Buffs Open 2026 Ski Season in Lake Placid.

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. — The Colorado Buffaloes ski team begins the 2026 Nordic season this week at Mt. Van Hovenberg, competing in four races during the U.S. Cross Country Skiing National Championships. While the event crowns national champions rather than NCAA titles, three of the four races will count toward NCAA Championship qualification. Additionally, two races will be scored as part of a Nordic-only Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Ski Association (RMISA) Invitational. Colorado opens competition on Sunday, Jan. 4, with the men’s and women’s 10-kilometer classic races. These events will contribute to both NCAA qualifying totals and RMISA Invitational scoring. The schedule continues Thursday, Jan. 8, with the men’s and women’s 20K freestyle races, which will count toward NCAA qualification but will not factor into RMISA Invitational standings. RMISA Invitational scoring concludes Friday, Jan. 9, with men’s and women’s classic sprint races. Although these sprints are not part of the U.S. National Championships, they are classified as U.S. Super Tour events. A freestyle sprint scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 6, will not count toward RMISA points.

The Buffaloes will compete with a reduced roster in Lake Placid due to several athletes racing internationally or recovering from illness. Jakob Moch will miss the opening two races while competing in the Tour de Ski in Val di Fiemme, Italy. Astri Lunde will sit out the entire meet while participating in the Norwegian National Championships, and Hugo Hinckfuss is taking the season off to pursue Olympic preparation. Johannes Flaaten and Sophie Spalding remain in Boulder as they recover from illness.

Colorado’s women’s team will feature Tilde Baangman, Elena Grissom, and Utah transfers Selma Nevin and Nina Schamberger. Baangman, competing in her final collegiate season, looks to finish strong after an impressive junior year that included five second-place finishes and six total podiums despite injury setbacks. Grissom enters the season with momentum after posting several strong early performances. Nevin and Schamberger join the Buffs through the transfer portal from Utah. Nevin, a sophomore, earned five top-five finishes and a podium last season, while Schamberger brings experience and consistency into her junior year after recording multiple top-five results during her collegiate career. On the men’s side, Colorado will be represented by William Bentley, Trey Jones, Storm Pedersen, and Luka Riley, with Moch expected to rejoin the team later in the meet. Pedersen will make his collegiate debut and aims to challenge for strong placements early on. Riley emerged as a reliable top-10 finisher late last season, while Jones has already proven himself with a podium result as a freshman and has a history of success at U.S. Championships. Bentley provides valuable experience and depth as the Buffs navigate the meet with limited personnel.

Daily racing is scheduled to begin at approximately 10 a.m. Eastern Time (8 a.m. Mountain Time). While the event will not be televised, live timing and results will be available through Bullet Timing.