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2011 Clarkson alpine ski preview

Posted 1/14/11

Expectations were debatable at the beginning of January 2010 for the Clarkson University Alpine Ski team. While the Golden Knights were returning a strong team, head coach Austin “Skip” Fox was …

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2011 Clarkson alpine ski preview

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Expectations were debatable at the beginning of January 2010 for the Clarkson University Alpine Ski team. While the Golden Knights were returning a strong team, head coach Austin “Skip” Fox was entering his first season at Clarkson and the veteran skiers didn’t know what to expect from the handful of practices following the winter break.

That is certainly not the case in 2011. After finishing 2010 with the best finishes at the USCSA National Championships in program history, anything but a repeat performance would be surprising for Coach Fox and his group of experienced skiers. The Golden Knights begin the return trek to the USCSA National Championships this weekend at the Colgate Invitational, held on Toggenburg Mountain.

Leading the way are former USCSA All-American performers Cedrik Proteau-Dubois (Ste-Adele, QUE), the men’s team captain, and JP Phaneuf (Montreal, QUE). The junior duo has dominated regular-season races and Mideast Regionals since arriving on campus two years ago. More importantly, the Golden Knights’ men are not a two-man team, but a squad full of depth that allows numerous Knights to exchange places on the podium at the conclusion of each event during the season. Senior Clayton Reynolds (Rome, NY) has been a solid contributor for the past three seasons and has regularly finished in the top 10 in numerous events. Juniors John Bennett (Queensbury, NY), Connor O’Toole (Owasco, NY), and Bill O’Connor (Mahopac, NY) also had their moments last season, highlighted by O’Connor’s 42nd-place showing in the slalom at the USCSA National Championships. Also returning for the men in 2011 are sophomores David Simon (Montvale, NJ) and Eric Obey (Brooklyn, NY). Simon was among the top freshmen in the USCSA last season, coming in 40th in the giant slalom at the National Championships. Newcomers to the men’s team are freshmen Matt Bonner (Killington, VT), Chris Gero (St. Albans, VT), Christian Perryman (West Lebanon, NH), and Dalton Whaley (Queensbury, NY).

Last year’s women’s team posted its best finish at the USCSA National Championships, coming in 10th among the 21 teams that qualified. Senior captain Meghan Cleason (Canandaigua, NY) was the top finisher in the slalom at the USCSA National Championships in 2010, coming in 47th-place. Juniors Jill Clevenger (LaGrangeville, NY) and Sophie LeBlanc (Cumberland, ME) took turns with Cleason as Clarkson’s top female in 2010 and that friendly competition will continue this winter as well. Clevenger had a misstep at the nationals and nearly finished in the top 30 in the slalom, while LeBlanc paced the Knights in the giant slalom at the USCSA nationals, coming in 26th in that event, the best finish for any female at the event.

Three newcomers also join the fray in 2011. Sarah Shafer (Petoskey, MI), Emilie Garand (Yarmouth, ME), and Kathleen Mingle (South Pans, ME). With only six members on the women’s team overall, each will have plenty of opportunity to race when it counts, and all are expected to be top-level performers immediately.