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It has been a subpar winter for snow sports in the West, but the Utah ski team has remained in top form.

The Utes are sending a full team of 12 skiers to the NCAA championships in Lake Placid, N.Y., starting on March 11, and they have high hopes for hardware after finishing fifth last season.

Utah's roster includes seven skiers who have earned all-American honors in previous seasons, led by three-time women's Nordic All-American Sloan Storey and two-time all-Americans Kristiina Rove, Ana Kobal, Andy Trow and Niklas Persson.

There's also a number of underclassmen contenders, including women's alpine skier Chloe Fausa, women's Nordic competitor Veronika Mayerhofer and men's alpine skier Endre Bjertness.

The Utes feel confident after placing second to Colorado in the NCAA West regional.

"We have some extremely well seasoned veterans as well as a couple of newcomers," ski director Kevin Sweeney said. "There is excellent talent, motivation and team chemistry."

Other competitors headed to Lake Placid for the Utes are men's Nordic skiers Noe Bellet and Kevin Bolger, men's alpine skier Joergen Brath and women's Nordic skier Anna-Lena Heynen.

The competition runs through March 14.

Twitter: @kylegoon