Drolet Comes from Behind for National Title; Dartmouth Finishes NCAAs in Fourth

Saturday, March 9

Steamboat Springs, Colo.

Dartmouth College

NCAA Day Four

Photo by: Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos

Drolet Comes from Behind for National Title; Dartmouth Finishes NCAAs in Fourth

3/9/2024 6:04:00 PM | Skiing

Day 4 Results and Final Standings (PDF)

Jasmine Drolet and John Steel Hagenbuch finish as first team All-Americans in both the 7.5k freestyle and 20k classic.

By: Justin Lafleur

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo. — The Dartmouth ski team wrapped up the NCAA Championships on Saturday with another sensational day, highlighted by junior Jasmine Drolet winning the Big Green's second individual national championship of the week. In the women's 20K classic, Drolet made a late charge, coming back from fourth place with less than one thousand meters to go to capture a national title. As a team, Dartmouth finished the week in fourth place, its highest finish since also coming in fourth in 2019. It's also the first time the Big Green finished ahead of East power and rival Vermont since 2018.

Colorado won the team national championship with 569.5 points, just two points ahead of Utah in second (567.5). Denver was third with 491 points followed by Dartmouth with 399. After the Big Green was Montana State (329) and Vermont (300).

The story of Saturday was Drolet, who was in the top pack for much of the race, but wasn't leading until late.

Jasmine Drolet and John Steel Hagenbuch at NCAAs — Jasmine Drolet and John Steel Hagenbuch

"I planned to try to stick with the lead group and not really lead at all, conserve my energy, stay behind the other girls and use them to my advantage," she said. "And then in the last 1,000 meters or so, I had a little kick of energy and just gave it my all — knowing that my skis were fast enough to win on the downhill — and just pushed it into the finish."

At the finish, Drolet's time was 1:02.38.2, more than three seconds ahead of Vermont's Haley Brewster in second (1:02:41.5). It was Drolet's second podium performance of the week, after finishing third in the women's 7.5k freestyle on Thursday. She became a first team All-American in both events, after second team All-America distinction in the 20k classic last season (when she came in eighth).

"Jasmine wanted this race very badly," said Cami Thompson, Director of Skiing and Women's Nordic Head Coach. "She was very nervous and it's just the coolest thing to see her smiling during the race enjoying every minute. She did have great skis which helps, but seeing her fly by everyone on the downhill at the finish was amazing."

Also for the Big Green, sophomore Ava Thurston placed 12th (1:04:24.4), followed by junior Emma Reeder in 13th (1:05:00.0).

Junior John Steel Hagenbuch led the way with a fifth-place finish in the men's 20K classic, posting a time of 56:06.3. Last season, he became the first Big Green skier in 52 years to earn All-America First Team in both freestyle and classic events, then went on to do it again in 2024; he also won the 7.5k freestyle on Thursday.

"This team really worked well together and had great energy all week," said Thompson. "Johnny was a large part of that. He was really positive. He knew we could do well, he encouraged everyone around him and went out there and was determined to win, particularly after coming in second (in both events) last year."

Also on Saturday, sophomore Jack Lange finished in 23rd (59:10.2) while junior Luke Allan placed 24th (59:44.1).

It was the end of a strong week, and season, for the Big Green, which saw a men's and women's national champion, along with at least one All-American for each of the four teams (sophomore Oscar Zimmer of men's alpine in the giant slalom and slalom, sophomore Zoe Zimmermann and junior Allie Resnick of women's alpine in the slalom, Hagenbuch and Lange of men's Nordic in the 7.5K freestyle and 20K Classic, and Drolet of women's Nordic in the 7.5K freestyle and 20K Classic).

"The thing about the ski championships every year is so many things have to come together between alpine and Nordic," said Thompson. "This week, we had a number of highlights. There was great team spirit and energy out here. The mood is really high."