PARK CITY, UT (Jan. 28, 2015) – When elite athletes aren’t training for the Olympic Games or competing in World Cups, many focus their attention on pursuing a college degree. This school year, 48 U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association national team athletes are enrolled at Salt Lake City’s Westminster College, the official education partner of the USSA. Since 2005, more than 130 U.S. Ski Team, U.S. Freeskiing and U.S. Snowboarding athletes have attended Westminster College through a special tuition grant program, which allows them to continue their education without having to sacrifice their athletic dreams. These amazing athletes have an average G.P.A. of 3.55. They are not only dedicated athletes, but dedicated students.
HIGHLIGHTS
- This school year, 48 U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association athletes are enrolled at Salt Lake City’s Westminster College.
- The strategic partnership between Westminster and the USSA began in 2005 and has helped over 130 national yeam athletes combine elite level training with a college education.
- A total of 23 Westminster College student athletes competed in the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi – they comprised 10% of Team USA.
- Five Westminster students brought home medals during the 2014 Olympic Games: Maddie Bowman (gold), Joss Christensen (gold), Kaitlyn Farrington (gold), Devin Logan (silver) and Alex Deibold (bronze).
- More than 40 athletes are currently taking classes this school year at Westminster.
- U.S. athletes have completed over 4,700 credit hours.
- Westminster has graduated 16 athletes and another seven are scheduled to graduate in 2015.
- The USSA-Westminster partnership provides tuition grants to qualifying USSA athletes.
- Located in Salt Lake City, Westminster is a nationally recognized, comprehensive liberal arts college. With a broad array of graduate and undergraduate programs, Westminster is distinguished by its unique environment for learning.
QUOTES
Tiger Shaw, President and CEO, U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association
Our partnership with Westminster College has made a difference for skiers and snowboarders by providing a flexible opportunity to train at the Center of Excellence while studying nearby at Westminster. The USSA has a strong commitment to athlete education and career development and Westminster plays a key role in allowing our athletes to perform athletically while preparing themselves for their careers after skiing or snowboarding.
Dr. Brian Levin-Stankevich, President, Westminster College
We are extremely proud of all our USSA athletes, both Olympians and hopefuls, and appreciate the energy and diversity they bring to our campus. To be able to compete at their level and still achieve an average G.P.A. of 3.55 is inspiring—they are truly dedicated students and dedicated athletes.
Alex Diebold, Westminster student and 2014 Olympic Bronze medalist, U.S. Snowboard Team
Westminster is probably the best sponsorship I will ever get in my entire life.
Bryan Fletcher, Westminster student and 2014 Olympic athlete, U.S. Nordic Team
I think a degree is really important to success in life and what I want to do. Westminster has helped us out and kept college feasible for student athletes—and that’s a really important thing. Without it, I don’t think a lot of athletes would be attending school, and we’d all be one step further behind our careers after skiing.
Taylor Fletcher, Westminster business student and 2014 Olympic athlete, U.S. Nordic Team Westminster is a super, super unbelievable college, and I can’t thank them enough for being able to come down there in May or to take an online class. Westminster has made education available and accessible to us, and that’s a great thing.
Westminster Athletes Named to the U.S. Freestyle Team:
Dylan Ferguson
Kiley McKinnon
Morgan Northrop
Mike Rossi
Maddie Gorelik
Si Ning Chan
Maddie Olsen
Alex Bowen
Heather McPhie
Eliza Outtrim
K.C. Oakley
Bryon Wilson
Westminster Athletes Named to the U.S. Snowboarding Team:
Alex Diebold
Hagen Kearney
Jackie Hernandez
Arielle Gold
Faye Gulini
Lindsey Jacobellis
Maddy Schaffrick
Jessika Jenson
Westminster Athletes Named to the U.S. Alpine Ski Team:
Bryce Bennett
Abby Ghent
Colby Granstrom
Jared Goldberg
Katherine Irwin
Anna Marno
Alice McKennis
Brennan Rubie
Katie Ryan
Ryan Cochran-Siegle
Leanne Smith
Marco Sullivan
Jackie Wiles
Westminster Athletes Named to the U.S. Freeskiing Team:
Alex Ferreira
Devin Logan
Brita Sigourney
Maddie Bowman
Joss Christensen
Emilia Wint
Ashley Battersby
Alex Hackel
Jess Breda
Alexi Micinski
Westminster Athletes Named to the U.S. Cross Country Ski Team:
Jessie Diggins
Liz Stephens
Westminster Athletes Named to the U.S. Women’s Ski Jumping Team:
Jessica Jerome
Westminster Athletes Named to the U.S. Nordic Combined Team:
Taylor Fletcher
Bryan Fletcher
For more information about our USSA-Westminster partnership, visit: www.westminstercollege.edu/ussa. For media inquiries on Westminster’s student-athletes, contact Krista DeAngelis and Arikka Von at (801) 832-2682.
About Westminster:
Westminster is a nationally recognized, comprehensive liberal arts college. With a broad array of graduate and undergraduate programs, Westminster is distinguished by its unique environment for learning. Westminster prepares students for success through active and engaged learning, real world experiences and its vibrant campus community. Westminster’s unique location, adjacent to the Rocky Mountains and to the dynamic city of Salt Lake, further enriches the college experience. For more information, visit www.westminstercollege.edu or follow @WestminsterSLC on Twitter.
