TWO-TRICK PONIES
Juggling the demands of dryland training, on-snow drills and the carnival circuit — not to mention full courseloads — is enough for most collegiate ski racers, who stick to a single sport during their NCAA careers.
But not for NCAA Division 1 alpine skiers Lindsay Cone and Trace Smith,
who spend their seasons off-snow pursuing varsity golf and sailing.
Lindsay Cone, the University of Denver 2009 NCAA giant slalom champion, is a redshirt senior who missed last season because of a knee injury.
This season, she returns to the Denver Pioneers to help revitalize the team
after last winter’s disappointments. Head coach Andy LeRoy says he has
full confidence in Cone’s ability to contribute to his team’s chances of winning a national championship this year.
“She is back with us pursuing her graduate degree healthy, strong and hun-
gry to finish her collegiate athletic career right where it began – on the top
step of the podium,” says LeRoy. “As one of the most intelligent athletes I
have had the pleasure of coaching, Lindsay does a wonderful job managing
her time. So it has come as no surprise to anybody that she also competes
for our nationally-ranked golf team.”
Cone has a golfing handicap of 1, and she contributed to the Pioneers’ NCAA
golf team for two years after transferring from the Division 3 St. Lawrence
University program. “One of the benefits was being a part of two top-ranked
athletic teams and seeing the different ways they go about achieving suc-
cess,” says Cone. “Many of my teammates are from different backgrounds,
whether they’re foreign or
from different cultures.”
The benefits, however,
do not come without a few
drawbacks. “The biggest
challenges are missing
so many classes, trav-
eling, and juggling two
sets of practices,” says
Cone. NCAA regulations Lindsay Cone competes at the 2011 NCAAs.
Lindsay Cone and Trace Smith defy challenges of dual-sport athletes BY C.J. FEEHAN
Once the snow melts,
Cone hits the links.
