Castleton

Spartans

Chris Eder is in his 22nd season as the coach of VTSU Castleton's men's and women's alpine ski teams, and has helped take them to be one of the top programs on the East Coast.

Thanks to his work not only with the ski teams, but also in the Castleton admissions office, Eder was named Castleton University Employee of the Year on Dec. 16, 2016. He was named the 2024-25 SGA Coach of the Year. 

During the 2024-25 season, Eder’s teams continued to impress on the national stage. The women’s squad secured a second-place overall finish at the USCSA National Championships, highlighted by a runner-up performance in giant slalom and a third-place finish in slalom. The men’s team also had a strong showing, finishing sixth overall.

In total, six student-athletes earned All-American honors for their performances: Alice Pomi, Emilie Stene, Andrea Rodriguez, Sondre Anderson, Aksel Stroem-Hansen, and Valero Echegoyen.

Alice Pomi led the women in giant slalom with a podium finish, placing third overall (2:07.04), while Emilie Stene recorded the fourth-fastest time in slalom (1:34.25), pacing the team in that discipline.

On the men’s side, Sondre Anderson placed 10th in both the giant slalom (2:07.74) and slalom (1:25.88), with Aksel Stroem-Hansen close behind in both events, finishing 12th in giant slalom (2:08.14) and slalom (1:26.92). Valero Echegoyen rounded out the top performances with a 15th-place finish in slalom (1:27.73).

The 2024 men's ski team finished their season as National Champions for the second year in a row. Highlighted by Lorenzo Mencaccini's wins in the GS and SL races, there were eight skiers who earned Scholar All-American status. The women's ski team finished seventh overall with five skiers earning USCSA Scholar All-American status.

The 2023 men's ski team made history winning its first USCSA National Championships winning slalom and the overall titles. The women's ski team finished fifth at USCSA National Championships.

The 2022 men's ski team finished in a three-way tie for fourth place, while the women's ski team finished fourth overall. Four women were named Scholar All-Americans, including Lena Soehnle, Tatiana Tobolka, Karoline Rettenbacher, and Birgit Kinneberg. On the men's side, Lorenzo Mencaccini, Christopher Kerven, Filippo Collini, and Kevin McDonough earned Scholar All-American honors as well.

The 2020 men's ski team finished second with three earning All-America honors. The women's ski team made history winning the slalom title at the USCSA National Championships, and earned a second overall finish for the second year in a row, and three Spartans earned All-America honors.

The 2019 men's ski team finished third at USCSA National Championships with six earning All-America honors, while the women finished in second and claimed 13 All-America honors. Castleton received the Presidents Award for having the best combined finish between its alpine and nordic ski programs. 

The 2018 season was another historic one for the Castleton ski teams, highlighted by the program's first individual national champion. Paul Rechberger won the USCSA National Championship in both the slalom and the combined standings. The men's ski team won the ECSC Regional Championships and finished third at the USCSA National Championships for the second straight year and the third time in the last five years. The Spartan women also finished in third at the national championships, their best-ever national finish, after winning the ECSC Regional title for the second time in the past three seasons. In total, Castleton collected 17 USCSA All-America honors and seven USCSA Scholar All-American awards. 

In 2017, the men's ski team matched its best-ever finish at the USCSA National Championships, reaching the podium with a third place finish in the combined standings. Jan Klindic became the first Spartan skier to earn three All-America honors in a single national championships, while Erik Brobacke also earned All-America recognition in the giant slalom. It was the sixth consecutive top-10 finish for the men's squad at the national championships. 

The women's ski team finished in seventh place at the national meet, led by Linn Ljungemo, who became the first female skier in Castleton history to earn three All-America awards in the same national championships. 

In 2016, the Spartans accomplished something which had never been done in program history, as both teams claimed USCSA Eastern Regional Championships - to secure appearances in the USCSA National Championships once again. In the national championships, a pair of All-America performances from Matt Couture helped the men place sixth overall in the combined standings. The women also placed sixth as it received a pair of All-America performances from Linn Ljungemo.

During the 2015 campaign, Eder helped lead Castleton to one of the best finishes in program history. The men's team finished second at the USCSA Eastern Regionals and then opened the USCSA National Championships by taking fourth in the giant slalom, the best finish in program histoyr. The team followed it up by placing third in the slalom for the second straight year and finishing just off the podium in fourth overall - due only to a tiebreaker. Matt Couture and Ben Hannah both earned All-America honors for the second straight year.

On the women's side, Castleton took second overall in the USCSA Eastern Regionals to advance to the National Championships. The Spartans placed sixth overall in the GS and followed it up by taking eighth in the slalom to place seventh overall in the combined standings. It was the second-highest finish in program history.

The 2013-14 season was a banner year for Castleton as both men and women recorded program-best finishes at the USCSA National Championships. The men placed sixth in the giant slalom and then took third in the slalom to finish third overall and top among all schools in the east. A pair of skiers earned All-America honors, including Matt Couture who earned All-America honors in the combined standings. Eder also had a pair of skiers earn All-Region honors.

On the women's side, the Spartans skied to a fifth-place finish overall by taking fifth in the giant slalom and then sixth in the slalom for Castleton's best-ever finish. Three skiers finished among the top 25 overall. The women also placed second overall in the Eastern Regionals as three different skiers earned USCSA All-Region honors.

Prior to the 2011-12 season, both the men’s and women’s moved to the tougher MacConnell Division of the ECSC. Despite the increased difficulty the men finished the season second and went on to claim the program’s first-ever USCSA Eastern Regional Championship. The women, meanwhile, finished fourth in the division. Five men and one woman were named All-MacConnell Division and five men were named to the USCSA All-Regional Team. 

Following their regional championship the men skied their way to a sixth place overall finish at the USCSA National Championships, the best showing in school history. The team’s best performance came in skiercross, where they finished third as a team. The women also placed third, led by Michelle Podnecky, who claimed the individual national championship in the event. 

From 2006-2011 Castleton won 11 ECSC (Eastern Collegiate Ski Conference) Division Championships - both men’s and women’s teams combined - under the direction of Eder. Over that span, the Castleton men’s squad reached the USCSA National Championships the each season, never finishing lower than 15th. 

During the team’s time in the ECSC, Eder produced over 80 ECSC All-Division Team skiers, five All-ECSC Team recipients (4 male/1 female), three USCSA All-Americans (2 male/1 female), eight Academic All-Americans (5 male/3 female), and two USCSA Individual National Champions (2 female).

In 2008, Eder was honored as the Castleton State College Student Association Coach of the Year. During that season, his women’s team won the Castleton Winter President’s Cup for highest team GPA. In 2005, Eder was chosen as the ECSC Coach of the Year. 

As an assistant coach at Green Mountain College, Eder’s squads made four USCSA National Championship appearances from 2000-2003. From 1995-1998, Eder competed for the Eagles as a four-year starter and varsity letter winner helping Green Mountain College to four ECSC Thompson Division Championships.

With roots in Maria Alm, Austria, Eder brings his passion for ski racing and over 20 years of racing/coaching experience to Castleton’s program. He serves as secretary on the Eastern Collegiate Ski Conference’s (ECSC) Board of Directors. 

Along with his coaching duties, Eder works in Admissions at Castleton. He is married and resides in Rutland, Vt.