Belén Yudess ’25
Copy Editor
The Claremont Colleges Ski & Snowboard Team (SST) earned accolades in several events at the 2025 United States Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association Nationals at Mount Bachelor, Oregon on March 10-15.
These achievements included multiple sixth and seventh-place finishes by Cayman Chen CMC ’25, an eighth-place finish in ski cross by Lily Waldman ’26, and a second-place overall win by the women’s freeski team.
Waldman, who also serves as the Scripps captain on the team, expressed enthusiasm and pride for the women’s team’s success this season.
“It’s super exciting because our women’s teams are doing really well in these extreme sports which are historically very male-dominated so we feel like we’re making Scripps and the 5Cs proud,” Waldman said.
Aimee Johnson PZ ’25, who has been a member of the team since her sophomore year, also noted that the women’s team’s improvement has emboldened members to get involved in new events despite broader misogyny in the sport.
“My sophomore year, I was consistently the only person on our team competing in women’s ski slopestyle until I got injured, and now we have two nationals team podiums in a row in that event,” she said. “Last year, we were the first team from the Southwest league to ever win a team title, and we ended up getting second in women’s freeski at nationals again this year. Until I joined the team, I hadn’t done a lot of park skiing, and while I still wouldn’t consider myself particularly good, I think the team has provided me with a great support network to get better. It can be really scary to try a new sport, especially one where there is such a stigma against beginners, and gender dynamics only amplify that fear.”
Will Sedo HMC ’26, who serves as the Harvey Mudd captain, also praised the team’s growth in membership.
“My first season the team was about 25 people, and to have 60 and get a podium at nationals for the second year in a row is a pretty incredible growth,” Sedo said.
Sedo noted that this feat was especially impressive considering the intensity of their competitors. “It’s always so special to compete at nationals, and especially to do so well,” he said. “Some of the teams we’re competing against are varsity teams with scholarships and professional coaches, and we’re a completely student-run club sports team.”
Johnson added that this differential between SST and teams with extensive coaching and training opportunities has allowed SST to become closer with other SoCal teams.
“We are competitors during the regular season, but when we’re facing teams that have a professional coach and recruit racers from abroad, it’s sort of like an underdogs-stick-together mentality,” Johnson said.
Anne Friedman ’25, who has participated on the team since her first year, shared how the team’s bond encourages ongoing involvement in activities even when members are not able to compete.
“I really have enjoyed how inclusive and welcoming the team has been,” she said. “Many people this year have dealt with injuries but still want to and are participating … Even when we aren’t racing we want to spend time together. We have weekly team dinners and organize ski trips.”
Johnson, who injured her knee during a recent competition, described how long-lasting relationships have developed over this past season despite these kinds of setbacks.
“Like any sport, injuries happen, but because our season is so short, one injury kind of takes you out,” she said. “It also definitely affects the team dynamic, because people who have been an integral part of the team in the past are suddenly unable to ski. That being said, the team this year has been awesome. I feel like we’re finally getting established enough where people are really friends with each other. It’s really awesome to see how the freshmen on our team have bonded, and I feel like that will really change things for the better in coming years.”
As SST shifts into the off-season, senior members are looking forward to enjoying their time with their teammates before graduation.
“We have alumni weekend [soon] which is our final trip of the year when we go to Mammoth for their pond skim and open it up for alumni to join,” Friedman said. “I’m super excited to see teammates who have graduated and I haven’t seen in a while.”
Johnson explained that she is excited to to spend more leisurely days with her teammates — that still include elements of thrill that they chase on the slopes.
“Now that the season’s over, I feel like I can spend time with people in a normal way, doing homework or hanging out at the pool, and it’s nice to get to know people outside of that specific context,” she said. “We also currently have a team-wide game of ‘assassin’ going, so if you see anyone looking paranoid or getting chased with a clothespin, that’s why.”
Waldman, who is graduating, expressed appreciation for the team and hope for their future. “We’ve got some great new captains and I think the team will continue to be just as fun and successful!”
Photo courtesy of Will Sedo HMC ’26
