LeRoy Not Afraid To Talk Title In First Season

BOULDER, Colo.–In his first season at the helm of the program, some may expect Andy LeRoy to potentially pump the brakes a bit as he gets the footing of his program and can see exactly what he has to work with in his first season. But to anybody that knows LeRoy, they know that's not how he operates.

"I think we're in a great position to start working toward winning a championship," LeRoy said.

While the Nordic teams are half way through the regular season, the alpine teams have yet to put ski to snow in a college race. That all changes Tuesday and over the next eight days, the alpine teams will complete six races and three meets worth of action.

The Buffs have a record number of skiers on the alpine team for the 2022 season, which has less to do with a new coach than it does with COVID rules that allow skiers an extra year of eligibility. The men's team will feature nine skiers, although Sky Kelsey has already been lost for the year due to injury, while the women's team is six strong to start the season.

"We've had some good training so far this fall, given the conditions that Colorado didn't receive a lot of snow," LeRoy said. "Many of the venues were limited in what they could provide for us. Despite that, the athletes made the most of almost every day we had and then had a good break over the holidays to recharge. Showing back up on campus, they look invigorated and ready to go."

While LeRoy doesn't expect the team to look championship ready this week as the season gets underway, it's meant that way, he is chomping at the bit to get the Buffs into a racing atmosphere to see who responds.

"We have an extremely talented and motivated and strong roster to go through the year," LeRoy said. "Both on the men's and women's side, we're stacked with talent. Our first races won't be our sharpest races. But if we continue to build and improve and if we do that every single day from here until the championship, we'll have a chance. It'll be interesting to see who rises up through the races we have. My expectations are high that we have skiers that can compete every day on every hill."

Men's Alpine Team Preview

Returners (8): Max Bervy, Alex Birkner, Louis Fausa, Filip Forejtek, Sky Kelsey, Bobby Ryan, Chase Seymour, Joey Young.

Newcomers (1): Jacob Dilling.

The men's team is deep and experienced, featuring graduate student Joey Young, back for his fifth season, and fourth year skiers Bervy, Forejtek, Kelsey and Ryan. The youth is also talented with Fausa back for his sophomore season after skiing for the Buffs at the 2021 NCAA Championships, and newcomer Jacob Dilling joining the Buffs from Team USA.

"On the men's side, we've lost Sky Kelsy for the year due to injury but will still be putting eight skiers in the starting gate," LeRoy said. "A few have proven success on this level, but at the same time, the ones who haven't yet demonstrated the success in races have, in training, everything we've done on hill and off hill, they're eager to take a shot and have an opportunity."

Led by Forejtek, who has 13 podium appearances and 20 top 10 performances in 25 finished races, the men's team also features Young and his 48 races of experience (along with 19 top 10 finishes) and Fausa, who was in the top 10 five times in nine finished races a season ago.

"We have some of the top guys in the country with Filip Forejtek, who's on the podium, first-team All-American, and Jacob Dilling coming in at that level but hasn't skied in college, Louis (Fausa) has been at the top in college races. When we train, almost all of the guys are next to the top guys. I'm excited to get out there and coach them."

Young in particular is taking advantage of the COVID season. Already with 48 college starts to his credit, he will likely leave with the CU record for most races started and finished. LeRoy has watched Young for four years on race day, but has been impressed with him during the off season workouts.

"I think he's more hungry," LeRoy said. "In what I see every day, I think he's the hungriest guy on the team. He's seen how short and quick a season can be. Graduating last year with one more opportunity, it looks like he's trying to make the most of every moment. He's the most mature, most motivated and has the most experience. It's been an incredible experience for us to have him back, his leadership, he's a team captain, he has a better perspective in every realm, and I'm hoping he can help us win a championship and set the tone for the year's ahead."

Women's Alpine Team Preview

Returners (3): Katie Fleckenstein, Emma Hammergaard, Kaitlyn Harsch.

Newcomers (3): Cleo Braun, Elena Exenberger, Magdalene Luczak.

The women's team has a more balanced mix of returners and newcomers, although one returner, Katie Fleckenstein, has yet to ski collegiately. With potentially the top two returners deciding to take a season off and make an Olympic push in Cass Gray and Stef Fleckenstein, the women's team became decidedly younger than the men's squad.

Harsch is the lone senior with Hammergaard having the most experience having skied at the NCAA Championships the past two seasons as a freshman and sophomore.

"Having Emma, who's competed at the championships the last two years, she has the most NCAA experience," LeRoy said. "In my eyes, she's never been better. I've seen her at training, I only saw her at races in the past, but seeing her at training, every day she gets better, her drive, her mentality, she seems more calculated, more experienced. She's going to be somebody who leads us in that realm through races.

"Katilyn has been here for four years," LeRoy continued. "She knows the system, knows how to go about it, and hopefully that starts to pay off with results that can really help us."

Katie Fleckenstein came to CU a little banged up with injuries and then sustained more prior to last season, so she hasn't started a race yet for the Buffs, but is healthy for the first time in a couple of years.

"She has returned from all those injuries and had trained more runs, more laps, every single day to catch up on the volume she's missed the last few years," LeRoy said. "It would be no surprise to me if she starts having tremendous success. It may take a while, she's starting way back in a lot of races. If she could start in the top 15, I think she could stay in the top 15, but not having skied much recently, she have to pass some people every and and I think she will. Eventually, she'll be able to start at the level she is."

The women will be dependent on the newcomers that LeRoy brought in, led by Luczak, who will be traveling back and forth from Europe to ski in the college races then participate in the World Cup and Olympics.

"We're adjusting her schedule and classes to accommodate more athletic success," LeRoy said. "She skies at a level, she can show up on this circuit and have immediate success. Hopefully, that success plays into us winning a championship. All things equal, she could be on the podium any day in any race."

LeRoy also brought in Elena Exenberger, who just joined the Buffs for the spring semester, and Cleo Braun who joined the team as a true freshman from up the road in Vail.

"Elena showed up this week and is everything we thought she'd be," LeRoy said. "Her professionalism, interest, excitement for being here. It's all new, she has some learning to do through the system, but I have no doubts she is going to make a strong impact on our team not only this year but in years to come. We're excited to have her, lucky to have her.

"Cleo is a new addition to our team, she's strong, intelligent and hard-working," LeRoy continued. "I believe she's going to have success, but for sure she's as young as they come. She'll have to feed off the success the top athletes are going to provide, but I believe she will and will be a great asset to our team."

Having been on the job for exactly 10 months when the Buffs first hit the snow on the alpine side Tuesday, LeRoy has taken advantage of each portion of the off season available to college skiers. Still, his own excitement to finally get on the snow in a racing environment is palpable and his belief that the Buffs can compete for and win championships in his first season is evident.

Players Mentioned

Max Bervy

Alex Birkner

Cleo Braun

Jacob Dilling

Elena Exenberger

Louis Fausa

Katie Fleckenstein

Stef Fleckenstein

Filip Forejtek

Emma Hammergaard

Kaitlyn Harsch

Sky Kelsey

Bobby Ryan

Chase Seymour

Joey Young

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