoulder injury. John Ritzo '06 (Kingfield, Maine) will also return as one of the Bobcats most consistent skiers. Mike Johnson '07 (Lyndonville, Vt.) and Carter Casner '07 (North Kingstown, R.I.) have also impressed in early season workouts.
The alpine team has always been one of Bates' most successful teams, and recently was led by four-time All-America Kyle Hildebrand '02.
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 1999, Bates hosted the NCAA championships at these home courses. 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. | 
