The University of Nevada, Reno ski team is hosting the Nevada Invitational, the first collegiate alpine ski competition in the Reno area in over a decade. The event began on January 31 at Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe and continues through February 3. Local enthusiasts and former stars have welcomed the return of NCAA skiing to the region.
The Nevada Invitational marks a significant revival for collegiate skiing in Reno, as the University of Nevada, Reno's ski team organizes the first NCAA event in the area since 2011. Held at Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe, the competition kicked off on Saturday, January 31, with slalom races on the Winters Creek side. Teams will shift to giant slalom events on Monday and Tuesday, February 3.
Head coach Cameron Smith played a key role in bringing the event back. "I really advocated for us to host, because I know how much it means to the team, how much it means to this community and the athletic department, to get ski racing back in Reno," Smith said. The program had folded after the 2010-11 season due to budget cuts but returned for the 2022-23 year.
Local supporters expressed enthusiasm for the homecoming. Anton Standteiner, a fan and owner of Mountain Forge in Truckee, noted the collaborative effort to create awards with another local artisan. "We're excited to have them back, and hopefully this is a long tradition that can keep going," Standteiner said.
Olympic skier Tamara McKinney, the first American woman to win the overall Alpine Ski World Cup title in 1983, shared fond memories. "My earliest memories are skiing here at Slide Mountain. So, it's great to share this with these great college racers," she said, adding that it was rewarding to see the team return with Division I status.
Glen Poulsen, whose father Wayne founded Nevada's ski team in 1936 and helped establish the Sky Tavern resort, echoed the sentiment: "It's awesome to be back having the NCAAs here. Hopefully we can do it again soon."
Competitors showed mixed results early on. Nevada's Ryan Herusky was disqualified in Sunday's slalom, saying, "I'm a little disappointed. I think my run was okay, but, unfortunately, I was disqualified." On the women's side, Charlotte Clément improved to 17th in her first run, better than the previous day. The team aims to build on recent positive momentum through the season.
