Top male returners: Kyle Hanson
Top female returners: Alice Flanders, Deedra Irwin, Ulrika Axelsson
2014 CCSA Championships: Men – 4th, Women – 3rd
2014 NCAA Central Region: Men – 4th, Women – 4th

Michigan Tech looks to remain a top team in the CCSA in 2015 and is excited to host US Nationals January 4-10th. Head Coach Joe Haggenmiller believes that this will be a great opportunity for his athletes to ski on home snow in the nation’s top ski event, and offers the community of Houghton, Michigan the chance to see the country’s fastest skiers in action.

The Huskies women’s team looks to be especially strong this year, and Haggenmiller says he expects that they will be “contending to win regional races as a team, and to send three women to the NCAA Championships.” The Michigan Tech women will be led by returning skiers Alice Flanders, who finished tenth in the 15 kilometer freestyle race at the 2014 NCAA Championships, and Deedra Irwin, a past NCAA Championship qualifier, as well as Ulrika Axelsson of Sweden.

The Huskies women’s team will be aided by the arrival of freshman Anna Kubeck of Duluth, MN. Kubeck was a Minnesota State Champion, a bronze medalist at the World Youth Games, and a top ten finisher at Biathlon World Juniors. Haggenmiller has high expectations for her career at Michigan Tech and is excited by Kubeck’s potential. The women’s team will be further assisted by Sonja Hedblom and Carolyn Lucca, both redshirts last season and now eligible to compete. They will be without 2014 graduates Lynn Duijndam, and Sarah Daniels.

Returning for Michigan Tech’s men’s team will be Kyle Hanson, a Fairbanks, Alaska native now in his third season racing for Huskies. Haggenmiller is looking to Hanson for breakout results this season. Thomas Kendrick is back in action for the Huskies after a shoulder injury disrupted his 2014 season. David Joda and Sam Holmes return in great fitness and will seek to make their mark in the CCSA this winter.

Haggenmiller is also excited by the potential of freshman skier Tom Bye, of Eden Prairie, Minnesota. His resume includes second at the Minnesota State Meet, second in the 15 kilometer freestyle at the 2014 Junior Nationals, and multiple top tens at past Junior Nationals. “Our men should be competitive with others in the region,” says Haggenmiller. “We will be aiming to send multiple men to the NCAA Championships.”