SALT LAKE CITY – University of Utah head Nordic ski coach Pierre Niess and director of skiing Fredrik Landstedt officially revealed five newcomers to the program today. The group includes Neve Gerard (Bend, Oregon), Erica Lavén (Täby, Sweden), Selma Nevin (Trondheim, Norway), Carl Rune (Vallentuna, Sweden) and Lucas Wilmot (Jackson, Wyo.).
“You can never replace someone like Sydney Palmer-Leger, who had an amazing collegiate career,” said Landstedt. “Karianne Dengerud also skied very well for us, but I believe that the three Nordic women that we brought in should be competitive with anyone in the country and that they should all compete for the top three spots on our team.
“On the men’s side, although we lost Tom Mancini to graduation, we are lucky to keep Joe Davies, Brian Bushey, and Walker Hall for another year. Carl Rune will be pushing those guys for one of the NCAA spots and we see lot of potential in Lucas Wilmot. Overall, a very strong recruiting class and we should be right in the mix for another national title.”
Quick hits follow on each of the newest five members of the Utah Ski Team. The Utes also introduced their five alpine newcomers on Tuesday, read more about that group by clicking here.
Neve Gerard – Bend, Oregon – Mt. Bachelor Sports Education Foundation
- Five FIS podiums between the 2023 and ’24 seasons
- Was the junior champion in 10K freestyle during the 2024 U.S. Nationals at Soldier Hollow.
- Represented the United States at the 2024 Winter Youth Olympics, making three starts including a top-six classic result
- Also helped the U.S. to a top-five performance in 4x5km mixed relay
- Competed in the U-18 Nordic Nations Cup in Finland, racing to a ninth-place result in the 5K freestyle and top-25 in classic sprints
- Helped the U.S. relay team to fourth place at the Nordic Nations Cup
Gerard on the U: “I chose the University of Utah because I wanted a team where I can grow as an athlete as much as possible. The level of skiing, quality of teammates and coaches, and the location made it an easy choice.”
Erica Lavén – Täby, Sweden – Aasarna IK
- Tallied 33 FIS podiums over the last three seasons, including 16 during 2024
- Won the freestyle sprints at the 2024 Swedish National Junior Championships and was the 5K classic runner-up
- Represented Sweden at three straight Junior World Ski Championships (2022-24) with five of six starts landing in the top-20
- Placed 18th in the 10K classic at Junior Worlds in 2024
- Top sprints results at Junior Worlds were in 2024 (sixth in freestyle) and 2023 (seventh in classic)
- Traveled to Finland in 2022 for competition at the European Youth Olympic Festival
Lavén on the U: “I chose Utah because I see the chance to train in a different and good training environment. Utah will allow me to try something new, and to train with some very talented skiers.”
Selma Nevin – Trondheim, Norway – Byaasen Skiklub
- Twelve top-10 race performances dating back to 2022, in FIS races throughout Norway and Sweden
- Consistent top-10 finisher in Norwegian Cup action
- Took 19th place at the 2024 Norway National Junior Championships, both in the 15K classic and 15K freestyle
- Placed top-30 in a 10K freestyle race at the 2024 Norway National Championships
- Highest junior championships finish was sixth, coming in 10K freestyle during the 2022 season
- Achieved podium results in several regional competitions in Trøndelag, Norway
Nevin on the U: “I chose the University of Utah because of the training facilities and the high-level ski team. My ultimate goal is to become a professional skier, and I believe Utah is the perfect place for me to develop as an athlete.”
Carl Rune – Vallentuna, Sweden – Täby IS Skidor
- Season-high four FIS podiums came in Sweden during the 2022 season
- Three top-20 results at the 2024 Swedish National Championships, including freestyle sprints, 10K classic and 20K freestyle
- Made his first World Cup start in 2023, logging a top-50 freestyle sprint result in Italy
- Was a silver medalist in the classic sprints at the 2022 Swedish Junior Nationals
- Raced at the 2022 World Junior Championships in Norway, taking 11th in the freestyle sprints and 22nd in the 30K freestyle
Rune on the U: “There are many good skiers on the team, and the training opportunities seem amazing. The University of Utah felt like the perfect place to combine skiing with my studies.”
Lucas Wilmot – Jackson, Wyoming – Jackson Hole Ski Club
- Skied to the podium with bronze in the 10K freestyle at 2023 U.S. Junior National Championships
- Clocked a top-10 finish in the 10K freestyle at Junior Nationals in 2024
- Also raced at U.S. Senior Nationals in 2024, finishing as a top-three junior in the 10K classic
- Qualified and competed at the 2024 Junior World Championships, making two starts while in Slovenia
- Was invited with the U.S. Ski Team to attend the 2024 U-18 Scandinavian Cup Trip in Sweden
Wilmot on the U: “I chose the University of Utah because I wanted to stay in the West near home, where I could be in the mountains a lot. I like how the UofU is in a bigger city than my hometown, so I could experience much more. The ski program and facilities are amazing and there are lots of opportunities to grow in skiing.”
Follow the Utah Ski Team on social media @utahskiteam.