MARQUETTE – Northern Michigan University’s mixed relay Nordic ski team of Ian Torchia, Vivian Hett, Jake Brown and Felicia Gesior finished in sixth place at the U.S. Long Distance National Championships in Craftsbury, Vermont, on Thursday morning.

“The podium was in sight the entire race,” Wildcat head coach Sten Fjeldheim said. “We didn’t finish far behind teams comprised of World Cup racers, so our performance was definitely impressive.”

The quartet finished in 50 minutes, 58.8 seconds, just eight seconds out of fifth place in a field of 31 teams. The Wildcats were the first team across the finish line that was comprised exclusively of collegiate skiers and one of only two to finish in the top 10.

“This was the only relay of the season where men and women race on the same team, so it was very exciting for us,” Fjeldheim said. “It’s a unique format that is gaining strength on the international circuit.”

Each skier completed five kilometers of the 20K course. Brown (11:34.1) and Torchia (11:43.2) were two of only 21 men to finish the course in less than 12 minutes.

Next up for the Wildcats is competition in the women’s 30K and men’s 50K on Saturday.