January 10, 2009 (Anchorage, AK) – The Alaska Nanooks finished as the top team from the Central Collegiate Ski Association in the College Cup competition that was part of the U.S. Cross Country Ski Championships. Alaska (Fairbanks) finished sixth among 23 participating schools, as its women placed third and its men took 10th.

Other participating CCSA teams included Northern Michigan (11th), Wisconsin-Green Bay (13th), Michigan Tech (15th), Gustavus Adolphus (16th), Saint Scholastica (17th) and St. Cloud State (19th).

Competing on its home Kincaid Park trails, Alaska Anchorage won the College Cup with 308 points, while Dartmouth was runner-up with 257 and Colorado took third with 256. The College Cup was designed to include results from both the freestyle and classic events at U.S. Nationals. However, because the classic race was canceled due to cold weather, only Monday’s freestyle factored into the standings.

The U.S. Nationals freestyle race was an NCAA qualifier for the CCSA (and the classic event would have been). The remaining eight NCAA qualifiers will be contested in the Midwest over four weekends between Jan. 31-March 1. Each skier’s top two freestyle and top two classic results will be counted.

Next up for three of the conference’s schools – Northern Michigan, Michigan Tech and Alaska Fairbanks – is the UAA Invite Saturday and Sunday at Kincaid Park in Anchorage. Complete College Cup standings are listed below.

Overall

1. Alaska Anchorage, 308
2. Dartmouth, 257
3. Colorado, 256
4. Denver, 223
5. Montana State, 222
6. Alaska (Fairbanks), 214
7. Utah, 212
8. Middlebury, 210
8. Nevada-Reno, 210
10. New Mexico, 196
11. Northern Michigan, 175
12. Vermont, 156
13. Wisconsin-Green Bay, 139
14. Colby, 134
15. Michigan Tech, 104
16. Gustavus Adolphus, 93
17. Saint Scholastica, 64
18. Whitman, 62
19. St. Cloud State, 28
20-23. Bates, New Hampshire, Williams, Northland, 0

WOMEN
1. Alaska Anchorage, 142
2. Dartmouth, 142
3. Alaska (Fairbanks), 131
4. Denver, 130
5. Montana State, 120
6. Nevada-Reno, 115
7. Utah, 113
8. Northern Michigan, 111
9. Vermont, 78
10. Colby, 74
11. New Mexico, 69
12. Wisconsin-Green Bay, 62
13. Middlebury, 61
14. Colorado, 57
15. Michigan Tech, 51
16. Gustavus Adolphus, 40
17. Whitman, 37
18. St. Cloud State, 28
19. St. Scholastica, 16
20-23. Bates, New Hampshire, Williams, Northland, 0

Men

1. Colorado, 161
2. Alaska Anchorage, 156
3. Middlebury, 149
4. New Mexico, 127
5. Dartmouth, 115
6. Montana State, 102
7. Utah, 99
8. Nevada-Reno, 95
9. Denver, 93
10. Alaska (Fairbanks), 83
11. Vermont, 78
12. Wisconsin-Green Bay, 77
13. Northern Michigan, 64
14. Colby, 60
15. Gustavus Adolphus, 53
16. Michigan Tech, 53
17. St. Scholastica, 48
18. Whitman, 25
19-21. Bates, New Hampshire, Williams, 0