August 24, 2008 (Anchorage, AK) – University of Alaska Anchorage head ski coach Trond Flagstad announced today the signing of three international student athletes to National Letters of Intent to compete for the Seawolf Nordic team in 2008-09. Signing to ski for the Seawolves are German standouts Laura Rombach and Steffi Hiemer along with Norway’s Nils Kristen Sandtroen. Rombach will also run cross country, while Sandtroen will also compete in cross country and track.

The trio joins Anchorage standouts Amy Glen and Lex Treinen and Sadie Bjornsen of Winthrop, Wash., in UAA’s 2008 recruiting class that Flagstad considers the best haul of his eight years with the program. “On paper, we’re looking really good,” Flagstad said. “Our women’s team should have a lot of depth and have a chance to qualify a whole team.”

Rombach, a Furtwangen native, has been a member of the German Junior National team for a year, while Hiemer, who hails from Krun, has been on the team for two years. Both competed in the 2007 World Junior Championships and have skied well at the German Junior National and Europa cup levels.

“Mandy obviously did a great job recruiting Germany this year using her ties,” Flagstad said of assistant coach Mandy Kaempf, herself a former German import for the Seawolves. “Both Laura and Steffi are at a similar level and should make a huge impact on our team.”

Sandtroen, a native of Tynset, Norway, hasn’t competed much as a Nordic skier but has two top-10 results at the Norwegian Junior National Biathlon Championships. As a runner, he has clocked solid times in the 800 meters (2 minutes), 1,500 meters (4:07) and 3,000 meters (8:57).

“Biathlon skiers are some of the best in the world,” Flagstad said. “Nils is solid because he’s a good runner with a solid engine. Right now he’s probably a better runner than he is a skier. I’m looking at him as an investment. But he wants to ski and he has been skiing.”