Johs Braathen Herland repeated as the NCAA individual champion in men’s giant slalom as the Utah Ski Team began the 2026 National Collegiate Skiing Championships on March 11 with races at the Spencer F. Eccles Olympic Mountain Center at the Utah Olympic Park.
Utah scored 83 points in the men’s giant slalom event, securing a race victory and placing second overall in team standings after day one, trailing Colorado by four points. Herland’s consecutive titles mark three straight years that a Utah athlete has won the men’s giant slalom, following Mikkel Solbakken’s win in 2024. This victory is also Utah’s 90th individual championship and ninth in men’s GS history.
Head alpine coach JJ Johnson said, “The boys came out firing today and I think it was some of their better skiing that they’ve had on this hill. Johs came out and skied so simple. Sindre on first run had some of the simplest and best movements I’ve seen. And Pierick was very patient. He had one mistake on first run, but he skied great today. Melanie had a plan and knew what she wanted to do on first run. I’m so proud of how she stuck with it. Kaila at the end of this year has been coming along. For her to get an All-American in the top-10 is pretty cool.” Four Utes earned All-American honors: Herland and Melanie Dahlberg received first-team recognition, while Sindre Myklebust (sixth place) and Kaila Lafreniere (tenth place) were named to the second team.
In women’s competition, Melanie Dahlberg led Utah with a fifth-place finish in her NCAA Championships debut, posting a total time of 2:06.12 after a strong opening run that contributed significantly to team points. Dahlberg said, “I don’t think (first run) was anything special. I think I just did what I always do. Mary (Joyce) and JJ (Johnson) told us that we were just going to do what we always do. Nothing special. It’s a big competition; but nothing special. I was really happy with how it turned out.” Kaila Lafreniere finished tenth overall for Utah women.
On the men’s side, Herland won both runs for an aggregate time of 1:55.41, while teammate Myklebust placed sixth with a time of 1:56.26 and Pierick Charest finished fifteenth in his championship debut. Herland said, “I showed up with the same mentality both runs—trying to ski as fast as possible. I’ve kind of struggled a little bit setting fast first runs in GS. But I finally put down a fast first run and I knew I just had to go for it on the second run too.”
The championships continue Thursday with classic interval start races at Soldier Hollow Nordic Center in Midway, Utah.
