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| Nov 24 | Men's Basketball | at Providence |  |
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7:00pm | |
| Nov 24 | Men's Hockey | Massachusetts + | 7:05pm | ||||
| Nov 25 | Women's Hockey | at Northeastern + | 3:00pm | ||||
| Nov 25 | Women's Basketball | DARTMOUTH | 7:00pm | ||||
| Nov 27 | Men's Basketball | at Drexel (Legends Classic) | |
4:30pm | |||
| Nov 27 | Men's Hockey | at Northeastern + | 7:00pm | ||||
| Nov 28 | Men's Basketball | at Cornell (Legends Classic at Drexel) | |
2:00pm |
Jan. 15-16 at St. Lawrence Carnival
9 a.m. each day
Mt. Van Hovenburg & Whiteface Mountain
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Q&A with Vermont Director of Skiing and head alpine coach Bill Reichelt
Question: Bill, how do you see the team shaping up for the 2009 season?
Bill Reichelt: This year's team is looking exceptionally strong. With key recruits rounding out our entire squad, we are looking to be able to provide a balanced attack throughout both the men's and women's alpine teams as well as the Nordic teams.
Q: How has this year's preseason training gone for the alpine team?
BR: We had our first ski test immediately after finals in December and we were a little disappointed. But given the fact that we hadn't trained since Thanksgiving and the grades the team earned in first semester (women's team GPA: 3.57, men's team GPA: 3.43), it wasn't surprising that they were skiing a little tired in our first preseason series. After Christmas we had some great training and the team is skiing very well. Our focus has been on solid technique and strong fundamentals. The team is ready to turn it up for the final preseason races before we start our carnival season.
Q: Jilyne McDonald is the lone senior on the women's alpine team this season. As a three-time NCAA All-American what kind of leadership is she bringing to the team with her experience?
BR: Jilyne is coming into her final year as a collegiate athlete with laser sharp focus. Her work in the weight room this fall has earned her Strength and Conditioning All-American consideration. Her motivation on the hill is very evident that her plan is to have an outstanding senior year. As captain she has been a great leader, and has balanced that responsibility very well with her own personal goals.
Q: What are your expectations for the women's alpine team as a group?
BR: Jilyne's ability to have a successful year is complimented by having her returning NCAA teammates, Kara Crow and Lyndee Janowiak, back this year. These three as well as the other ladies push each other everyday, and raise the bar in training. Part of having a successful team is providing the depth that the entire women's alpine team enjoys. Bryana Park, Valerie Kechian, Chelsea Lynch, Amanda McDonald and Meg Ryley round out the women's alpine team that is sure to be one of, if not the strongest in the nation.
Q: The men's alpine team graduated three seniors in Zac Brown, Greg Hardy and Ethan Korpi, who all qualified for the NCAA's last season. How do you hope to replace them in 2009?
BR: On the men's side, with the loss of three seniors, there is a lot of opportunity for the returning men. They have the ability to step up and score big points for the team, and it creates an opportunity for new leadership to arise. These returnees have worked extremely hard this summer and fall, and are ready to take the challenge of leading the men's alpine team.
Q: What are your hopes for the men's alpine team as a group?
BR: With senior Marsh Gooding as captain, juniors Erik Gilbert, Colin Devore and Bobby Paulus, as well as sophomores Chris Colpitts and Rei Aiba, and freshmen Colton Hardy and David Donaldson the dawn of a new era in the men's alpine team is here. An extremely cohesive group, this men's squad will work very hard together to carry on the tradition of great men's alpine skiing.
Q: Can you tell us about this season's newcomers?
BR: Our two Canadian acquisitions, David Donaldson, and Meg Ryley will undoubtedly make an immediate impact on the college circuit. Coming off their prospective national development teams in their home country, these two will make big contributions to our success this season.
Q&A with Vermont Nordic head coach Paul Stone
Question: How has this year's preseason training gone?
Paul Stone: We had a great fall training period. Both of our men's and women's teams have more depth this year and our preseason race results are promising. The consistent time spent in the weight room, the focus on quicker, shorter intervals, and the early snow that we were able to ski on should all contribute to our success as a team this coming winter. We are very excited to see how we match up against the competition.
Q: Paul, the Nordic team returns everyone from last season's roster. How much will that experience help the team this season?
PS: Combining collegiate athletics and academics is challenging, and experience is particularly helpful for doing both well. Learning how to adapt to the student life does not happen overnight. It can take student-athletes a couple of years to learn the routine to properly study, train and get valuable rest. The returning athletes from last year are providing a good example for our new team members. It is our hope that their experience and leadership will make for a successful team.
Q: Last year Juergen Uhl won every classic race on the EISA circuit and was a First-Team NCAA All-American. Where can Uhl improve to get even better this season?
PS: Juergen is one of the most well prepared racers on the EISA circuit. He knows what it takes to win. The competition in the Eastern Circuit is stronger than last year especially on the men's side. It's this increased competition that will bring Juergen's level up another notch and prepare him to be in a better position at the NCAA Championships in March.
Q: Katrina Howe and Mary Stewart are captains for the women's Nordic team. What kind of leadership are they bringing to the team?
PS: Both Katrina and Mary are entering their senior year and last competitive season with the Catamounts. With three years of experience behind them they provide great leadership to the younger skiers on the team. Balancing academics, training and a social life can be very challenging. Having leaders like 'Kat' and Mary who provide the needed guidance for the younger skiers on the team make their transition to college easier.
Q: Jennie Bender has consistently improved as her career has progressed. As a junior this season what are your expectations for her?
PS: Jennie has made great strides this past year during the preseason training. Efficient training, technique and sports psychology for competition are areas that she been has been focusing on during the summer and fall. Jennie is a highly motivated athlete and with these improvements she could put herself in a position to be one of the strongest skiers in the east.
Q: Can you tell us about the newcomers this season and what your expectations are for them?
PS: Our incoming first year class has added a huge amount of depth and experience to our team. Johanna (Mayerhofer) and Franz (Bernstein) come right off their respective junior national teams and bring with them strong international experience. Alex (Howe) is a junior national champion and Cole (Talbot) has finished in the top-3 at junior nationals. Caitlin Patterson, Ellery Leeds and Mae Foster have all been members of their regional junior national teams and all come from strong junior programs. Given their past racing experience and their commitment to the training program during the fall, it is likely that these student-athletes could be point scorers both in the EISA Circuit and at the NCAA Championships in March.
Last modified February 03 2009 11:21 AM