Park City, Utah - The Colby Alpine Ski team opened the 2026 NCAA Ski Championships with a bang Wednesday. With four total athletes competing (three women, one man), Townsend Mikell (headline photo) had the day of his life when he won the second run and vaulted into 4th place, earning First Team All-American. 

The women's race started the day, with Althea Noyes, Kate McKenney, and Carissa Cassidy kicking out of the gate to represent the Mules.  Noyes had a great first run (16th) and held strong second run to finish 19th overall.  She was third for Division III athletes. Cassidy, racing in her second national championship series, was steady through the challenging terrain and conditions, finishing 26th in a field of 34 starters. McKenney, despite a strong top section, ran into issues in the middle section first run and failed to finish. Collectively, the trio combined to finish 11th place as a team. The race was won by Justine Lamontagne from Montana State University. The Canadian recently finished 28th in the Giant Slalom at the Cortina Olympic Games less than a month ago. 

Mikell (photo left) was the lone competitor for Colby on the men's side, and he certainly made the most of his opportunity. In a homecoming of sorts (the sophomore grew up in Salt Lake City), Mikell sped down the course from bib 24 to finish the opening run in 11th.  Despite potential nerves battling with expectations, he threw down the fastest second run to leap all the way into fourth place, just 0.03 seconds off the podium. His efforts not only claimed All-American status, but it also landed the men's team in 9th place in team standings. Norwegian Johs Herland from the University of Utah won the event. 

"Qualifying for this event is a huge achievement in and of itself," said head coach Eric Harlow.  NCAA selects 34 men and women from the East Region, as well as 34 from the West Region, creating a field of 68 for each gender. "Carissa, Althea, Townsend, and Kate had already accomplished so much prior to today, and they have made us all so proud. For Townsend to ski the way he did in his home state, in front of his family and friends was truly something special. Also knowing what Townsend has had to fight through the last few years with injury makes his result even more inspiring."

Each of the last three seasons have been shortened for Mikell due to knee injuries. 

Harlow continued, "Colby Skiing is celebrating today!"

The Mules will enjoy a short training session Thursday ahead of Friday's final event of the series (Slalom).