HOUGHTON, Mich. (csssaints.com) – The St. Scholastica women's nordic ski team had its first competition of the season on Sunday, taking part in the U.P. Opener, hosted by Michigan Tech University.
 
This weekend's event was initially scheduled to take place in Ishpeming, Michigan and hosted by Northern Michigan University, but the lack of snow moved everything to Houghton. Sunday's race was a 5km classic event.
 
Kelsey Dickinson (Winthrop, Wash./Liberty Bell HS), who qualified for the NCAA Championships last season for the Saints, came home third behind a pair of Northern Michigan skiers. Dickinson finished with a time of 17:21.
 
Senior Ellie Evans (New Hope, Minn./Robbinsdale Cooper HS) was eighth overall, posting a time of 18:05. Freshman Nicole Gilman (Manitowish Waters, Wis./Lakeland Union HS) was 11^th in her first collegiate ski event with a time of 19:01. Greta Jenkins (Palmer, Alaska/Colony HS) was 13^th with a time of 19:47.
 
Vivian Hett won the event for Northern Michigan finishing in 16:44. Hett also competed at the NCAA Championships last year for the Wildcats
 
Sunday also marked the debut of Maria Stuber as St. Scholastica's men's and women's nordic ski coach. Stuber competed collegiately at rival Northern Michigan and competed at the 2008 NCAA Championships.
 
Up Next
The Saints will be back in Houghton for the Michigan Tech JOQ event next Saturday and Sunday.