UW Cowboys, Cowgirls Sweep West Regional, Qualify for Lake Placid Nationals
UW Cowboys and Cowgirls swept the USCSA West Regional at Chimney Park, clinching berths to the USCSA National Championships in Lake Placid March 9-14.
The University of Wyoming Cowboys and Cowgirls swept the United States Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association West Regional Championships at Chimney Park Nordic Trails, between Woods Landing and Fox Park southwest of Laramie, winning all four races Feb. 28–March 1 and edging out five other teams to secure spots at the USCSA National Championships in Lake Placid, N.Y., March 9-14.
The Cowgirls dominated both distance events, taking the 15 km mass start on Feb. 28 and the 7.5 km classic individual start on Sunday, March 1 to claim the regional title and the Lake Placid berth. “The University of Wyoming women’s Nordic ski team gets off the line at the start of the 7.5km classic individual start race Sunday, March 1, during the United States Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association (USCSA) West Regional Championships at Chimney Park Nordic Trails. The Cowgirls swept this race and the 15km mass start race the day before to claim the regional championship. As a result, the team qualified for the USCSA National Championships, scheduled in Lake Placid, N.Y., Monday through Saturday, March 9-14. (David James Photo)”
The Cowboys matched that dominance, taking team titles in both the 15 km mass start and the 7.5 km classic individual start. “Jack Jendro, a sophomore from Andover, Minn., took first with a time of 22:37.83 to lead the Cowboys individually and to the team win.” Other Cowboy finishers were Quillinan in 11th; Phillips took 13th; Hunter Pickett, a Casper freshman, placed 16th; Zhang was 21st; and Zanghuan came home in 23rd place.
The twin victories extended UW’s national credentials: the men enter the USCSA Nationals as defending national champions while the women arrive off a season in which they were national runner-up. “The University of Wyoming men’s and women’s Nordic ski teams captured the United States Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association (USCSA) West Regional Championships Feb. 28-March 1 over five other teams at Chimney Park Nordic Trails. By virtue of their win in all four races, the Cowboys and Cowgirls earned a trip to the USCSA National Championships, scheduled in Lake Placid, N.Y., Monday through Saturday, March 9-14.”
The program’s sweep drew a succinct celebration from the UW release: “They’re going to Lake Placid.” Team coaches and athletes will now shift focus to travel plans and final training blocks ahead of the March 9-14 national meet in Lake Placid, where the Cowboys will defend their crown and the Cowgirls will aim to improve on last season’s runner-up finish. Photographers on site included David James, whose images accompanied the UW report published March 6, 2026.
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