CMC ski team's Lucas Ellis has not one but two first-place wins in slalom this season competing in the Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Ski Association.
CMC alpine team notches first-ever male victory – twice
Lucas Ellis and Skigles riding an unprecedented wave of success
By Shauna Farnell
The Colorado Mountain College Alpine Ski Team is off to one of its best seasons in history. On Feb. 24, CMC skier Lucas Ellis claimed first place in slalom at the Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Ski Association’s Utah Invitational meet at Olympic Park in Park City.
The victory follows Ellis’ earlier first-place slalom finish in January at the 2026 Nevada Invitational at Mt. Rose, which marked the first by a male athlete in CMC ski team history. Now, Ellis’ second win should put him close to taking over the overall lead in RMISA slalom, head coach Scott Tanner said.
Competing against CU, DU, UU and more
CMC’s team of 21 skiers is headlined by the 21-year-old sophomore, who formerly raced for the Europe-based Apex 2100. Showing impressive speed from the moment he arrived at CMC last season, Ellis struggled with consistency, often skiing off-course and failing to complete races. That has all changed this winter, especially in slalom.
Ellis fired into this university season with a career-best fourth place in the Denver Invitational slalom at Loveland Ski Area in January. He followed up with a fifth place the following day. With almost zero giant slalom training due to minimal early season snowfall, the team didn’t find its stride at the Colorado Invitational GS races at Aspen Highlands. However, traveling to the Tahoe area for the newly resurrected Nevada Invitational, Ellis and the CMC Eagles, a.k.a. Skigles, shined.
“It was the University of Nevada’s first home race in 11 years after their team was canceled, then reinstated. They did an amazing job making it a spectacle,” said Tanner. “It was closer to a World Cup than any other college race. They had a marching band, cheerleaders, and a National Guard flyover. It was such a fun event.”
Ellis put his stamp on the fanfare from the start, leading the first run in the first slalom race and powered through for the win. University of Utah sensation Johs Braathen Herland was the only athlete to finish within two seconds of Ellis, although nearly a second and a half in his wake.
“You go to Unis to see Johs Braathen Herland and you’re like, ‘This guy is fast.’ He wins all the slaloms, NorAms, too. Lucas beat him in Nevada,” Tanner said.
Although Braathen prevailed in the following slalom at Mt. Rose, Ellis was hot on his tail, finishing second, 0.36 seconds back. He held onto his speed for one of the GS races as well, notching the top CMC result in 12th.
“I felt really happy with myself for holding it together,” Ellis said. “It was a huge relief. Starting the college season off consistently, finishing every slalom, that, in itself, is a big thing. It was a big win, definitely up there in terms of highlights of my career. It built some confidence, cements in my brain everything I’ve believed in myself, knowing I’m able to do that.”
Team members excelling
Ellis’ shining light has spread a glow among the Skigles. Sam McDermott is also in the midst of a breakout slalom season. In spite of double hip surgery last summer, the CMC junior launched into the season with a career-best 13th in the Denver Invitational slalom and followed up with the first top 10 of his university career, a ninth place at Mt. Rose.
Sophomore Maddie Welling is also proving to be a university powerhouse, landing points in every slalom and GS she’s finished this season, including a career best 10th in the Nevada slalom and 12th the following day.
Freshman Viveka Deck Stang also launched her university career with a fiery start, landing 17th in her first college slalom race in Loveland, following up with 21st in the Aspen Highlands GS and 11th in the Nevada slalom.
“The team culture continues to build,” Tanner said. “We started from scratch eight years ago. We have belief in the program. The school has belief. The community has belief. Even the other teams are excited for us. Everyone loves an underdog. Our goal is to compete with the big three – DU, CU and Utah – to scare them a little. For our athletes, the belief in themselves is what’s going to get us there.”