Colorado University Athletics
Friday, March 13
Park City, Utah
8:45 AM Women / 9:15 AM Men
Colorado
vs
Slalom at Utah Olympic Park
Buffs Back In Lead At NCAA Ski Championships
March 13, 2026 | Skiing
All Six Finish With Top 5s from Accambray, Allasina and Wahlqvist
PARK CITY, Utah — The Colorado Buffaloes Ski Team reclaimed the lead at the NCAA Championships Friday, putting together another steady alpine performance at Utah Olympic Park to move back in front of host Utah heading into the final day of competition.
Behind a third-place finish from Louison Accambray in the women's slalom and a tie for fifth from Feb Allasina and Filip Wahlqvist in the men's race, the Buffaloes scored 127 points on the day and now lead the championship standings with 415 points, 6.5 ahead of Utah (408.5) entering Saturday's decisive 20K freestyle races at Soldier Hollow.
The stakes and pressure of the day were evident throughout the races as Colorado fought to maintain its position in the title race.
"The pressure is something else," Accambray said. "We have a lot of pressure because we don't just want to do well for ourselves, we want to do well for the whole team because we love each other and we're a big family. We just want to succeed together."
Colorado finished second in both races Friday with 60 points in the women's race and 67 in the men's race, continuing an incredibly consistent week. The Buffaloes have now placed second in all six races at the championships, the two women's alpine races behind Montana State and the other four races behind Utah, but remain atop the overall standings.
With just two races remaining, Colorado and Utah have separated themselves in the championship battle. Denver (314.5) holds a narrow edge over Montana State (304.5) for third place, while Middlebury (229), Dartmouth (222) and Vermont (213) round out the top seven as the RMISA continues to occupy the top four positions in the standings.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The women opened the day with the slalom race and Accambray once again delivered for the Buffaloes. Starting sixth after the first run, she posted the seventh-fastest second run to climb onto the podium in third place, securing her 15th podium of the season, a new Colorado record.
"The conditions were tough, and there was obviously some anxiety," Accambray said. "It was a real fight today. A DNF can happen really easily, but we all fought for it. I'm so proud of this team. We were not selfish at all, we just fought for each other."
Paige DeHart finished 19th for Colorado after entering the second run in 20th place, while Cathinka Lunder moved up from 21st after the opening run to finish 17th, giving the Buffaloes three finishers in the top 20.
In the men's slalom, Allasina drew the top bib and delivered a strong opening run, sitting second at the halfway point. In the pressure-filled second run he slipped a couple spots but still finished fifth to earn first-team All-America honors.
Wahlqvist also finished fifth, overcoming a mistake in his first run that likely cost him the lead while still posting the fifth-fastest time. He skied a controlled second run to secure the tie with Allasina and another All-America honor.
"I'm disappointed in my fifth. I was expecting at least a podium," Wahlqvist said. "But at least we gave it all today. Everybody fought. It's really difficult conditions, both runs."
Justin Bigatel also delivered a strong performance, starting 30th and skiing the 17th-fastest first run before finishing 20th overall to score some extremely important team points of his own.
Colorado alpine coach Ian Lochhead was pleased with the team's ability to handle the pressure and deliver solid finishes across the lineup.
"We got through," Lochhead said. "I'm super proud of Lulu, she went hard, two podiums for the week. Paige and Cathinka both skied super solid. They both had some DNFs this season, so that added to the pressure for them."
UP NEXT
The NCAA Championships conclude Saturday with the 20K freestyle races at Soldier Hollow, the final races of both the championship and the 2026 season. The women's race begins at 8:30 a.m., followed by the men at 10:15 a.m., with the national title still up for grabs between Colorado and Utah.
"We're going to be loud tomorrow," Accambray said. "I have no doubt the Nordies will give everything they have. No matter what we're proud of them — we just want them to have fun. We'll be there cheering."
Wahlqvist echoed the anticipation heading into the final day.
"Slalom is the most nerve-racking sport in the world," he said. "The whole field can flip in the second run. It's so mental. Tomorrow is going to be amazing and nerve-racking. It will probably be decided in the final race."
ALL-AMERICA NOTES
TEAM NOTES
WOMEN'S ALPINE NOTES
MEN'S ALPINE NOTES
Team Scores (Through Six of Eight Races) — 1. Colorado 415; 2. Utah 408½; 3. Denver 314½; 4. Montana State 304½; 5. Middlebury 229; 6. Dartmouth 222; 7. Vermont 213; 8. Alaska Anchorage 156; 9. New Hampshire 149½; 10. Nevada 107; 11. Colby 106; 12. Alaska Fairbanks 93½; 13. Westminster 69; 14. Northern Michigan 51; 15. Michigan Tech 36½; 16. Harvard 32; 17. Boston College 20½; 18. St. Lawrence 18½; 19. St. Michael's 17; 20. Williams 14; 21. St. Scholastica 2; 22. Bowdoin 1.
Women's Slalom — 1. Justine Lamontagne, MSU, 1:33.71; 2. Mia Hunt, DU, 1:35.70; 3. Louison Accambray, CU, 1:35.80; 4. Tea Kiesel, MSU, 1:35.96; 5. Carissa Cassidy, CBC, 1:36.14; 6. Ella Bromee, UAA, 1:36.54; 7. Erica Lynch, NEV, 1:36.63; 8. Cydnie Timmermann, UVM, 1:36.81; 9. Hedda Martelleur, UNH, 1:37.00; 10. Lily Sewell, MSU, 1:37.45; Benedetta Caloro, UNH, 1:37.45.
Other CU: 17. Cathinka Lunder, 1:38.27; 19. Paige DeHart, 1:38.45.
Men's Slalom — 1. Oscar Zimmer, DAR, 1:33.77; 2. Julian Arthur, MID, 1:34.02; 3. Johs Herland, UU, 1:34.07; 4. Pierick Charest, UU, 1:34.09; 5. Feb Allasina, CU, 1:34.41; Filip Wahlqvist, CU, 1:34.41; 7. Christian Soevik, DU, 1:34.63; 8. Felix Lindenmayer, UVM, 1:35.26; 9. Torius Hepsoee, MSU, 1:35.27; 10. Oskar Gillberg, UVM, 1:35.68.
Other CU: 20. Justin Bigatel, 1:36.88.
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Behind a third-place finish from Louison Accambray in the women's slalom and a tie for fifth from Feb Allasina and Filip Wahlqvist in the men's race, the Buffaloes scored 127 points on the day and now lead the championship standings with 415 points, 6.5 ahead of Utah (408.5) entering Saturday's decisive 20K freestyle races at Soldier Hollow.
The stakes and pressure of the day were evident throughout the races as Colorado fought to maintain its position in the title race.
"The pressure is something else," Accambray said. "We have a lot of pressure because we don't just want to do well for ourselves, we want to do well for the whole team because we love each other and we're a big family. We just want to succeed together."
Colorado finished second in both races Friday with 60 points in the women's race and 67 in the men's race, continuing an incredibly consistent week. The Buffaloes have now placed second in all six races at the championships, the two women's alpine races behind Montana State and the other four races behind Utah, but remain atop the overall standings.
With just two races remaining, Colorado and Utah have separated themselves in the championship battle. Denver (314.5) holds a narrow edge over Montana State (304.5) for third place, while Middlebury (229), Dartmouth (222) and Vermont (213) round out the top seven as the RMISA continues to occupy the top four positions in the standings.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The women opened the day with the slalom race and Accambray once again delivered for the Buffaloes. Starting sixth after the first run, she posted the seventh-fastest second run to climb onto the podium in third place, securing her 15th podium of the season, a new Colorado record.
"The conditions were tough, and there was obviously some anxiety," Accambray said. "It was a real fight today. A DNF can happen really easily, but we all fought for it. I'm so proud of this team. We were not selfish at all, we just fought for each other."
Paige DeHart finished 19th for Colorado after entering the second run in 20th place, while Cathinka Lunder moved up from 21st after the opening run to finish 17th, giving the Buffaloes three finishers in the top 20.
In the men's slalom, Allasina drew the top bib and delivered a strong opening run, sitting second at the halfway point. In the pressure-filled second run he slipped a couple spots but still finished fifth to earn first-team All-America honors.
Wahlqvist also finished fifth, overcoming a mistake in his first run that likely cost him the lead while still posting the fifth-fastest time. He skied a controlled second run to secure the tie with Allasina and another All-America honor.
"I'm disappointed in my fifth. I was expecting at least a podium," Wahlqvist said. "But at least we gave it all today. Everybody fought. It's really difficult conditions, both runs."
Justin Bigatel also delivered a strong performance, starting 30th and skiing the 17th-fastest first run before finishing 20th overall to score some extremely important team points of his own.
Colorado alpine coach Ian Lochhead was pleased with the team's ability to handle the pressure and deliver solid finishes across the lineup.
"We got through," Lochhead said. "I'm super proud of Lulu, she went hard, two podiums for the week. Paige and Cathinka both skied super solid. They both had some DNFs this season, so that added to the pressure for them."
UP NEXT
The NCAA Championships conclude Saturday with the 20K freestyle races at Soldier Hollow, the final races of both the championship and the 2026 season. The women's race begins at 8:30 a.m., followed by the men at 10:15 a.m., with the national title still up for grabs between Colorado and Utah.
"We're going to be loud tomorrow," Accambray said. "I have no doubt the Nordies will give everything they have. No matter what we're proud of them — we just want them to have fun. We'll be there cheering."
Wahlqvist echoed the anticipation heading into the final day.
"Slalom is the most nerve-racking sport in the world," he said. "The whole field can flip in the second run. It's so mental. Tomorrow is going to be amazing and nerve-racking. It will probably be decided in the final race."
ALL-AMERICA NOTES
- Colorado added three first-team All-America honors Friday with Accambray, Wahlqvist and Allasina.
- The Buffaloes now have 12 All-America honors through six races, one more than Utah (11), and lead the field with seven first-team honors. Colorado's seven alpine All-America honors are also the most of any team at the championships.
- Wahlqvist earned the sixth All-America honor of his career, while Accambray picked up her fourth. Allasina became a double All-American in his freshman season.
- Colorado now owns 586 All-America honors all-time (330 men, 256 women), including 336 first-team honors.
TEAM NOTES
- Colorado leads the championships through six races with 415 points, holding a 6.5-point edge over Utah (408.5) and a 100.5-point lead over third-place Denver (314.5).
- The Buffaloes secured the alpine title with 264 points across the four alpine races, finishing 22 points ahead of Utah (242). Montana State (235.5) and Denver (214.5) also topped 200 alpine points.
- Colorado finished second in both the men's alpine standings (168 points) and the women's alpine standings (164.5 points).
- Through six races, Colorado has 206 points in women's events, the most in the field, while its 209 men's points trail only Utah (246.5).
WOMEN'S ALPINE NOTES
- Accambray finished third for her 15th podium in 16 races this season, setting the Colorado record for most podiums in a season by any skier, alpine or Nordic.
- In her career, Accambray started 30 races and finished 27, all in the top 10, including 23 top-five finishes, 20 podiums and nine victories.
- In slalom, she finished 13 of 15 career races, all in the top 10 with 10 top-five finishes and eight podiums. She concludes her career as a four-time All-American with three first-team honors.
- Lunder finished 17th and closed the season finishing six straight races and 13 of 16 on the year.
- DeHart placed 19th and finished 13 of 16 races this season, all in the top 20, including eight top-10 finishes.
MEN'S ALPINE NOTES
- Wahlqvist finished fifth, extending his streak to 10 straight finished races and finishing 13 of 16 races on the season. Twelve of those finishes were in the top five.
- He closes his career as one of the most accomplished alpine skiers in Colorado history, finishing 39 of 44 races, all in the top 20 with 38 top-10 finishes, 32 top fives, 24 podiums and 11 victories.
- His 24 career podiums are the most by a men's alpine skier in CU history, and his nine slalom victories are also a program record.
- Allasina finished fifth as well, ending his freshman season finishing 13 of 16 races with 10 top-five finishes, including each of his last eight completed races.
- Bigatel finished 20th for his 20th career top-20 finish, closing the season finishing 12 of 16 races with seven top-five finishes, four podiums and one race victory.
Team Scores (Through Six of Eight Races) — 1. Colorado 415; 2. Utah 408½; 3. Denver 314½; 4. Montana State 304½; 5. Middlebury 229; 6. Dartmouth 222; 7. Vermont 213; 8. Alaska Anchorage 156; 9. New Hampshire 149½; 10. Nevada 107; 11. Colby 106; 12. Alaska Fairbanks 93½; 13. Westminster 69; 14. Northern Michigan 51; 15. Michigan Tech 36½; 16. Harvard 32; 17. Boston College 20½; 18. St. Lawrence 18½; 19. St. Michael's 17; 20. Williams 14; 21. St. Scholastica 2; 22. Bowdoin 1.
Women's Slalom — 1. Justine Lamontagne, MSU, 1:33.71; 2. Mia Hunt, DU, 1:35.70; 3. Louison Accambray, CU, 1:35.80; 4. Tea Kiesel, MSU, 1:35.96; 5. Carissa Cassidy, CBC, 1:36.14; 6. Ella Bromee, UAA, 1:36.54; 7. Erica Lynch, NEV, 1:36.63; 8. Cydnie Timmermann, UVM, 1:36.81; 9. Hedda Martelleur, UNH, 1:37.00; 10. Lily Sewell, MSU, 1:37.45; Benedetta Caloro, UNH, 1:37.45.
Other CU: 17. Cathinka Lunder, 1:38.27; 19. Paige DeHart, 1:38.45.
Men's Slalom — 1. Oscar Zimmer, DAR, 1:33.77; 2. Julian Arthur, MID, 1:34.02; 3. Johs Herland, UU, 1:34.07; 4. Pierick Charest, UU, 1:34.09; 5. Feb Allasina, CU, 1:34.41; Filip Wahlqvist, CU, 1:34.41; 7. Christian Soevik, DU, 1:34.63; 8. Felix Lindenmayer, UVM, 1:35.26; 9. Torius Hepsoee, MSU, 1:35.27; 10. Oskar Gillberg, UVM, 1:35.68.
Other CU: 20. Justin Bigatel, 1:36.88.
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