Nearly Half the U.S. Nordic Team Trained in VT

PARK CITY, UT (May 17, 2017) – U.S. Ski & Snowboard has announced its U.S. Ski Team cross country nominations for the 2017-18 season. Nominations include those active athletes who qualified based on published selection criteria in the prior season. Among the 16 spots, 7 went to Vermonters or skiers who have trained here, including six Stratton Mountain School alumns.

The Men’s A team of Andy Newell and Simi Hamilton (both SMS) grads are back as is the fearsome threesome of Vermont women: Sophie Caldwell, Ida Sargent and Liz Stephen. Coming up the ranks in the B Teamare Patrick Caldwell, Julia Kern and Katherine Ogden, all SMS skier as well.

After a strong 2016-17 season, including three World Championship medals and nine World Cup podiums, the Team is looking for medals in the upcoming 2018 Olympics in PyeongChang.

Each athlete accepting the nomination to U.S. Ski Team receives world class program support, along with access to the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Center of Excellence, as well as athletic benefits including an elite coaching, sport science, sports medicine and high performance staff, and education opportunities.

An official team announcement will be made in the fall.

Photo: Liz Stephen of Montpelier charges toward the finish. USSA/Getty

U.S. Ski Team
2017-18 Cross Country Team Nominations

A TEAM

Men
Simi Hamilton (Aspen, CO; Stratton Mountain School Elite Team; 5/14/87)
Andrew Newell (Shaftsbury, VT; Stratton Mountain School Elite Team; 11/30/83)

Women
Sadie Bjornsen (Winthrop, WA; Alaska Pacific University Nordic Center; 11/21/89)
Sophie Caldwell (Peru, VT; Stratton Mountain School Elite Team; 3/22/90)
Jessie Diggins (Afton, MN; Stratton Mountain School Elite Team; 8/26/91)
Kikkan Randall (Anchorage, AK; Alaska Pacific University Nordic Center; 12/31/82)
Ida Sargent (Orleans, VT; Craftsbury Green Racing Project; 1/25/88)
Liz Stephen (East Montpelier, VT; Burke Mountain Academy; 1/12/87)

B TEAM

Men
Erik Bjornsen (Winthrop, WA; Alaska Pacific University Nordic Center; 7/14/91)
Patrick Caldwell (Lyme, NH; Stratton Mountain School Elite Team; 2/18/94)
Scott Patterson (Anchorage, AK; Alaska Pacific University Nordic Center; 1/28/92)

Women
Rosie Brennan (Park City, UT; Alaska Pacific University Nordic Center; 12/2/88)

D TEAM

Men
Ian Torchia (Rochester, MN; Northern Michigan University; 3/8/96)

Women
Hannah Halvorsen (Truckee, CA; Sugar Bowl Academy; 2/19/98)
Julia Kern (Waltham, MA; Stratton Mountain School Elite Team; 9/12/97)
Katharine Ogden (Landgrove, VT; Stratton Mountain School; 11/17/97)