Paul Smith’s Katya Koshkerva competes in Friday’s 15K freestyle mass start race at the USCSA national championships at Mount Van Hoevenberg. (David S. James/USCSA)

LAKE PLACID — The Paul Smith’s College Nordic ski team delivered a championship performance for the history books.

After four days of racing at the 2026 U.S. Collegiate Ski & Snowboard National Championships this past weekend, the men’s team captured its second national team title in program history while the women’s team finished as the national runner-up.

In total, the Bobcats compiled 10 team podium finishes, 29 All-American awards, two individual national champions and the men’s overall individual national champion.

The victory adds to a growing legacy for Paul Smith’s Nordic ski team. Since 2021, the Bobcats have won two Nordic national team championships, the 2024 U.S. Biathlon National Team Championship and 13 individual national titles.

“Early in the season, I knew this team had something special — not just because of talent, but because of who they are as a group,” head coach Matthew Dougherty said in a statement. “Over the past year, they’ve endured so much: the loss of two parents to cancer, and one of our own teammates going through chemotherapy before returning healthy this season. Through all of it, they took care of each other and our new athletes brought incredible energy to the team. We talk a lot about showing up every day as the best version of yourself and making the most of every opportunity. This team truly embraced that. What they accomplished last week was special — a true team effort.”

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Philip Matthews wins the overall individual national championship

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One of the defining performances of the week came from third-year Philip Matthews, who was crowned Overall Individual National Champion — awarded to the athlete with the best combined results across all championship races. He became the third Bobcat in program history to win the overall individual title, joining two-time champion Aidan Ripp and 2024 champion Dolcie Tanguay.

“This past week was a huge challenge for us as a team, but I think we handled it amazingly. For the first race, I told the boys we needed to come out of the gate swinging and we carried that energy throughout the week,” Matthews said. “The highlight of the week was having myself, Sisu (Lange) and Griffin (Smith) in the A finals together and going 1-2-4; definitely a huge accomplishment for us and the most dominating win for any men’s team in the USCSA in the last five years. Winning the overall individual championship was something that I wanted to do since I was a freshman and really focused on that all year.”

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Sisu Lange claims individual national title

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The Bobcats’ second title of the championships came in the individual skate sprint, where first-year student, Lange delivered a commanding performance to capture the Individual National Championship in that event. Lange also finished fourth in the combined standings, helping power the Bobcats’ team championship and showcasing his potential going forward.

“I think that this team was one of my favorite teams ever. Being able to compete on our home course that we have spent hours training on this year was also an incredible experience, even if the conditions were difficult at times,” Lange said. “Finally winning the skate sprint was so incredible. To be able to basically lead the whole race and cross the finish line first is truly a dream come true.”

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A breakthrough week for the Bobcat women

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The women’s team delivered a national-caliber performance of its own, producing one of the strongest results in program history.

The Bobcats finished second in every race and second overall, demonstrating remarkable consistency across four days of competition. A core group of first-year athletes helped drive that success. Greta Dickman finished sixth in the Classic and fourth in the 15K, placing sixth overall in the combined standings. Rowan Tanguay, fresh off international competition, earned Second Team All-American honors in the combined standings.

Fellow freshman Katya Koshkareva earned All-American honors in every race, including top finishes in the sprint and 15K. Liv Caprio contributed a 15th-place All-American finish in the 15K.

“It was a great first Nationals experience-couldn’t have asked for a better team or atmosphere,” Tanguay said. “Lots of racing made for a tiring week, but nevertheless, a fun one. So happy the team could end the season with lots of accolades­ — hard work pays off and smiles and laughter go even further.”

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Building a national powerhouse

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For head coach Matthew Dougherty, the championship reflects the culture and community that has helped build the Paul Smith’s College Nordic program into a national contender.

“Our athletes support each other through everything,” Dougherty said. “And so does our college community, the broader Nordic community of the Adirondacks, our families and so many others. Our alumni even showed up at Nationals to wax skis, test wax, hold poles on course and so much more. It truly takes a team to help the team perform-and we have that here at Paul Smith’s College.”

“This championship is a powerful reflection of what makes Paul Smith’s College special,” PSC President Dan Kelting said. “Our student-athletes combine determination, resilience and a deep sense of community and the Nordic team demonstrated all of that on the national stage this week. We are incredibly proud of our athletes and coaches for representing the College – and the Adirondacks – with such excellence.”

A complete list of results can be found online at USCSA.org.