The NDSU men’s and women’s Nordic ski clubs give students a winter outlet for competition, camaraderie and fun.
The clubs, which are two of NDSU’s more than 300 student organizations, compete in races throughout the region against other Midwest universities. They travel, practice and race together, creating an atmosphere that helps round out a student’s overall experience at NDSU.
“As a freshman, I signed up at the involvement expo without any experience in the sport because I was looking to make the winter months go faster,” said Joanna Larson, the women’s team president. “I love the outdoors and find the Nordic community to be comprised of a lot of hearty folks that enjoy backpacking, camping and other interests similar to my own. The club has allowed me to meet people and grow my leadership skills as a team officer.”
Other winter sports also have been successful. The NDSU curling team captured the 2019 College Curling Championship in Wayland, Massachusetts.
JP Munich, a freshman majoring in finance from Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, led the NDSU team as it defeated the State University of New York Polytechnic Institute squad by a score of 6-2.
“We had a great group of people come together to create this team and it is satisfying to see us achieve our goals so quickly,” said Munich. “The title truly shows the time and effort we put into the sport as a team.”
The NDSU team was 3-0 in pool play and finished the competition with a perfect 6-0 record. The squad defeated Rochester Institute of Technology, 7-4, in the quarterfinals and beat Yale in the semifinal by 11-1.
The organizations often hold group workouts once a week at the Wallman Wellness Center. Students are welcomed to practice with the teams. Equipment for skiing and curling, including skates and classic skis, poles, boots and carrying bags, is available to students.
