HOUGHTON, Mich. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) ---The Green Bay Nordic skiing team competed at the NCAA Central Region Championships this weekend in a last bid to qualify for the NCAA Championships. Redshirt sophomore Sadie Peterson has officially clinched her ticket to the NCAAs, averaging quick enough races and high enough finishes throughout the season to secure a qualifying position. She is the first women's team qualifier since 2011.

"I am super excited regarding Sadie's performance not just this weekend but through the entire ski season. She has proven to be one of the strongest women in the CCSA and it will be great to see what she can do at the National Championships," said head coach Jeremy Hecker.

"It was a great race weekend to end the season," he added. "The skiers had to battle not just each other, but Mother Nature as well. 12 inches of new snow and 40mph winds made for interesting conditions on Sunday, so our team really had to dig deep both mentally and physically to pull out top performances and show that they have been improving all season long. It has been a long season, but I have seen signs of what the future has to hold for Phoenix Skiing. This was a transition year for the team, so I can only imagine the improvements that will be made in the coming years with a consistent training program and support."
 
Day One
The Phoenix took on the freestyle events on Saturday, with the women led by Peterson's fifth-place finish with a time of 16:39.3. Classmate Maria Schoening also raced well in the 5k, collecting 11th in 17:43.3, while redshirt senior Maddie McKeefry finished 18th in 18:16.8. 
 
Redshirt senior Jacob Ajax paced the Phoenix on the men's side, crossing the line at 30:22.6 for 13th. Sam Myers stepped up for the team, earning 14th in 30:25.8. Fellow redshirt sophomore Tom Woolhouse rounded out the scoring three with a 20th-place 30:48.4, but sophomore Shad Kraftson was right there as well in 30:51.0 for 21st.
 
Day Two
The classic races took place on Sunday, and Peterson did not disappoint with her 1:01:24.2, good for eighth. McKeefry moved into the second spot on the women's roster with a 13th-place finish in her last race as a Phoenix, recording a time of 1:03:32.0. Schoening took home points as well, placing 17th in 1:09:35.6, while redshirt senior Emily Burger also competed for Green Bay one last time, stopping the clock at 1:11:52.6 for 18th.
 
Kraftson shone for the men as the first Phoenix to finish, taking 16th in 1:17:03.6. Redshirt freshman Ian Ivens also made a statement, coming in at 1:17:41.2 for 20th, while Woolhouse wasn't too far off with a 22nd-place 1:18:11.5. Close behind, Ajax said farewell to his time as a Phoenix with this race, taking 23rd overall in 1:18:48.7.
 
Looking Ahead
Peterson will now advance to the NCAA Championships, taking place in Stowe, Vermont. She will represent Green Bay at the national meet, which runs from March 6-9. Click HERE to view all CCSA qualifiers.
 
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