When it comes to skiing in Colorado, the level of NCAA competition is irrelevant. Divisions I, II and III do not describe the skill of the skiers whether they attend Denver University, Fort Lewis or Colorado College. This region of the United States hosts some of the better skiing talent in the entire country, so every competitive event could be judged on a national scale.

Two weekends ago, CMU hosted a statewide alpine skiing event to compete in the Maverick Invitational, which included the slalom and giant slalom races on the Wonderbump run at Powderhorn. Denver University, Air Force Academy, University of Colorado, Colorado State, Colorado School of Mines, and Fort Lewis College traveled to the Western Slope to take part in the U.S. Collegiate Ski & Snowboard Association (USCSA) race. Despite the Division I presence on the mountain, it was a Division II skier that recorded the fastest time of the day and secured the conference crown.

CMU skier Sarah Gregory added to her many accolades in the sport by winning the slalom race, finishing third in the giant slalom and winning the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference championship. Gregory explained that performing at the top level of the conference throughout the season has helped her become more self-assured about her chances against the top women skiers in the nation.

“It was really nice to be at the top this entire season,” she said. “It is a confidence booster, and right now we are going against skiers from the entire Rocky Mountain Division, so there is a lot more competition.”

Gregory has been on the slopes since she was two years old, and her competitive racing career began just six years later in the Denver area where she spent most of her childhood. In her final year of high school, Gregory moved to Aspen and attended Aspen High school to improve her skills by living closer to the mountains.

“At Aspen, I skied every day after school, so I was able to get some of the best training possible,” Gregory said.

That training led to her becoming a two-time All-State high school champion and propelled her into collegiate racing. She began her career at Montana State University in Bozeman, Mon., but decided to transfer to CMU after visiting the campus with her boyfriend, Micah Evonitz, who is also on the ski team.

Gregory became a Maverick in the fall of 2012 and joined the alpine ski team in the spring. She quickly made an impact on the program by earning USCSA All-American honors in March of 2013 after placing ninth overall at the national championships in Sun Valley, Idaho. Gregory continued her prevailing performances by earning the top individual honors in Rocky Mountain Conference and most recently qualified for the USCSA national championships again this past weekend by placing sixth in the slalom and eighth in the giant slalom. Gregory explained that her love for the sport comes from the adrenaline rush from the speed and the quick decision-making that can either make or break a race.

“I love to go fast,” she said. “I like to show myself that I can go fast and take chances and still place in the top three. It’s a total mind sport.”

Gregory is a senior kinesiology major with a concentration in exercise science and also has a certificate in phlebotomy. She plans to graduate in 2015.

mfreter@mavs.coloradomesa.edu