Scoreboard

Clarkson University Athletics

2024 CU Alpine Skiing Preview

Alpine Ski | 1/10/2024 9:00:00 AM

Snow has finally stuck to the ground in the North Country, just in time for the Clarkson University Alpine Ski team to get into gear for the 2024 season, beginning this weekend in Andover, NH.

Second-year coach Paul Rechberger returns nearly all of his top skiers from a year ago and the Golden Knights will be seeking a longer run at the USCSA National Championships after last year's event was limited to just one race due to inclement weather in California.

For the women, the Golden Knights had two of the top seven skiers in the MacConnell Division in first-year collegians Hannah Goetz and Elyse Donaghue. Goetz did not finish the single race at the nationals, but she showed plenty of promise during the regular season and at the USCSA Eastern Regionals. Goetz was third in both the slalom and giant slalom at the regional race and had five top-five finishes in the MacConnell Division. Donaghue ended up in 18th place at the USCSA Nationals and had two top-eight finishes at the USCSA Eastern Regionals, including a fourth-place showing in the giant slalom. Looking to bolster the women's scoring are classmates Kylie Brino and Kyla Butler as well as junior Isabella Pelkey. Even modest results from any of that trio should put the Golden Knights near the top of any leader board during the MacConnell Division season.

On the men's side, senior Sam Hayden is the top returning skier for Clarkson. He finished third in the MacConnell Division standings, coming in as the runner-up during three regular-season races. He was just as good during the postseason, where he was 12th out of 137 skiers at the USCSA Nationals and had two top-10 finishes at the USCSA Eastern Regionals. Juniors Josh Jusiak and Zach Zientko will also likely standout for the Knights this year. Jusiak was a MacConnell Division All-Star, coming in 11^th place in the standings, while Zientko just missed the honor himself. Jusiak was in the top 10 in three races during the regular season and Zientko had three top 15 placements as well.

Sophomore Reed Martin made the trip out west as a first-year in 2023, and ended up taking 50th among 137 skiers at the USCSA Nationals, while also taking 24th in the giant slalom at the USCSA Eastern Regionals. Additionally, Jack Donaldson, Braden Kruk, Noah Marino, and Aristotle Ninos each posted solid results in the regular-season to provide the Knights with further scoring depth should any of the top skiers falter.

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Players Mentioned

Jack Donaldson: Junior

Sam Hayden: Junior

Josh Jusiak: Sophomore

Aristotle Ninos: Junior

Isabella Pelkey: Sophomore

Zach Zientko: Sophomore

Kyla Butler: Freshman

Elyse Donaghue: Freshman

Kylie Brino: Freshman

Hannah Goetz: Freshman

Players Mentioned

Jack Donaldson
: Junior

Sam Hayden
: Junior

Josh Jusiak
: Sophomore

Aristotle Ninos
: Junior

Isabella Pelkey
: Sophomore

Zach Zientko
: Sophomore

Kyla Butler
: Freshman

Elyse Donaghue
: Freshman

Kylie Brino
: Freshman

Hannah Goetz
: Freshman