Drexel University’s Ski and Snowboard Team (DUST) recently finished up their competitive season during week nine of winter quarter.
The team had high expectations for their success, and followed through — however, they surely did not anticipate the chaos that unfolded in the West Coast. Yes, you read that right, the West Coast. So how did they get all the way there? Check out the results below to see.
DUST began their season in NJ at Mountain Creek.
NJ Competition Results:
Riley Burns
10th place men’s ski giant slalom
6th place men’s ski slalom
Connor Rindler
2nd place men’s snowboard rail jam
Mia Tomlinson
1st place women’s snowboard rail jam
Blue Mountain Competition Results:
Riley Burns
8th place men’s ski slalom
Chris Cangemi
8th place men’s ski slopestyle
5th place men’s ski rail jam
Connor Rindler
1st place men’s snowboard slopestyle
2nd place men’s snowboard rail jam
Ryan Anderson
6th place men’s snowboard slopestyle
3rd place men’s snowboard rail jam
Nicholas Chin
7th place men’s snowboard slopestyle
6th place men’s snowboard rail jam
Matt Gurcsik
10th place men’s snowboard slopestyle
7th place men’s snowboard rail jam
Jocelyn Conroe
2nd place women’s ski slopestyle
1st place women’s ski rail jam
Mia Tomlinson
1st place women’s snowboard slopestyle
3rd place women’s snowboard rail jam
Thomas Carey
3rd place men’s snowboard giant slalom
Kieran McAlary
6th place men’s snowboard giant slalom
Benjamin Zavala
7th place men’s snowboard giant slalom
Daniel Kass
8th place men’s snowboard giant slalom
Zoha Ahmad
2nd place women’s snowboard giant slalom
Belleayre Competition Results:
Riley Burns
6th place men’s ski giant slalom
Chris Cangemi
4th place men’s ski rail jam
Peter Vogric
6th place men’s ski rail jam
Jocelyn Conroe
1st place women’s ski rail jam
Mia Tomlinson
2nd place women’s snowboard rail jam
Thomas Carey
3rd place men’s snowboard giant slalom
Kieran McAlary
6th place men’s snowboard giant slalom
Ian Sauer
9th place men’s snowboard giant slalom
Eric Makosch
10th place men’s snowboard giant slalom
Zoha Ahmad
1st place women’s snowboard giant slalom
Emma Detwiler
2nd place women’s snowboard giant slalom
Atlantic Highland officials canceled the conference’s favorite competition out of the five, the Camelback Competition. DUST was looking forward to not only taking podiums, but also enjoying the resort’s indoor water park. Luckily, there is always next year.
The following competition took place in NY at Hunter Mountain, here are the results:
Riley Burns
9th place men’s slalom
Nicholas Stine
2nd place men’s snowboard giant slalom
Thomas Carey
4th place men’s snowboard giant slalom
Ian Sauer
8th place men’s snowboard giant slalom
Emma Detwiler
1st place women’s snowboard giant slalom
Zoha Ahmad
2nd place women’s snowboard giant slalom
Hunter was the last competition of the conference, and with that came the Atlantic Highlands Conference Awards. Here are the results:
Zoha Ahmad
1st place overall women’s snowboard racing
Peter Vogric
8th place overall men’s freeski in the conference
Connor Rindler
9th place overall men’s snowboard freestyle in the conference
Jocelyn Conroe
1st place overall women’s freeski in the conference
Mia Tomlinson
1st place overall women’s snowboard freestyle in the conference
Victoria Harrigan
4th place overall women’s snowboard freestyle in the conference
DUST swept their conference’s podiums resulting in three first place conference champions. Joceyln Conroe, the President of DUST, took first place in women’s freeski. Zoha Ahmad, the team’s Snowboard Race Captain, won first place in women’s snowboard racing. And Mia Tomlinson, Treasurer of the team, received first place in women’s snowboard freestyle.
The conference champions as well as other top DU competitors moved on to the next competition, the USCSA’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Championships, which took place four hours outside of the city at Seven Springs Mountain Resort in PA on Feb. 17 and 18. where the team then competed in USCSA’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Championships.
Regional Championship Results:
Peter Vogric
14th place men’s overall freeski
Jocelyn Conroe
6th place women’s overall freeski
Connor Rindler
5th place men’s overall snowboard freestyle
Victoria Harrigan
8th place women’s overall snowboard freestyle
The team took three top ten spots in freestyle, foreshadowing more success to come– or so they thought. And then came the biggest competition.
Drexel Ski and Snowboard Team (DUST) qualified for the US Collegiate Ski & Snowboard Association’s (USCSA) 2023 National Championships hosted by Mammoth Mountain in Mammoth Lakes, CA.
USCSA’s National Championship Competition took place from March 6 to March 11. Events such as men’s and women’s nordic competitions, men’s and women’s ski and snowboard giant slalom and slalom competitions, and men’s and women’s ski and snowboard slopestyle, boarder/ski cross and rail jam competitions had predetermined dates and times set to take place over the week.
However, one of the most powerful storm series Mammoth Lakes had seen in years decided to roll in at the same time as the association’s championship.
During Mammoth Mountain’s 2021-22 season, they received 14 inches total for the whole month of March. This season, the mountain had already received a whopping 102 inches by halfway through the month.
Before the team traveled to California, the mountain and the area surrounding had received 27 inches of snow. The state had also made the decision to close many major highways leading up to the mountain for traveler’s safety. During DUST’s time at Mammoth, the storm dumped 68 inches in total along with winds up to 90 mph and low to zero visibility almost every day.
The mountain also posted many warnings to their social media platforms suggesting that it was likely for avalanches to occur under the blizzardous conditions.
It was clear USCSA had to make a crucial decision — prioritizing the safety of the competitors or the competition.
Chris Shumeyko, USCSA’s President, released a written statement while the team was snowed in. Shumeyko wrote, “The US Collegiate Ski & Snowboard Association (USCSA) holds paramount the safety of our athletes, volunteers, contractors, parents, and spectators… Mammoth Mountain has received unprecedented snowfall this season, and this week we have been faced with heavy snow, strong winds and low visibility.”
Shumeyko also mentioned in his statement their new schedule to fit in every competitor’s event. Unfortunately, the storm never subsided.
“Based on the best forecasts available, we developed an accelerated schedule to complete the Championships over a two-day period,” said Shumeyko. “Unfortunately, the snow and wind unexpectedly picked back up today and individual competition juries made the difficult decision to cancel certain events as a result of these weather challenges.”
On the brighter side of the unlucky timing of the blizzard, men’s and women’s nordic competitions were able to occur as well as the men’s ski and snowboard slopestyle competition, men’s skier and boarder cross, women’s skier and boarder cross and men’s and women’s alpine ski slalom competitions.
Drexel competitors still visited the mountain every day to enjoy the fresh powder the mountain received over the week they were in CA.
Though the hazardous conditions canceled DUST’s most anticipated event of the year, they can always look ahead to next year’s National Championship. Next year’s competition is planned to take place in Lake Placid, NY, a place much more convenient for DUST to travel to, and also a place that is unlikely to get two feet of snow overnight.