MIDWAY, UT - Saint Michael's College Nordic skiing sophomore Sam Friday (Carbondale, Colo./Roaring Fork) placed 29th in the 7.5K classic and junior Oliver Miatke (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East) was 36th during the NCAA Championship on Thursday at Soldier Hollow Nordic Center. The four-day event features the top NCAA Division I, II and III Alpine and Nordic skiing student-athletes.
 
CARNIVAL FACTS

• Friday scored two team points by virtue of his finish, as the Saint Michael's men's Nordic team captured 13th place among 15 schools in the event. Between men and women, Saint Michael's Nordic skiing is tied for 15th out of 17 institutions.
• Including Alpine skiing sophomore Isabella Knutsen (Bergen, Vestland, Norway/Norges Toppidrettsgymnas Geilo), Saint Michael's stands 17th among 22 schools with 12 points.
• Despite sending three skiers, the College is seventh out of 11 schools from the East. The Purple Knights are ahead of such East schools as Harvard University (11) and Bowdoin College (1), which also sent three skiers
• The Nordic races at the NCAA Championship feature 40 starters, including 17 from the Eastern Intercollegiate Ski Association (EISA).

MEN'S LEADERS

• Friday, 29th in 7.5K classic, 20:26.8
  • Started in No. 36 bib
  • Placed 8th among EISA skiers
  • Tied for 3rd-best finish by Saint Michael's Nordic skier at NCAA Championship, and tied for 2nd in a classic race
• Miatke, 36th, 20:50.7
  • Started in No. 40 bib
  • Placed 13th among EISA skiers
  • 1st Saint Michael's Nordic skier to compete at multiple NCAA Championships, after also qualifying in 2025

NEXT SAINT MICHAEL'S EVENT

• Friday and Miatke complete competition at the NCAA Championship on Saturday with the mass-start 20K freestyle at 12:30 p.m. ET/10:30 a.m. MT.
• Knutsen competes in the NCAA Championship slalom on Friday at 11 a.m. ET/9 a.m. MT.