The final day of racing at the 2016 NCAA Championships started today with the men’s 20k classic mass start. At the start of the race the tracks were icy and fast, but it didn’t last long as the temperature began to rise causing the conditions to soften and deteriorate.

The men’s race was won by the University of Colorado’s Mads Stroem with a time of 49.41.9. The CCSA men had a strong showing today and were led once again by Northern Michigan’s Ian Torchia in fourth place with a time of 50:22. Torchia was followed by teammate Adam Martin in fifth 17 seconds later. The next CCSA skier was Michael Fehrenbach of the University of Alaska Fairbanks in 22nd. Reitler Hodgert just missed out on top 30 by 0.3 of a second, finishing 31st. In the same sprint finish was Michigan Tech’s Kyle Hanson in 32nd less than a second behind Hodgert. Northern Michigan placed their third skier in 33rd with the arrival of Jake Brown. Matthew Nichols of UW Green Bay rounded out the CCSA men coming in just behind Brown in 34th place.

In the team scores NMU led the way placing fourth for the men on the day with 60 points which also gave them 150 points over the championship and the title of the number one Men’s College cross country ski team in the country by three points over the University of Denver.

By the time the women’s race started at 11 am the sun had come out in full force, causing the course to soften making skiing very challenging over the three laps of the 5 kilometer course. The women’s race was won in a commanding fashion by Denver Universities Lin Eriksen with a time of 54:37.6. The CCSA women were led by UAF’s Nichole Bathe in seventh place with a time of 55:22, 44 seconds from the lead. Bathe was followed by teammate Anne-Tine Markset in 14th. The two UAF women were backed up by the NMU women Vivian Hett in 15th and Felicia Gesior in 18th. UAF placed their third skier in 23rd with Sarissa Lammers, to give UAF 50 points and fourth on the day. UAF led the CCSA women throughout the entire NCAA Championships besting the women of Northern Michigan by 21 points to finish sixth overall.

NMU’s third skier finished 25th with Sophie Schimpl. The CCSA women were rounded out by the College of Saint Scholastica’s Kelsey Dickinson in 36th and Michigan Tech’s Andrea Lee in 37th.

With the NCAA Championships concluded the CCSA athletes will head home and begin working hard for next year in hopes of returning to the NCAA championships to represent their schools and region.

For a full list of results and results and team scores visit summittiming.com