Photo Credit: Michigan Tech

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Michigan Tech senior Henna Riikonen-Purtsi finished her week at the US National Championships with a fourth place finish in the “B” Final and 10th overall in the classical sprints Friday (Jan. 8). Her 10th-place finish is believed to be the best ever by a female Michigan Tech skier at the US National Championships.

The Huskies were also well represented in the Under-23 sprints. Sophomore Melanie Hoffman finished fourth and senior Elizabeth Quinley finished fifth. Junior Colin Singleton was lone male in the Under-23 sprints finishing 11th.

Freshman Kelsey Boyer had the best race of his young career winning the “B” Final of the men’s junior race.

Overall, Tech enjoyed a strong finish as a team at US Nationals. The women finished fifth, the men were sixth and combined the Huskies placed sixth.

On the individual side, Riikonen-Purtsi finished tied for sixth overall among collegiate women with 93 points. She also finished tied with Theresia Schnurr of Alaska-Fairbanks for second among collegiate women from the Central Region. Christina Gillis of Northern Michigan was the top Central Region woman with 97 points.

Quinley finished the week 13th with 75 points.

Senior Jesse Lang finished ninth among collegiate skiers and fourth from the Central Region with 88 points.

Teammate Colin Singleton finished 15th with 61 points.