Eighteen Westminster Students Named to 2012 U.S. Alpine and Freestyle Ski Teams

VAIL, Colo. – Eighteen Westminster students have been named to the 2012 U.S. Alpine Ski Team and U.S. Freestyle Ski Team – a historic number for the college.

For the Alpine Team, Westminster sophomore Alice McKennis (Glenwood Springs, CO) rejoins an already deep women's speed team that includes sophomores Laurenne Ross (Bend, OR) and Leanne Smith (North Conway, NH). U.S. speed women won both the downhill and super G standings for the 2011 World Cup season, besting traditional powerhouses like Austria and Switzerland.

“There is an incredible amount of momentum with this team,” said U.S. Ski Team Alpine Director Patrick Riml. “We closed the last winter with multiple Audi FIS Alpine World Cup titles and opened 2012 with back-to-back wins. Now it's time to take that momentum and continue to execute.”

On the Freestyle side, 2010 Olympic Bronze medalist and Westminster freshman Bryon Wilson will headline a strong group of athletes named to the 2012 team.

“The veteran leadership this year will create depth to the program and secure our success over the next three seasons,” said Freestyle Director, Todd Schirman.

Westminster currently has more than 70 students on the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Team who compete in a variety of disciplines, from snowboarding to cross-country skiing. Westminster is the Official Partner: Higher Education for the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Team, and offers a USSA Tuition Grant program to current USSA national athletes and qualifying alumni.

“Westminster is pleased to have these outstanding young men and women as a part of our student body,” added Safia Keller, director of corporate relations and USSA liaison. “These student athletes give their best not only on the slopes, but in the classroom. The average GPA of Westminster’s U.S. Alpine Ski Team athletes is an amazing 3.85. We look forward to watching them compete this year and wish them the best of luck.”

U.S. Ski Team athletes have garnered more than 65 World Championship medals dating back to 1948.

Below is the list of Westminster students named to the 2012 U.S. Alpine Ski Team and U.S. Freestyle Ski Team Roster:
* Denotes Olympian

Alpine A Team (Men)
TJ Lanning, Park City, UT
 
Alpine A Team (Women)
*Alice McKennis, Glenwood Springs, CO
Laurenne Ross, Klamath Falls, OR
*Leanne Smith, Conway, NH
 
Freestyle A Team (Men)
*Bryon Wilson, Moguls, Butte, MT
 
Freestyle A Team (Women)
*Heather McPhie, Moguls, Bozeman, MT
 
Alpine B Team (Men)
Travis Ganong, Squaw Valley, CA
Colby Granstrom, Lake Stevens, WA
 
Alpine B Team (Women)
*Hailey Duke, Boise, ID
*Chelsea Marshall, Pittsfield, VT
*Megan McJames, Park City, UT

Freestyle B Team (Men)
Dylan Ferguson, aerials, Amesbury, MA
 
Alpine C Team (Men)
Jared Goldberg, Holladay, UT
Brennan Rubie, Salt Lake City, UT
 
Alpine C Team (Women)
Julia Ford, Plymouth, NH
Brooke Wales, Sammamish, WA
 
Freestyle C Team (Men)
Hans Gardner, aerials, Orchard Park, NY
Landon Gardner, moguls, Missoula, MT

About Westminster:
Westminster is a nationally recognized, comprehensive liberal arts college. With a broad array of graduate and undergraduate programs, Westminster is distinguished by its unique environment for learning. Westminster prepares students for success through active and engaged learning, real world experiences and its vibrant campus community. Westminster’s unique location, adjacent to the Rocky Mountains and to the dynamic city of Salt Lake, further enriches the college experience. For more information visit www.westminstercollege.edu or follow @WestminsterSLC on Twitter.