UNC Charlotte club snowboarders competed at national championships
Ten snowboarders from UNC Charlotte’s Ski and Snowboard Club competed in the U.S. Collegiate Ski and Snowboard National Championships March 10-15, at Mount Bachelor in Bend, Oregon.
Martin Tox, Josh and Noah Marscio, Luke Wilson and Ramley Hirneisen competed in the men’s slalom, giant slalom and boardercross. Madeline Lay, Greenlee Flynn and Makayla Smith competed in the women’s slalom, giant slalom and boardercross. Peter Bodie and Dylan Hunter competed in the men’s slopestyle and rail jam.
The Charlotte men’s alpine team (Tox, the Marsicos, Wilson and Hirneisen) placed fifth overall, the women’s alpine team (Lay, Flynn and Smith) placed sixth, and the men’s freestyle team (Bodie and Hunter) placed seventh.
“This is the best that we’ve done at nationals in a long time,” said Josh Marscio, Charlotte Ski and Snowboard Club president. “I’m proud of how everyone did, especially our new people.”
THE ROAD TO BEND
Prior to the national competition, the men’s and women’s alpine snowboard teams placed third and fourth respectively at regional competitions in Wintergreen, Virginia — punching their tickets to nationals. At Wintergreen, they clashed with rival schools that would also go on to compete in nationals — such as James Madison University from Virginia and Lees-McRae College from Western North Carolina.
Getting 10 students to a cross-country competition in the middle of the spring semester was no easy feat for the student organization. The club requested additional funding from UREC to cover the costs of staying in Oregon. The students had to pay for plane tickets out of pocket but avoided paying for car rentals due to a club member having family in Portland, Oregon.
After making the cross-country trek, the team rented a house in the small town of Sunriver, a short scenic ride south of the mountain. This experience helped build camaraderie and friendships among club members, which is a cornerstone of the organization.
“I think [the camaraderie] is my favorite part about the club, to be honest, especially during my freshman year,” Marsico said. “I was in that small group of people, and you essentially go and live with them every weekend for two-and-a-half months and you definitely get to know each other super well.”
A GOLDEN MOMENT ON MT. BACHELOR
During the opening ceremonies, the 10 Niners took to the base of the mountain in their Charlotte club jerseys, proudly displaying the All-in-C and the number 49. Charlotte is an underdog on the national snowboarding scene — being a southern school in a non-mountainous, urban location.
The proverbial outsiders from Charlotte hoisted up Madeline Lay, a senior member and vice president, who in turn raised a green and gold flag above a sea of college skiers and snowboarders from California, Utah, New England and beyond.
“Being able to represent Charlotte on a national level has been such a cool experience,” Lay said. “A lot of other schools don’t know who we are, especially when we get to nationals, so it’s always a great feeling to go out there and have our team crush it in our competitions in a 49ers jersey.”
The four-day contest was a test for the club. They faced adverse conditions in addition to the elite level competition. The snowboarders raced downhill through snow showers and bitter, cold mountain air. But awaiting the racers at the bottom of the hill was the warm embrace of teammates and family members that made the trip. This team spirit is one thing Lay will miss most as she closes the chapter on her collegiate snowboarding career.
“Competing in my last nationals was definitely emotional,” Lay said. “I’ve been on this team all four years and competed at the national level every season, so it was bittersweet to take my last run down a slalom course. As soon as I took off my board in the finish corral, the tears hit and my team gave me a group hug. It was an awesome way to finish my last season.”
carving a path forward
The Ski and Snowboard Club offers Charlotte students a chance to bond with fellow winter sports lovers in a recreational and competitive environment. Marsico said the club grew exponentially this year, seeing an influx of enthusiasts from a range of classes. He says the club can ride the momentum of this year’s national competition into legitimate success. It all comes down to mindset.
“My goal right now is to get everybody in the mindset that if we really take this club seriously and train, this can be something that we really excel at,” Marsico said. “If we go with the intent of placing, I think we can make something happen.”
As Lay moves on she hopes that the club continues to grow to give future Niners the opportunity to build lifelong bonds as she did.
“What I’ll miss most about being in the club is definitely the people,” Lay said. “I just hope that people continue to love being a part of the team as much as I have. I owe a lot to this sport and this team, so I hope that it grows even more in size and recognition.”
UNC Charlotte nationals results
M Slopestyle: Team (12/21), Dylan Hunter (17/48), Peter Bodie (38)
M Slalom: Team (6/24), Martin Tox (17/57), Noah Marsico (28), Josh Marsico (30), Luke Wilson (35), Ramley Hirneisen (DQ)
M Giant Slalom: Team (4/24), Martin Tox (11/57), Josh Marsico (12), Luke Wilson (32), Noah Marsico (35), Ramley Hirneisen (39)
M Rail Jam: Team (9/21) Peter Bodie (21/49), Dylan Hunter (24/49)
M Boarder Cross: Team (5/25), Martin Tox (14/66), Josh Marsico (15), Noah Marsico (28), Luke Wilson (45), Ramley Hirneisen (48)
W Boarder Cross: Team (7/20), Madeline Lay (20/45), Greenlee Flynn (30), Makayla Smith (33)
W Slalom: Team (6/18), Greenlee Flynn (10/41), Madeline Lay (22), Makayla Smith (31)
W Giant Slalom: Team (6/18), Greenlee Flynn (19/41), Makayla Smith (23), Madeline Lay (24)