SLU at 2025 NCAA Skiing Championships: Seniors Kobe Villeneuve (Alpine) and Emma Strack (Nordic) Are Competing for the Saints
St. Lawrence University has two athletes competing at this year’s National Collegiate Athletic Association Skiing Championships, hosted by Dartmouth College for the first time in over a decade. The event is taking place in Hanover, New Hampshire, with alpine races held at the Dartmouth Skiway in Lyme and cross-country events at Oak Hill, which recently underwent a multi-million-dollar renovation to improve its facilities. The championships have drawn top collegiate skiers from across the country, with challenging conditions making for an unpredictable competition.
On Wednesday morning, SLU’s Kobe Villeneuve ’25 took on the men’s slalom event, putting together two consistent runs that earned him a 21st-place finish overall. Most notably, Villeneuve posted the fastest second run of the entire field, an impressive feat that demonstrated his ability to navigate difficult course conditions. The weather added an extra layer of difficulty for competitors, with intermittent rain showers and thick fog rolling in over the mountain’s higher elevations. Despite these obstacles, Villeneuve delivered a strong performance and will look to build on that momentum in today’s giant slalom event.
Meanwhile, SLU’s Emma Strack ’25 hopes to showcase her endurance and skill in the women’s 7.5k cross-country race, which is her final appearance at the NCAA National Championships. Strack, a seasoned veteran of the SLU ski team, has proven herself to be one of the most consistent and dedicated athletes in the program’s history. Notably, she is the first skier from SLU to qualify for all four years of the national championships, an impressive accomplishment that is a testament to her talent and perseverance.
Strack’s season has been particularly eventful, as she also represented the United States at the U23 World Championships in Schilpario, Italy earlier this year. Competing on the international stage has provided her with invaluable experience, racing alongside athletes who have posted results at the World Cup and World Championships. Several of her competitors at the NCAA Championships are expected to race at next year’s Winter Olympics in Torino, further emphasizing the high level of competition she has faced.
Looking ahead, Strack will compete in her final collegiate race on Saturday in the 20k mass start skate. With strong results already under her belt this season, she will aim to close out her NCAA career with another standout performance. As SLU’s most decorated NCAA skiing qualifier and an athlete whom her coach Ethan Townsend ’98 has called “the most accomplished student-athlete I have coached and arguably in program history,” she leaves behind a legacy that will inspire future generations of Saint’s skiers.
With both Villeneuve and Strack putting forth strong performances, SLU continues to make its mark at this year’s NCAA Championships, competing against some of the best collegiate skiers in the country.