In a competition that saw over 2,100 votes, Patrick Caldwell ’17 was named the best freshman athlete at Dartmouth for 2013-14. Caldwell earned 818 votes in all.
Caldwell did not have to travel far to come to Hanover, just about 20 minutes from Lyme. In his first season with the Big Green, the freshman was already an anchor on an incredibly strong Nordic ski team along with Silas Talbot ’15.
“I’m always looking long term,” men’s cross-country skiing head coach Ruff Patterson said. “He’s one of the most talented skiers to come into the program. He’s that level.”
The Nordic team and Caldwell were a force to be reckoned with on the slopes this season. The ski team placed second in six carnivals this season.
Caldwell notched a first, second and third finish in three carnivals this season. The high point of the freshman’s season came during the Williams Carnival, where Caldwell placed first in the 3x3.25-kilometer relay and the 10-kilometer race.
At the NCAA meet in Park City, Utah, Caldwell was the top finisher for the Big Green in both the 10-kilometer and 20-kilometer events, placing 22nd and fifth, respectively. His fifth-place finish in the 20-kilometer earned him All-American honors.
The trip, Caldwell said, was a great opportunity for the team to have fun and work together.