Beavers Post Runner-Up Finish in GS, Secure 15th Straight Trip to Nationals

CARRABASSETT VALLEY, Maine—The Babson College men's alpine ski team took second in the giant slalom and finished as the runner-up in the overall combined standings at the United States Collegiate Ski & Snowboard Association (USCSA) Eastern Regional Championships on Sunday at Sugarloaf Mountain.

The Beavers' top three competitors posted a time of 5:08.94 that was a little under four seconds behind first-place Castleton on Sunday. The Spartans, who also won Saturday's slalom, finished first in the combined standings, three points ahead of Babson. With its sixth consecutive top-three result, the Green and White secured its spot at the USCSA National Championships for the 15th year in a row.

First-year Max Bellino (Shrewsbury, Mass.) owned the fastest first run of the day on Sunday and came in third overall in the GS just 1.06 seconds behind Lorenzo Mencaccini of Castleton. Junior Ryan Beardsley (Warren, Vt.) was just over a half-second behind in fourth position with a time of 1:42.53 and senior Zach Roman (Mashpee, Mass.) placed seventh in a time of 1:44.49.

Junior Kyle Wolff (Stratham, N.H.) finished 11th with a time of 1:46.31, while senior Jack Beney (Greenwich, Conn.), who was 13th following his first run, was unable to complete a second trip down the mountain.

Bellino (3rd) and Roman (6th) both recorded top-10 finishes in the combined standings. Beardsley rebounded nicely after being unable to finish Saturday's slalom to come in 36th, while Wolff and Beney placed 36th and 50th, respectively.

Babson returns to action next Friday when it travels to Whiteface Mountain in Lake Placid, N.Y., to compete in the NCAA Regional Championships.