Performances at SMU Invite a better
barometer of how Cardinals stack up

WINONA, Minn. — Saint Mary’s University nordic ski coach Kelly Skillicorn figured her teams’ season-opening performance at their meet in Marquette, Mich., two weeks ago was a good barometer for how her teams stacked up against other collegiate nordic ski teams.

But with teams like UW-Green Bay, Northern Michigan and Michigan Tech — none of which is an NCAA Division III school and all of which are nordic ski powers — among the field, it really didn’t give Skillicorn a clear picture of what her teams were capable of.

The picture is much clearer now.

The Cardinals first-year head coach got an up-close look at what the competition in the season-ending Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships will be like as Carleton, St. Olaf and Gustavus were among the teams taking part in the SMU Invitational last weekend.

“I think (the SMU Invitational) gives me a better feel for how we stack up with the teams we are going to be competing against at the end of the year (in the conference championships),” said Skillicorn. “We had some nice, solid races. Overall, I was pretty pleased with our performances.”

Garrick Holey (Mounds View, Minn.) and Mike Uffenbeck (Cable, Wis.) led the Cardinal men to a third-place showing in both the 10-kilometer classic race and the 15K freestyle race.
Holey clocked a time of 36:42 in the classic race, while adding a 52:42 in Sunday’s freestyle race. Uffenbeck, meanwhile, chipped in a 40:14 in the classic and a 54.26 in the freestyle, while Matt Viscasillas (Shoreview, Minn.) turned in times f 45:05 in the classic and 1:14:33 in the freestyle and Pete Schweich (Red Wing, Minn.) added times of 40:53 in the classic and 57:07 in the freestyle.

On the women’s side, Amy Henjum (Woodbury, Minn.) was the SMU women’s top skier in both the 10K classic and 10K freestyle. Henjum clocked a time of 42:18 in the classic, while adding a time of 37:58 in the freestyle. Missy Mollick (Hastings, Minn.) was the only other SMU skier competing, posting times of 45:40 and 46:41 in the classic and freestyle, respectively.