Ski Team Newsletter - Summer 2026 - University of Colorado Athletics

Dear Buff Ski Family,

As we prepare for another exciting season, I want to thank each of you for your continued support of Colorado Skiing. Our alumni, parents, donors and friends are the foundation of our program, and your commitment allows our student-athletes to pursue excellence both in the classroom and on the snow.

Looking Back at an Outstanding Season

The 2025-26 season showcased the determination and tradition that define Colorado Skiing. Our student-athletes represented the Buffs with tremendous pride, competing against the nation's best while balancing the demands of academics and athletics.

The NCAA Championships once again highlighted the incredible depth of collegiate skiing. Our team battled throughout the season and finished as the national runner-up, with outstanding individual performances and contributions from every discipline. While we always strive for championships, the dedication, resilience and team-first attitude displayed throughout the year made us incredibly proud.

Just as importantly, our athletes continued to excel in the classroom and in the Boulder community, reinforcing what it means to be a Colorado Buffalo.

A New Era: The NCAA "Five-for-Five" Rule

College athletics is entering a new chapter with the adoption of the NCAA's new "Five-for-Five" eligibility model. Beginning with the 2026-27 academic year, eligible student-athletes will have five years of competition within a five-year eligibility window, replacing many of the previous sport-specific eligibility rules and exceptions. The model also moves the start of the eligibility clock to age 19 — a change from the current model for collegiate skiing, under which the clock did not begin until age 21.

For collegiate skiing, this represents one of the most significant changes in decades. The new model creates greater clarity for prospective student-athletes, changes recruiting timelines, and provides more consistency across Division I sports. We are excited about the opportunities this presents while remaining committed to attracting and developing the very best student-athletes from around the world.

Sprint Racing Comes to the NCAA Championships

Another exciting development for collegiate skiing is the addition of the Nordic Sprint to the NCAA Championship program.

Sprint racing has become one of the most exciting disciplines in international skiing, showcasing explosive speed, tactics and head-to-head competition. Bringing this event to the NCAA Championships will create even more excitement for athletes and fans while highlighting another dimension of Nordic skiing. We look forward to preparing our athletes to compete at the highest level in this fast-paced format.

Save the Date: Ski Ball 2026

We are thrilled to invite you to Ski Ball 2026, our signature fundraising celebration. The 56th Annual Ski Ball will take place Friday, Oct. 2, at the Limelight Hotel in Boulder, followed by the Texas Tech football game on Saturday, Oct. 3. It's also Homecoming weekend, so we hope you can all make it back to Boulder.

This special evening brings together alumni, friends, supporters, current student-athletes and coaches to celebrate the rich tradition of Colorado Skiing while raising critical support for the future of our program. Register and book your hotel now — registration closes Sept. 11.

Honoring Connie and Bill Marolt

This year's Ski Ball will feature a special tribute to Connie and Bill Marolt, whose lifelong dedication and unwavering commitment have left an extraordinary mark on Colorado Skiing.

Connie's passion for our athletes, her leadership and her generosity have helped strengthen this program for generations, and we are honored to celebrate the remarkable legacy she continues to build within the Buff Ski family.

Bill's legacy is woven into nearly every chapter of Colorado Skiing. A four-time individual national champion and 1964 Olympian as a Buff, he returned as head coach to build the program that won eight straight NCAA titles in the 1970s, guiding seven of them himself. As athletic director, he hired the coaches who carried the tradition forward, including longtime head coach Richard Rokos. All told, Bill's fingerprints are on 27 of CU's 30 national championships as an athlete, coach or administrator.

We hope you'll join us for this unforgettable evening as we celebrate our past, invest in our future, and honor two of the great champions of Colorado Skiing.