Quartet of Nordic Huskies Qualify for FISU World University Games
HOUGHTON, Mich. – Three current student-athletes and a former graduate assistant of the Michigan Tech Nordic Ski Team have qualified for the FISU World University Games, taking place Jan.12-22 in Lake Placid, New York.
"We are incredibly proud of our Huskies for qualifying for this international championship competition," head coach Tom Monahan Smith said. "They were selected as the very top collegiate student-athletes from their prospective countries, an incredible achievement in and of itself.
"We're also excited for them to embrace this incredible experience competing in the WUG as this is the largest winter multi-sport collegiate athletic event in the world," Monahan Smith added. "Lake Placid will also serve as host to the 2023 NCAA Skiing Championships which gives our student-athletes competing in WUG a great opportunity to gain experience racing the courses that they seek to be back racing on for NCAA Championships in March!"
U.S.A. Nominations:
Athlete - Anabel Needham
Athlete - Adam Witkowski
Coach - Eric Houck '22
The selection for Team USA is based off of the athletes combined distance and sprint FIS point total.
Needham, a local of Houghton, Michigan, qualified as the top selected athlete for Team USA. Witkowski, hailing from Victor, New York, qualified as the fifth selected athlete for Team USA.
In total, Team USA selected eight women and eight men along with seven coaching staff.
Norway Nomination:
Athlete - Henriette Semb
Semb is among ten competing for Norway in the World University Games as a native of Asker, Norway.
"This is only the second time the U.S. has hosted the Winter Games (1st in 1972), the US and other countries do not always send a team to compete in the World University Games," Monahan Smith added. "The games being in our home country this year presents an incredible opportunity for our student-athletes and coaches to participate in this unique international competition!"
The Lake Placid 2023 FISU World University Games will both kick-off and conclude in the Olympic Center's Herb Brooks Arena, home to the "Miracle on Ice" with the opening ceremony taking place on Jan. 12 at 7 p.m.