VETERAN LEADERSHIP WILL BE KEY

TO SAINTS SUCCESS IN 2008

Dec. 18: When the 2008 carnival season begins in a few weeks, the St. Lawrence University men’s and women’s Nordic ski teams will rely on their corps of veteran returnees, including seniors Isaac Noyes and Hunter Karnedy on the men’s side and senior Kalie Dunn and junior Kristen Bednar for the women’s team.

 

Noyes will serve as the men’s captain for the Scarlet and Brown in 2008 after a breakout season as a junior. The Hyde Park, VT native, who also serves as the University’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee chair, led the team all season in 2007, and narrowly missed out on a berth to the NCAA Championships. He is coming off of solid summer and fall training sessions that could once again put him in position come March to make at run at NCAA’s.

 

Karnedy earned bids to both the 2005 and 2006 National Championships, but fell short in his junior season. He will look to rebound in 2008 alongside junior Ben Knowles, who may prove to be a wild card for the Saints’ this season. Knowles was forced to miss each of the past two seasons due to injury and illness, but returns to the Saints’ looking to be a force on the Eastern circuit. His pre-season races have been very impressive, and he could play a major role in helping the team throughout the carnival season.

 

Sophomore Zach Wetherell landed on the podium alongside Noyes and Tom Lepesqueur last season with a 3 rd place finish in the 3x10 Relay at the Dartmouth Carnival. The Dalton, MA native logged three top-15 finishes last season, and will be working towards a personal goal of qualifying for the NCAA Championships in 2008.

 

“This year’s team is a very deep squad, as I think we have eight guys who could potentially score for the team. Isaac (Noyes) is very focused on making the NCAA Championships as he fell just a bit short last year,” said Saints head coach Ethan Townsend, who was names the 2007 EISA “Coach of the Year” last season.

 

“It’s going to be very exciting to see if Ben (Knowles) can compete with the best in the East, as his training this fall has been excellent. Hunter (Karnedy) and Zach (Wetherell) spent the summer training together and both have their sights set on having top-10 performances.”

 

Steven Vargo leads the team’s incoming class that also includes Tyler Hendrickson and Kyle Marvinney. Vargo, who was the Eastern High School Nordic ski Champion last season, could prove to be a difference-maker in 2008 and make an immediate impact in the Saints’ line-up.

 

“Steve (Vargo) is a highly motivated and focused athlete, who I think can be one of the top freshmen in the circuit this season. Kyle (Marvinney) has made remarkable improvements throughout the fall, and Tyler (Hendrickson) has shown some promise as well.”

 

The Saints roster will also include sophomores Jake Birchard, Bryan Pepper and Eric Wolcott along with junior Matt McClelland, who could all potentially serve the team on the carnival trail throughout 2008.

 

On the women’s side, Dunn and Bednar will continue to be the team’s go-to competitors in 2008 having each earned NCAA Championship bids in 2007.

 

Fresh off of her first NCAA Championship appearance, Bednar studied abroad in Denmark this fall. Though she’s been away from the team, the Essex Junction, VT native’s consistent work ethic has her ready to compete once again in the 2008 carnival season. Dunn stormed through the later stages of the 2007 carnival season, earning her first career NCAA berth, where she finished in 22nd place overall in the freestyle event. Serving as team’s captain in 2008, she will look to continue to lead the team in her senior year.

 

Senior Robin Brooks looks prepared to post her best collegiate season to date, as the Seattle, WA native is coming off of her best fall training session. She will join junior Marissa Marleau and sophomore Johannah Ludington, who recently completed a solid cross country season, in rounding out the Saints’ line-up in 2008.

 

“We’ll be looking for Kalie (Dunn) and Kristen (Bednar) to carry over their success and confidence that they gained last season,” added Coach Townsend. “Johannah and Robin look to be in the best shape of their careers so far, and we expect Marissa will continue to consistently be a factor for us as she was throughout the 2007 season.”

 

Townsend’s first year class includes six student-athletes that have exhibited both talent and determination as they completed the fall training season. The group includes Sophie Allen, Arla Casselman, Elizabeth Hayden, Hannah James, Katie Paddock and Caitlin Smith.

 

“I’m excited to see what some of the first year women will do, as this fall training has been highly successful for each of them,” said Coach Townsend. “They’re a fun group to coach and it remains to be seen who could make the biggest impact.”

 

Both the men’s and women’s Nordic ski teams will open the 2008 season on January 1st at the US Nationals in Houghton, MI. The two squads will then begin the carnival season on Friday, January 11 at the Bates Carnival.

 

 

SAINTS ADD KNUT-ERIC JOSLIN

TO 2007 COACHING STAFF

Aug. 30: Assistant Nordic ski coach Knut-Eric Joslin joins the St. Lawrence program after a year of working for the Mt. Bachelor Ski Education Foundation (MBSEF). In addition to coaching duties at MBSEF, Joslin was responsible for the Nordic Race Administration. He hosted a number of high profile competitions including the 2007 AXCS National Masters Championship.

 

“MBSEF was a great learning experience, and the chance to work with World Junior Competitors and coach Ben Husaby, who has an international pedigree as both a competitor and a coach, was invaluable,” said Joslin. “I am, however, excited to move on to the challenges and rewards of a college ski program—particularly one with a storied tradition such as St. Lawrence.”

 

During July and August of 2007, the Williamstown, MA native also finished up his T1/T2/T3 (The Norwegian Ski Foundation) Nordic coaching certification. He hopes to supplement Coach Townsend’s program with the theoretical perspective gained from this training.

 

“I am very excited to have Knut working with me this season, and I think his experiences and educational background in Nordic Skiing will be a wonderful new resource for our athletes,” said Townsend, who enters his fifth season as Head Coach. “We have already discussed some great new workout ideas he has which we can implement this fall.”

 

Prior to 2006, Joslin studied chemistry at Dartmouth College. He was a four year ski team member who volunteered his time to the Ford Sayre ski program.