Dartmouth College junior Mike Sinnott helped the Big Green to third place as a team in the 2006 NCAA Men's and Women's Skiing Championships staged March 8-11 at Steamboat Springs, Colo.
Sinnott, 21, a Dartmouth junior majoring in psychology, placed 13th overall 1:50 back of the winner in Saturday's men's 20-kilometer freestyle race and 12th overall 1:37 back in Thursday's 10k classic event.
The Big Green, leapfrogging over fourth-place Denver University and arch-rival Vermont on the final day, rode the gritty performance of its Nordic skiers to its best NCAA championships finish since 1982.
Colorado's Buffaloes (654) won their 16th NCAA title but first since 1999 by a 98-point margin over New Mexico (556). Dartmouth (537.5) was third, Vermont fifth (516) and the University of Utah eighth (400).
Vermont's Zac Brown of Ketchum finished eighth in Friday's night slalom at Steamboat. Also competing were Utah cross-country skiers Ashley McQueen (28th in 5k classic, 13th in 15k skate) and Jess Kiesel (31st in 10k classic and 20k freestyle).