The CU ski team rallied in a big way on the final day of the NCAA Championships in Vermont to claim its 19th national title in the sport and second in the last three years. Seven of those 19 championships have come under head coach Richard Rokos, who tied former ski coachĀ Bill MaroltĀ (Busā67), who later served as athletic director.
āThat was my goal originally, to reach what Marolt accomplished in seven years,ā Rokos says jokingly. āIt took 23 years, but you know, seven isnāt my lucky number, so Iāll keep going.ā
Down 54 points entering the final day, the Buffs posted the biggest final-day comeback by a champion in NCAA finals history.
³§±š²Ō¾±“Ē°łĢżJoanne ReidĀ won the womenās 15K Nordic freestyle, followed immediately by teammateĀ Eliska Hajkova.ĢżRune OedegaardĀ helped in the menās 20K Nordic freestyle with a runner-up showing. Earlier in the meet, he won the 10K Nordic Classical event.
Reidās mother, onetime speed-skating and cycling world champion Beth Heiden, won an NCAA cross country ski title for Vermont in 1983.
The NCAA national title was CUās 25th overall, with five in cross country and one in football.
That weekend menās golf claimed a team championship at the Bandon Dunes tournament, tennis won its first Pac-12 dual and in trackĀ Emma CoburnĀ clinched CUās first NCAA indoor mile title.
Photo courtesy Colorado Athletics
