Stefan Hughes

Position:
Alpine
Height:
5-11
Weight:
195
Class:
Senior
Hometown:
Killington, Vt.
High School:
Burke Mountain Academy

2009 Second Team All-American (Slalom)

2007 Second Team All-American (Giant Slalom)

Top Career Slalom Finish: 2nd (twice, last at 2007 Utah Invitational)

Top Career Giant Slalom Finish: 3rd (2007 Utah Invitational)

2009 - Hughes wrapped up his junior season as the 10th-best slalom skier in the west with four top-10 finishes in that event on the year, landing him a spot on the All-RMISA Second Team. His season-best finish came at the first regional qualifier when Hughes raced to a fourth-place slalom finish on CU's home hill at Eldora. After a one-year hiatus, Hughes returned to the NCAA Championships in '09, heading back east to his former stomping grounds. Familiar with the ice-like eastern conditions, Hughes used it to his advantage in the slalom, taking 10th place individually on the final day which allowed him to take home Second Team All-American honors.

2008 - A 2007 second team All-American in the GS, Hughes picked up where he left off as he started his sophomore campaign as CU's top finisher at the Colorado Invitational, taking seventh in the GS in a time of 1:53.60. After an early surge, Hughes ran into some mid-season troubles with a post-race disqualification after clocking in at seventh in the slalom in Utah, and a disappointing 22nd place finish in the GS after having to battle unfavorable conditions in Park City. Hughes managed to rebound at Western State with his most productive race of the season, taking 11th in both the GS and slalom disciplines. Despite taking 10th in the GS in New Mexico, Hughes was unable to continue at that pace in his last five races and solidify a spot in the NCAA Championships. Hughes came up just short of his second-straight chance to complete the men's alpine team at NCAA's, landing the third alternate spot.

2007 - In his first season at Colorado, Hughes had eight top-15 finishes in 11 races, including three top-five finishes early in the season. He landed back-to-back second place slalom finishes at Montana State and Utah, and his first run time of 40.89 at Montana was the fastest run of the day. Hughes made an impressive mark at Utah when he took third in the GS despite starting in the 43rd position out of the gate, thanks to his second run time of 57.20, which was the fastest in the field. In the NCAA Championships, Hughes moved from 18th place to a ninth place finish in the giant slalom, earning him second-team All-America honors in the process. He also earned first-team All-RMISA honors and was named RMISA Skier of the Week after his performance in Montana.

Other - Hughes, along with teammate Drew Roberts, participated in the 2007 World University Games in Italy under head coach Richard Rokos in January. He nabbed a 32nd place finish in the men's giant slalom, making him the fifth American finisher in the field of 116 skiers from universities around the world. He earned a top-20 finish in the men's slalom, good for the second best American performance.

High School - Hughes was a member of the U.S. Ski Team from 2005-06, and won the U.S. Junior Slalom Championship as well as the Junior Combined Championship during that span. He was eighth in the slalom in the U.S. Nationals in 2006, and took seventh in that event in 2005. He was a four-time letterwinner at Burke Mountain Academy in East Burke, Vermont, excelling in skiing and soccer over his high school career.

In the Classroom - Hughes is currently a film studies major at CU, but is considering history as another possible area of study.

Personal - Stefan Charles Hughes was born June 6, 1986 in Rutland, Vermont. He is the son of Chuck and Betty Hughes, and has two older siblings, who are also accomplished skiers, in Tyler (27) and Megan (25). When not hitting the slopes, Stefan enjoys playing the guitar, drums, and listening to music.

SEASON BY SEASON RESULTS

2009 GS SL

at Seawolf Invitational 16 16

at Alaska Invitational 20 8

COLORADO INVITATIONAL 20 11

at Western Qualifiers 23 4

at Denver Invitational 20 6

at RMISA Championships 25 28

at NCAA Championships 34 10

2008 GS SL

COLORADO INVITATIONAL 7 36

at Utah Invitational 22 DQ