Men's and Women's Skiing

March 3, 2009

Skiing's Brad Harden Qualifies For NCAA Championships


COLCHESTER, Vt. - Saint Michael's College junior Brad Harden (McConnellsville, N.Y./Northwood School) is one of 35 men's alpine skiers who have qualified for the 2009 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Men's and Women's Skiing Championships, it was announced on Tuesday.

The championships will be held March 11-14 at Sunday River and Black Mountain in Bethel and Rumford, Maine, and are hosted by Bates College. The alpine events will run on March 11 and March 13 at Sunday River, with the men's and women's giant slaloms to be held on March 11, and the men's and women's slaloms conducted on March 13.

Harden is the first Saint Michael's skier to qualify for the NCAA Championships since Megan McCarthy '02 finished 15th in the giant slalom at the 2002 NCAA Championships in Anchorage, Alaska. He is the first Purple Knight male to qualify since Keith Farnand '00 made four straight appearances from 1997-2000, with his best finish a 13th-place slalom finish in 1998.

Harden is one of 17 men's alpine skiers from the East region to qualify for the NCAA Championships. He had a strong showing during the six-week Eastern Intercollegiate Skiing Association (EISA) season, and clinched his NCAA Championships berth by placing 11th in the men's slalom on Friday at the EISA Championships, hosted by Colby College.

In addition to Friday's performance, Harden had several other top-12 finishes this season. He placed ninth in the men's slalom at the University of New Hampshire Carnival Jan. 30-31, 12th in the men's giant slalom at the Dartmouth College Carnival Feb. 13-14, and ninth in the men's slalom at the Middlebury College Carnival Feb. 20-21.

For the official NCAA release, visit http://www.smcathletics.com/sports/ski/2008-09/news/Selections_News_Release2009.pdf.

##PURPLEKNIGHTS###