BEND, Ore. – The Lees-McRae Ski & Snowboard team took to the course at Mt. Bachelor in Bend, Oregon for the 2025 U.S. Collegiate Ski & Snowboard National Championships last week. The Bobcats recorded a team national title in Women's BoarderCross and Men's Giant Slalom.
Luke Koch was crowned the champion in the Men's Giant Slalom.
The Bobcats began their week with a third-place finish in the Men's BoarderCross with 31 total points. Koch led the way with fifth place individually. Aiden Garner followed in eighth for Lees-McRae. Kenneth Stanford (18th), Spencer Gibson (20th), and Chance Markland (33rd) rounded out the Bobcats in the event.
The Lees-McRae women's snowboard team claimed the team title in Boarder Cross on Wednesday with 14 place points. Lilly Kamp tallied a runner-up finish in the event and Abigail Byrd placed fifth. Nicole Yoos followed closely in seventh and Anna Craver registered 12th place for the Bobcats. Shelby Knaak took 33rd for the Bobcat snowboard team individually.
On Thursday, the Lees-McRae snowboarders took the Slalom and Giant Slalom courses with incredible finishes in both events. Koch took the individual title in the GS Event and the men's team earned the team title with an overall time of 4:47.24. Stanford placed fifth for the Bobcats in the Giant Slalom and Garner placed 13th. Gibson, 19th, and Chance Markland, 21st, rounded out the Lees-McRae men's snowboarding team.
On the women's side, Lees-McRae finished third in the Giant Slalom National Championship and fifth in the Slalom National Championship. Kamp led the way with fifth place and Byrd collected ninth place. Craver took 32nd for the Bobcats and Knaak earned 35th. In Giant Slalom, Byrd led the Bobcats with a fifth-place individual finish. Kamp took eighth while Craver (30th) and Knaak (32nd) rounded out the placements for Lees-McRae.
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