HOUGHTON, Mich. (csssaints.com) -- Ellie Evans (New Hope, Minn./Robbinsdale Cooper HS) posted her best finish in a U.S. National Championship, Monday in Houghton, finishing with the 65^th fastest time in the 1.5km freestyle sprint in a time of 4:16.17. She led a trio of Saints on the day that included Kelsey Dickinson (Winthrop, Wash./Liberty Bell HS) (75^th, 4:22.82) and Chelsey Youngberg (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East HS) (101^st, 4:31.75). 

While not a collegiate race, the results of the sprint qualifier is used to conduct the College Cup results.  The Saints skiers finished 28^th, 30^th, and 42^nd among college skiers and 15^th,17^th, and 22^nd among CCSA skiers, respectively.

The top 30 competitors move onto heats, so the Saints ended their day with the qualifier.

"I'm pleased with where we are," said Saints head coach, Chad Salmela.  "It's nice to get into the heats, and we've done that with a few athletes in the past, but as a college program this time of year, it'll never be a goal of our team to do that here. It's just a bonus if someone skis fast enough to qualify and makes the day fun and exciting, but our goals are longer distances, later in the season.  All three nearly in the top 100 is fine with me for today."

Salmela felt Evans' performance was particularly important. "Ellie and I have been trying the last couple months to dig her out from under some big fatigue. While today wasn't anything to get giddy about, it was a huge indicator to me that we're getting to where we want to be.  We really need Ellie vibrant for the remainder of the season, so this was encouraging today, showing she can get up and move."

The Saints move to the other end of the spectrum Thursday as Nationals continue with a 20km freestyle mass start.