The St. Lawrence University Nordic ski team will open the 2023 season at the Bates College Carnival at Black Mountain in Rumford, Maine, this weekend January 13-14.

"Starting from January training camp going into the opening carnival races is going really well," said head coach Ethan Townsend. "We are making great use of excellent conditions in Mt. Sainte Anne during this week."

Last season saw two members of the Scarlet and Brown squad head to NCAAs. Brian Beyerbach skied to a 35th-place finish in the men's 10-kilometer classic and finished 39th in the 20K, while Emma Strack finished 36th in the women's five-kilometer race and skied to a 25th-place finish in the women's 15-kilometer race to close out the championship weekend. The pair marked the fourth consecutive trip to NCAAs for the Saints' Nordic squad.

"Our two NCAA qualifiers from last season Brian and Emma had some challenges staying healthy this fall but appear to be coming into form and will likely improve as the season progresses," Townsend added.

Beyerbach, the Saints' lone senior, and junior Amanda Vansant will serve as captains for the 2023 season.

Vansant, along with Elizabeth Barsness, Samantha Nolan, Sydney Peterson, Claire Wagner, Jax Lubkowitz and Colton Martin make up the junior class.

Peterson competed in the 2022 Paralympic Winter Games in Beijing, China. She and Team USA won it's first-ever mixed relay gold. She also won a silver medal in the women's long distance classical technique standing. She is currently with the US Paralympic team, but may be able to join in some EISA Carnivals later in the spring.

Returning for their second years are sophomores, Charlotte Brown, Etta Leugers, Marlia Richer, Strack, Lilli Thomas, Leif Harvey, Jack Hulsey and Lucas Jenkin.

The Saints welcome five new members to their squad for the 2023 season, including – Mackenzie Greenberg, Isabelle Serrano, Trevor Aitken, Nico Alexander and Spencer May.

"Charlotte Brown choose to go to US Nationals and seems to have had some decent performances there," Townsend added. "I am also expecting Etta Leugers and Lilli Thomas to be impactful on the team score, but there could definitely be others. I think we have several men beyond Brian who may get into our top three performers. First-year Spencer May came off a strong cross-country season and performed well at the opening Eastern Cup and Colton Martin has looked impressive many times this fall. Our spring semester, will see the addition of first-year Trevor Aitken, who looked really sharp in our time trial this week, finishing second."

This season opens at the Bates College Carnival this week and then will take the Scarlet and Brown to the Saint Michael's Carnival at Sleepy Hollow and UNH at Jackson XC Touring Center. The Saints will have the weekend off before opening February at Harvard Carnival on February 10-11. St. Lawrence will then head to Williams on February 17-18, before hosting their home carnival in Lake Placid, N.Y., which serves as the NCAA Eastern Regionals on February 24-25. This season, St. Lawrence was also selected to host the NCAA Skiing Championships from March 8-11.

Previously announced in October of 2020, the NCAA announced that St. Lawrence, in conjunction with the Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA), will host the 2023 NCAA Skiing Championships at Whiteface Mountain and Mt. Van Hoevenberg in Lake Placid, New York, home of the 1980 Winter Olympic Games.

This will mark the third time that St. Lawrence has hosted the NCAA Skiing Championships; the Saints last hosted the event in 2015, and also served as host for the 1983 championships.

"We're proud and honored to be the site host for the 2023 NCAA Skiing Championships," said Senior Associate Vice President for Athletics Bob Durocher. "It is a great opportunity to showcase a high level of skiing, as well as the outstanding facilities that Lake Placid has to offer. It's also an extraordinary opportunity for all the student-athletes that will come to compete from across the country."

"I know we are a stronger team than last year, but as always the EISA competition is tough so moving up the team score will be a big challenge this season and we hope this year's team is up to the task. We're also very much looking forward to hosting the NCAA Championships in March and to see the team's success along the way, said Townsend.

Follow the links to check out the Saints' latest news, roster and schedule for the upcoming season.