An undefeated Dartmouth figure skating team qualified for Nationals by taking first-place at the second Eastern Conference meet at Boston University this weekend. Outskating competitors from 22 colleges was a spectacular sequel to their first place finish at Princeton University in November where they beat the 2003 national champion, Cornell University. Dartmouth beat out skaters from Princeton, Boston College, Northeastern, Harvard and UMass-Amherst with an 80 point finish, followed by University of Delaware (72 points), and Boston University (56 points).
Co-captain Ariel Stern- Markovitz '05 was a star-scorer pulling in a total of 14 points with a first place finish in junior freeskate and pre-intermediate B dance and second place in junior short program. Adrienne Lee '07 did a stunning novice freeskate to win first place. Dartmouth swept the novice short program event with graduate student Cynthia Chen in second, Severina Ostrovsky '07 in third, and Lee in fourth. Katherine Kalaris '07 was second highest point scorer with a second-place finish in junior dance and third in junior freeskate. Kirsten Murray '07 furthered Dartmouth's lead with a first place in pre-intermediate C freeskate. Holly Ponichtera '07 despite illness won novice dance.
Other notable performances include co-captain Taylor Grant '06's second in senior short program, Tegan Vay '07's third in novice dance, Victoria Lee '05's fourth in pre-intermediate C freeskate, Katie Collins '06's fourth in gold dance, Lydia Gokey '06's fifth in senior dance and Rachel Bloch '07's fifth in pre-intermediate A dance. Celia Carmen '07 and Rebecca Bruccoleri '05 also skated strong and well-choreographed programs in the intermediate freeskate. Jeanne Franzone '05 contributed to the first place win in a team maneuver event.
Looking back on the weekend's events freshman Kalaris said, "What really made the difference is that everyone stepped out on the ice with a confidence that continued throughout their programs." Lee '07 added, "everyone had a great attitude and team spirit. We all supported and encouraged each other with lots of enthusiasm."
The team is coached by J. Michael McGean '49, an ice dance world champion and former Secretary of Dartmouth College, and his daughter Loren McGean '92. The team was accompanied by former co-captain Paola Peacock '03, Tricia Shalka '05, who assists with ice-dancing, and Jocelyn Woolworth '05. Stetson Whitcher '40 attended the Saturday afternoon events and is a longtime, loyal and generous supporter of the Dartmouth figure skating team.
"It was another amazing win for Dartmouth in spite of having a number of skaters who were ill but it's nice to be headed for Nationals for the fifth consecutive year," commented Coach McGean, reflecting on the current success of the season.
The team would like to thank Emily Schaller '02, Amy Stetson-DeJesus '00, Bert and Mary Leonard and Ben Bostick for their contributions to the team's success.
The Collegiate Figure Skating Nationals will be held at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst on March 27 and 28.
Rebecca Bruccoleri '05 is a member of the Dartmouth figure skating team, and Paola Peacock-Villada '03 is a former co-captain.
