WILMINGTON, N.Y. – The Vermont State University Castleton women's alpine ski team placed 18^th out of 27 teams on Day 1 of the USCSA National Championships at Whiteface Mountain.

Freshmen Eva Young and Makenna Price were the Spartans' only finishers in the giant slalom on Tuesday. Young delivered a standout performance, finishing ninth overall after posting the 10^th-fastest second run. She sat 15^th after the morning run and earned USCSA All-American honors with the top-10 finish.

Price also made a significant move up the standings. Starting the race with bib No. 121, Price battled challenging course conditions from the back of the pack to finish 31st after the first run. She then recorded the 13th-fastest second run to climb to 18th place out of 143 racers, marking the largest improvement from bib number to finishing position on the day.

As a team, the Spartans were in podium position after the opening run but were unable to record three finishers in the second run and were forced to take a ghost time, placing 18th overall. Defending champion Rocky Mountain College claimed the team title, while MacConnell Division rivals Babson College and Clarkson University finished second and third, respectively.

The Spartans return to action Thursday, March 12, for the slalom portion of the national championships. The first run is scheduled to begin at 9:15 a.m.