Northern Michigan University freshman Noah Bindas gets down the Whiteface Mountain course in the giant slalom as he finished in the top 10 to earn Second Team All-American honors at the USCSA Nationals in Lake Placid, N.Y., on Friday. (Photo courtesy NMU)

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. — Three skiers from the alpine teams at Northern Michigan University received All-American honors at the U.S. Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association Nationals held over five days last week at the site of multiple Winter Olympics.

Wildcats sophomore Kyan Hopke earned Second Team All-American status in the men’s giant slalom on Wednesday at Whiteface Mountain in Lake Placid, New York, then on Friday, men’s freshman Noah Bindas and senior Reed Heathman also were named Second Team All-American in the slalom.

Changing conditions, between cold and rain, then wind and slow, challenged all the skiers in the national collegiate finals.

On Tuesday of last week, women’s giant slalom included three skiers who couldn’t get both their runs, therefore posting no scores.

For those who did, the Wildcats were led by Onalee Wallis, taking 23rd with a two-run time of 2:20.82, while teammate Blanca Srock was close behind in 26th in 2:23.10.

On Wednesday in men’s GS, fog and on-and-off rain marred the morning while sun appeared in the afternoon. Hopke earned NMU’s first All-American honor by placing 14th in 2:07.50 with runs of 1:05.22 and 1:02.28.

Bindas, a freshman, was one of the first racers in the opening run and he had a good run going, according to NMU Sports Information in a news release about the day’s racing, but had to be waved off near the bottom when a previous fallen skier’s ski was lodged in the track. In his restart, he couldn’t get down the hill successfully and didn’t score.

On Thursday, in the women’s slalom, NMU’s Tommie Springer finished 25th in 1:47.79 with runs of 53.27 and 54.52 seconds.

And finishing on Friday, Bindas and Heathman shone in men’s slalom for their All-American honors, Bindas eighth in 1:33.19 on runs of 47.73 and 45.46 seconds, while Heathman was 14th in 1:34.32, with runs of 47.59 and 46.73.

This is an abridged version of a story that ran in The Journal’s online edition on Tuesday. Story contents based on four Northern Michigan University Sports Information press releases reviewing the meets. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee’s email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.