Bochenek and Sumner Lead Historic Day in Lake Placid
LAKE PLACID, N.Y., March 13, 2026 — Colorado Mesa University delivered a historic performance at the U.S. Collegiate Skiing and Snowboarding Association (USCSA) National Championships, with Greta Bochenek and Wesley Sumner both winning national titles in the 15-kilometer freestyle mass start races at Mt. Van Hoevenberg.
On a demanding three-by-5-kilometer course featuring approximately 1,700 feet of climbing, both races brought together some of the strongest collegiate fields in the country, including athletes from St. Olaf College, Paul Smith’s College, Clarkson University, the University of Minnesota Duluth, the University of Wyoming, Western Colorado University, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Cornell University and the U.S. Air Force Academy.
In the women’s race, freshman Greta Bochenek delivered a composed and tactical performance against a deep field led by St. Olaf College, which placed four athletes in the top eight. Racing head-to-head with Amaeli Kam-Magruder and Anna Peikert of St. Olaf, as well as strong contenders like Greta Dickman of Paul Smith’s College and Ayla Bodach-Turner of the University of Maine at Farmington, Bochenek stayed patient through the early laps before making her move on the final climb. She broke clear of the field and skied alone into the stadium, crossing the line in 44:01.7 to secure the national title.
In the men’s race, Wesley Sumner delivered a dominant effort in one of the deepest fields of the championships. Competing against top athletes such as Phil Matthews of Paul Smith’s College, Paavo Rova of St. Olaf College, Matthew Clarner of Clarkson University and Lucas Fassio of the U.S. Air Force Academy, Sumner attacked the race from the start. By the final lap, he had fully separated from the field, skiing alone into the finish in 37:01.5 to claim gold.
The dual victories highlight the continued rise of the CMU Cross Country Ski Team on the national stage. Beyond the wins, CMU athletes delivered strong performances across both races.
In the men’s field, Griffin Gracey (20th) and Jack Lackman (21st) worked together throughout the race to secure top-25 finishes in a competitive field that included skiers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the University of Minnesota Duluth and Cornell University.
On the women’s side, Ruthie Richardson (18th) led the CMU group, competing alongside athletes such as Anne Straka of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madyson Rosenberger of Western Colorado University and Rowan Tanguay of Paul Smith’s College. Jane Malouf (26th) and Mya Taylor (32nd) rounded out the CMU results in a field representing programs from across the country.
“These performances reflect not just individual talent, but the depth of competition across collegiate skiing and the strength of our team culture,” said Head Coach Marcin Wiesiolek. “To see both races come together like this against fields this strong is something truly special.”
The 15-kilometer freestyle races marked one of the defining moments of the championship week, with Colorado Mesa University emerging as one of the top programs in the nation and the only team to claim both men’s and women’s titles in the event.
