Middlebury alpine skier Kjersti Moritz '28 has qualified for the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) Siftel Copper Cup. The four-day event begins on Thursday, November 27 from Copper Mountain in Frisco, Colorado.

"It means so much to me to start my first World Cup in Copper because I have been working really hard the last few years recovering from an injury," Moritz said. "I'm really excited to have my World Cup debut on home snow, as well as represent Middlebury and the United States! Middlebury has been a special part of my journey, including competing in carnivals last year, being on the soccer team, and receiving support from my professors and coaches. Being at home also means a lot because my twin sister, Liv, will be competing there, and my whole family will be able to watch."

Moritz is no stranger to competing on the national stage. The Panther landed a spot on the 2024-25 Stifel United States (U.S.) Alpine Ski development team and has competed in the FIS circuit multiple times. Her last appearance came in May, tying for the top individual clocking during the slalom in Winter Park, Colorado. 

The Panther comes off a stellar initial season for Middlebury, earning Eastern Intercollegiate Skiing Association (EISA) Rookie of the Year and Second-Team All-East honors. Moritz also qualified for the NCAA Championships, but did not compete, as she represented the United States at the FIS World Junior Championships.

"I'm so proud of Kjersti, as she's been grinding all fall, balancing her place on the US National Team with her role on the soccer team here, all while keeping up with her academics," said Middlebury head alpine coach Abby Copeland. "The amount of effort she's put into making that work is absolutely no joke. To see her get the nod to battle with the world's best alpine skiers is something I hope she can take a minute to soak in. I know she'll feel the energy of her Panther teammates when she's clicking into her skis at the start of this race. I can only hope that her smile will be as big as ours when she crosses the finish line at the end of her run!"

Moritz will compete in the giant slalom (GS) on Saturday, November 29, before hitting the slopes for the slalom on Sunday, November 30. The first run for both events will begin at 12:00 p.m. Eastern. The top 30 skiers after the first trip down the mountain earn a second run in each competition.