Thomas Woolson '17 Hired as Men’s Alpine Skiing Head Coach

HANOVER, N.H. — Mike Harrity, Haldeman Family Director of Athletics and Recreation, announced on Friday that former Dartmouth team captain and All-American Thomas Woolson '17 will serve as the Head Coach of Men's Alpine Skiing.

"We are excited to welcome Thomas back to his alma mater as our men's alpine head coach," said Harrity. "Thomas brings a proven ability to help elite-level athletes maximize their potential on and off the slopes. This, combined with his deep appreciation of Dartmouth, makes him the ideal leader to facilitate the holistic growth and development of our student-athletes."

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING

"Thomas has been a teammate, coach and mentor to me throughout my ski racing career, and I can't think of anyone better to lead the Dartmouth men's team. He's incredibly hardworking, thoughtful and always puts the athletes first, no matter the sacrifice. As a former top competitor himself, he brings deep knowledge of every aspect of the sport and will do whatever it takes to help his athletes get better. Dartmouth is lucky to have him."

— Tricia Mangan, US Alpine Ski racer, 2-time Olympian and NCAA All-American

"I think it's a big pickup for Dartmouth to have Woolson run the men's alpine program. He's been through the system, skied at a very high level as an athlete and has coached at an even higher level. He will add experience and expertise to the role."

— Bill Reichelt, Director of Skiing and Head Alpine Coach at Vermont

"Thomas's background as an elite collegiate skier and his experience coaching at the World Cup level make him the perfect choice to lead the men's alpine team at Dartmouth. I remember him as a fierce competitor. With Thomas at the helm of such a talented group of skiers, Dartmouth will be a formidable opponent."

— Brian Blank, Alpine Skiing Head Coach at New Hampshire

"I am excited and proud to see another one of my former skiers taking the role of Head Men's Alpine Coach for Dartmouth Skiing. As a Dartmouth student-athlete, Thomas understands the history and tradition of Dartmouth Skiing. As a former All-American competitor, he also understands the challenges of pursuing excellence in both academics and athletics. Since his graduation, Thomas has gained valuable experience coaching independent skiers and national team members at the highest international levels. He will bring the latest current knowledge along with excellent leadership skills to continue the historic success of the Dartmouth Ski Team."

— Peter Dodge, Former Dartmouth Men's Alpine Head Coach

Woolson has spent the last year as an assistant and performance coach for the United States Ski and Snowboard Women's Alpine technical team. During his tenure, Woolson coached the U.S. team to a podium at the 2025 World Championship, two World Cup podiums, 27 World Cup top ten results, and a second-place finish at the Nations Cup giant slalom.

"Dartmouth College and Dartmouth Skiing have played such a major role in my life and in shaping who I am today, both as a person and as a coach," said Woolson. "When the opportunity arose to return to Hanover, I was immediately interested and excited. Throughout my career, I've intentionally chosen coaching roles where I could work alongside colleagues who share my values, who challenge me, and with athletes who not only excel in their sport, but also as individuals within their communities.

"It was clear throughout the hiring process that there is tremendous positive momentum within Dartmouth Athletics, a testament to the work that Haldeman Family Director of Athletics and Recreation Mike Harrity and his team have been doing," Woolson continued. "Having worked with fellow ski team coaches John Dwyer, Cami Thompson and Brayton Osgood as an athlete, I'm excited to now join them as a colleague and to learn from their successful tenures as leaders of their respective teams as we work to elevate Dartmouth Skiing to the next level."

John Dwyer, the Anny Jenny Head Coach of Women's Alpine Skiing, said Woolson is a great fit for the role thanks to his prior experiences with the Big Green and beyond.

"Thomas excelled as a student athlete while at Dartmouth, earning All-America honors twice during his career, which brings real-life experience to the job. Since leaving Dartmouth in 2018, Thomas also coached at the US Ski Academies and the World Cup, gaining vast experience, both technically and tactically," said Dwyer. "The relationships he built along the way will serve the Dartmouth community well in his new role as the Head Men's Alpine Coach."

As Dartmouth looks to win its next NCAA Championship, Dwyer said "this role plays a pivotal part in working as one unit to make the ideal student-athlete experience a reality."

"Over the past few years, I've been extremely fortunate to work with incredible athletes competing at the highest level of our sport. I'm excited to bring that experience and a deep understanding of what it takes to succeed on the world stage to Dartmouth," said Woolson. "I also look forward to collaborating with and learning from my fellow head coaches across other disciplines, as we explore new and innovative ways to elevate the support, training and competitive opportunities we provide for our athletes."

Before the U.S. Alpine team, Woolson worked as the head coach for Team Stef and Trish, organizing training and travel for the Alpine World Cup, Europa Cup Competition, the 2022 Winter Olympics and the 2023 World Championship. In addition to providing coaching insights, Woolson helped identify team sponsors, secure funding and manage the budget.

Woolson has also had coaching stints at Vail Ski and Snowboard Academy and Burke Mountain Academy. In between coaching at Vail and Burke Mountain, Woolson worked as a research assistant for Steadman Philippon Research Institute, contributing to research, planning and data collection for a variety of biomedical engineering projects.

A two-time NCAA All-American, Woolson skied for the Big Green from 2016 to 2018, competing in two national championships. He earned second-team All-America status for a ninth-place finish on the Giant Slalom in 2016 and a first-team All-American honor for fourth place on the slalom. Woolson was a captain of the Big Green for two seasons and was recently inducted into Dartmouth's Wearers of the Green.

"Having grown up just an hour from Hanover, I have a deep appreciation and love for the Upper Valley," said Woolson. "I'm eager to reconnect with its communities and to find meaningful ways to contribute and make a positive impact. Above all, I'm driven to continue Dartmouth Skiing's proud legacy of producing well-rounded individuals while being one of the nation's top collegiate skiing programs and a proven pathway to World Cup and Olympic success.

"I'd like to sincerely thank Haldeman Family Director of Athletics and Recreation Mike Harrity, Senior Deputy Athletics Director Kristine Fowler and the entire hiring committee for this opportunity," Woolson continued. "I look forward to getting back on campus and getting to work."