The Michigan Tech Nordic ski teams pose after the NCAA Central Regional Championship in Duluth, Minnesota. (Photo courtesy of Michigan Tech University)

DULUTH, Minn. — The Michigan Tech Huskies Nordic ski teams placed second at the NCAA Central Regional Championship in Duluth, Minnesota, Saturday. Freshman Markus Groethe was the Regional Champion in classic, while junior Greta Hansen (second, classic), junior Bridget Burns, (third, classic), sophomore Julia Junkkala (third, skate), and freshman A.J. Westanmo (third, classic) also had podium finishes.

“Going into NCAA Regionals, we focused on creating personal process performance goals – what would bring our student-athletes joy and satisfaction from their performances, as well as the experience they wanted to have as a team,” said coach Tom Monahan Smith. “We saw that introspective and team-oriented focus lift so many of them up to season, career best finishes, and a championship weekend they’ll remember because of how they enjoyed it together.

“NCAA Regionals was our last competition with our full team this season, and we’re so proud of how this team raced for themselves and for each other, and carried an amazing team atmosphere.”

While team titles were what the Huskies were chasing, Monahan Smith liked so much of what he saw.

“We, of course, wanted to come away with the NCAA Regional Championship team titles, but we’re so proud of how we competed, knowing we gave it everything,” he said.

Things went very well for the Huskies during the first day of competition.

“The team had an outstanding classic day, leading after day one,” Monahan Smith said. “The men had two podiums and season-best finishes by freshman Markus Groethe, who won the race, and A.J. Westanmo, who finished third, and six All-Region finishes with Sam Stertz in fourth, Noa Kam-Magruder in fifth, Henry Campbell in seventh, and Eddie Snider in eighth.

“The women also had two podium finishes with Greta Hansend in second and Bridget Burns in third, and four All-Region finishes with Hailee Zimpel in seventh and Hannah Smart in 10th. I also have to give a huge shout-out to our coaching staff for making amazing race skis in challenging classic conditions.”

The second day saw Northern Michigan have a stronger day.

“Our rivals, NMU, had a better scoring day than us on the skate day, which led them to take the overall team titles, but we had another close competitive battle, and we had so many great races to be proud of,” said Monahan Smith. “Our women’s team had five All-Region finishes, with Julia Junkkala finishing third in a lunge finish with the top three competitors, Greta Hansen in fourth, Cat Stow with an amazing final race of her senior season in seventh, Hailee Zimpel in eighth, and freshman Alex Pundsack with her season’s best ninth.

“Our men’s team was led by senior Wes Campbell in fourth in a lunge finish for the podium, Noa Kam-Magruder tying his season’s best for fifth, Markus Groethe in sixth, and senior Sam Stertz with another All-Region finish in ninth.”

Despite not winning the overall titles, the Huskies boast something no other squad could manage.

“We’re the only team in the NCAA Central Region to qualify a full team of three men and three women to the NCAA National Championships,” Monahan Smith said “That was a huge competitive goal of ours this season, and it shows just how great a season our student-athletes have had not only at NCAA Regionals but throughout the CCSA NCAA qualifying season.”

Campbell, Groethe, and Kam-Magruder, a freshman, from the men’s team, and Hansen, Burns, and Junkkala from the women’s team, have qualified for the 2026 NCAA Championships. Stertz, a senior, and Smart, a junior, will also travel as alternates.

Up next

Michigan Tech is heading out west to prepare for the championships, which will take place on March 12 with the 7.5K classic and March 14 with the 20K skate at Soldier Hollow in Midway, Utah.