The Middlebury alpine ski team commences its 2026 season on January 16 at the Colby Carnival. The Panthers have earned top-10 finishes in each of the last six NCAA Championships, including a sixth-place effort last winter.

Sophia Tozzi has competed in the NCAA Championships each of the last two seasons. She posted a trio of top-10 finishes during the carnival campaign, including seventh place in the slalom on the first day of the Middlebury Carnival. 

Kjersti Moritz was an NCAA Qualifier last winter but didn’t participate as she competed at the FIS Alpine Junior World Ski Championships. She was tabbed the Eastern Intercollegiate Skiing Association (EISA) Rookie of the Year and an All-East Second-Team selection. Moritz tallied three podium finishes, including a win in the giant slalom (GS) on her home mountain. Kaite Fynn returns after a strong season in 2024. She was fifth in the slalom at the Bates Carnival and skied to 14th in the same discipline at the NCAA Championship. 

Nicholas Unkovskoy is set to compete this winter after competing in last winter’s NCAA Championship. An All-EISA Second-Team recipient, he stood on the podium three times, claiming the runner-up spot in the GS at the Middlebury Carnival. Unkovskoy earned top-10 finishes in five competitions and concluded his year by posting a 13th-place clocking in the GS and was 24th in the slalom on the national stage. 

Dominic Shackleton, Sebastian Segre and Milan Novak had solid seasons for the Panthers a year ago. Shackleton finished in 11th place in the slalom at the EISA Championship and secured five top-20 showings in eight total races. He represented Great Britain in the FIS Alpine Junior World Ski Championships. Segre was a consistent scorer last winter, placing in the top-25 on three occasions, including 21st in the slalom at Dartmouth. Novak burst onto the collegiate scene with an 11th-place showing in the GS at Bates and was 19th in the slalom at Middlebury.

Copeland begins her 16th season with the Middlebury alpine program and her first as head coach. She welcomes five newcomers to the roster. Assistant coach Parker Acosta begins his initial winter on the slopes with the Panthers, while Race and Training Operations Manager Santiago Fernandez returns for his fourth season.