DU Skiing Adds Four To 2024 Alpine Team
University of Denver Skiing announced today that the team has added four student-athletes to its alpine squad for the upcoming 2025 winter season.
The class includes two transfer students as Loic Chable (Villars, Switzerland) comes from Westminster University in Utah and Nicola Rountree-Williams (Edwards, Colorado) joins the Pioneers from Colorado Mountain College in Steamboat Springs. DU is also adding two incoming freshmen in Stella Buchheister (Dillon, Colorado) and Pietro Motterlini (Milano, Italy).
"We are excited to add these four athletes to our team for the upcoming season," said Otto Tschudi Denver Alpine Skiing Head Coach Joonas Rasanen. "These additions will add to our already deep alpine field and will continue to elevate our program. We're looking forward to getting everyone back on campus next month and aim to bring an NCAA Championship back to Denver in March."
Below is more information on each skier.
Stella Buchheister | Women's Alpine | Dillon, Colorado
5-8 | Whistler Secondary School | Team Summit Colorado
Before Denver: Won the 2023 U.S. National Junior Championship in giant slalom … Has placed in the top 10 in five of six career U.S. National Junior Championships and came in 15th in the 2023 downhill … Have recorded 10 previous podiums in FIS races … Owns eight top-30 results in previous Nor-Am Cup events, including in each of the last six races in 2024 … Was 16th in giant slalom and 19th in slalom at the Nor-Am Cup in Whistler on March 27-28, 2024 … Finished 18th in slalom and 21st in giant slalom at the 2024 U.S. Alpine National Championships … Placed 12th in super G, 13th in GS and 14th in slalom at the 2023 U.S. Alpine National Championship … Previously competed at both the 2023 and 2024 Denver Invitational as a non-collegiate invitee … Was recognized with Team Summit's Sportsmanship Award (2019, 2021, 2023), Excellence in Alpine Skiing Award (2020) and Outstanding Performance Award (2022) … Named Team MVP in 2022 for her high school's cross country running team.
Personal: Daughter of Geoff and Tina Buchheister … Has a younger brother, Luka … Mother Tina (Kavcic) was an alpine skier for the University of Utah while father Geoff skied collegiately at the University of Colorado … Uncle Greg Buchheister also previously skied for CU … Holds dual citizenship with the United States and Slovenia and is fluent in speaking Slovenian … In addition to having a successful skiing tenure at DU, career goals include racing on the World Cup circuit and competing at the Olympics … Graduated from Whistler Secondary School in 2024 where she also competed in cross country and track running … Also enjoys mountain biking, golf, cross country running and reading … Practiced karate from ages 5-11 and reached a brown belt with a black stripe … Volunteered at soup kitchens serving people in need in Summit County, Colorado, and also participated in ski mountain clean-up days … Favorite musicians are Rihanna, Mac Miller, Meghan Moroney and Tyler Childers … Favorite movie is "14 Peaks" … Favorite TV show is "Modern Family."
Why DU: "I chose the University of Denver because of the great academics, ski team, quarter system and location. I'm really excited to be a part of the ski team because of the great coaching, athletic and academic support, and positive team environment. This will help me continue to pursue my goals in ski racing, while furthering my education."
Loïc Chable | Men's Alpine | Villars, Switzerland
6-1 | Kollegium Spiritus Sanctus Brig | Westminster University / SAS Lausanne
2025: Joins the Pioneers with 27 career RMISA races after being a member of the Westminster University ski team the previous two seasons … Enters the season with five top-10 finishes, three top-five results and two career podiums on the college circuit … Made the NCAA Championships in each of his two seasons at Westminster.
2024 (Westminster): Recorded three top-10 finishes and picked up his first two career podiums in his second season with the Griffins … Began the campaign with his first career podium by placing third in slalom at the Westminster Invitational on Jan. 17 … Came in 11th the next day on Jan. 18 in the Utah Invitational's slalom race … Did not finish the first giant slalom event of the year at the Westminster Invitational on Jan. 19 … Placed 26th in the Utah Invite GS on Jan. 20 … Posted his best career finish by coming in second in the RMISA Alpine Qualifier in Steamboat Springs on Feb. 1 … Did not finish either the giant slalom or the slalom events of the CU Invitational at Steamboat on Feb. 2-3 … Came in 10th in the Denver Invitational's first slalom on Feb. 2 but did not finish the second such event the next day on Feb. 3 … Was 38th in the RMISA Alpine Qualifier on Feb. 22 in Montana … Was 15th in giant slalom and 14th in slalom at the RMISA Championships in Big Sky, Montana, on Feb. 23-24 … Placed 24th in GS on March 6 and 27th in slalom on March 8 at the NCAA Championships in Steamboat Springs.
2023 (Westminster): Placed in the top 20 in eight events, including posting two top-10 finishes and one in the top five … Made his collegiate debut at Westminster's home meet on Jan. 27 and came in 19th in the first slalom race of the day before posting his first career top 10 in sixth in the second event … Placed 19th in the first giant slalom of the season in a RMISA Alpine Qualifier on Jan. 30 … Was 17th in the Colorado Invitational's first giant slalom on Feb. 9 but did not finish the second GS of the meet on Feb. 10 … Recorded a season-best fourth-place finish in the Denver Invitational's first slalom on Feb. 11 … Did not finish the second slalom of the DU Invite on Feb. 12 … Came in 13th in the Alaska Anchorage Invitational's giant slalom on Feb. 21 and 15th in the same discipline at the RMISA Championships on Feb. 22 … Posted a DNF in both slalom events in Alaska—the UAA Invite on Feb. 23 and RMISA Championships on Feb. 24 … Did not finish his NCAA Championships debut in the giant slalom on March 8 … Came in 16th in slalom at the NCAA Championships on March 10 to close the college campaign.
Before College: Raced for SAS Lausanne before joining Westminster … Took part in 10 Europa Cup races during the 2021 and 2022 winter season … Placed 16th in the slalom at the 2022 Swiss National Championship and was 13th in the 2021 Swiss Championships in giant slalom … Came in sixth in the slalom at the 2020 Swiss Championships … Recorded five top-10 finishes in the first eight Nor-Am Cup races to begin the 2022-23 winter season.
Other: Represented Switzerland at the 2023 World University Games in Lake Placid/Whiteface Mountain, N.Y., placing fourth in slalom, seventh in super G and ninth in alpine combined.
Personal: Son of Gustave and Françoise … Has two older sisters, Charlotte and Pauline … Both of his parents were ski instructors and Charlotte is a previous FIS World Cup and Europa Cup alpine skier that placed 15th in slalom at the 2015 World Championships in Beaver Creek, Colorado … Graduated from Westminster University in 2024 with a bachelor's degree in economics … Graduated from Kollegium Spiritus Sanctus Brig Secondary School in 2020 … Favorite movie is "13 Hours: The Secret Solders of Benghazi" … Hobbies include golf and tennis.
Why DU: "I chose the University of Denver for its great academic reputation and for being one of the best ski programs in the country."
Pietro Motterlini | Men's Alpine | Milano, Italy
5-9 | Canadian School of Millan | Italian National Team
Before Denver: Member of the Italian National Team from 2022-2024 and was a member of the youth alpine ski team of Comitato Alpi Centrali of the Italian Federation of Winter Sports (FISI) in 2021-22 … Raced in seven Europa Cup events in 2023 and 2024 … Took part in both the 2023 and 2024 FIS Junior World Championships … Placed 10th in giant slalom and second in team parallel slalom in the 2023 Junior Worlds in Austria … Won the Italian U18 National Junior Championship in giant slalom and placed second in slalom in 2022 … Winner of the overall ranking for the U18 Gran Premio Italia … Placed third in GS in the 2024 Italian National Juniors and won Italy's National Junior title in super G the in 2023 … Awarded the 2021-22 Athlete of the Year award prize at the Canadian School of Milan, which recognizes an athlete that is able to combine sport practice with consistent academic achievement.
Personal: Son of Matteo and Carolina … Has an older brother, Marco … Majoring in finance at DU … Started skiing at age 2 … Career goals are to one day make the Olympics and use his finance degree to create a start-up company … Enjoys all types of sports and also participated in soccer, football, water polo, basketball and windsurfing while growing up … Also likes to cook … Favorite movie is "Seven Years in Tibet" … Favorite TV show is "Peaky Blinders."
Why DU: "I chose DU because I believe that it's the University that gives me the best chances to succeed academically and in sports. Furthermore I have the support of the alpine skiing coaches, that will give me great strength during the season, both here in the U.S. and in Europe. DU gives me the best chance to succeed as a student and as an athlete."
Nicola Rountree-Williams | Women's Alpine | Edwards, Colorado
5-4 | Vail Mountain School | Colorado Mountain College / Ski & Snowboard Club Vail
2025: Joins the Pioneers with 23 career RMISA races after competing the previous two seasons on the circuit with Colorado Mountain College … Enters the season at DU with eight career top-10 finishes and two top-five results in RMISA competition.
2024 (Colorado Mountain College): Captained Colorado Mountain College and recorded career bests with five results in the top 10 and two top-five finishes … Finished the season with four straight top-10 results, including recording personal highs with a pair of fifth-place finishes—the first of her college career … After coming in 15th in the first slalom event of the Denver Invitational on Feb. 5, picked up her first top five in fifth place in the second slalom of the DU Invite on Feb. 6 … Had her best giant slalom races back-to-back, coming in eighth in the RMISA Alpine Qualifier in Montana on Feb. 22 before bettering it the next day in fifth place at the RMISA Championships on Feb. 23 … Wrapped up the college season by finishing sixth on Feb. 24 in the RMISA Championships' slalom … Began the year with a DNF in slalom at the Westminster Invitational … Placed 13th in slalom at the Utah Invite on Jan. 18 … Picked up her first top 10 of the year and began a stretch of four consecutive races in the top 15 by coming in ninth in the Westminster Invite's giant slalom on Jan. 19 … Was 11th in the Utah Invite GS on Jan. 12, placed 12th in the RMISA Alpine Qualifier GS in Steamboat on Feb. 1 and 15th in the Colorado Invite GS on Feb. 2 … Did not finish the CU Invite's slalom on Feb. 3.
2023 (Colorado Mountain College): Recorded three top 10s and placed inside the top 20 in six of the final seven races of the season … Made her collegiate debut at the Westminster Invitational on Jan. 26 with a 30th-place finish in the first slalom but did not finish the second slalom of the day … Came in 24th in the first giant slalom race of the season at the RMISA Alpine Qualifier in Montana … Did not finish the first GS of the Colorado Invitational on Feb. 9 before picking up her first career top 20 in the same discipline on Day 2 of the meet on Feb. 10 … Recorded a then-career best with consecutive seventh-place results in the two slalom events at the Denver Invitational on Feb. 11-12 … Came in 10th in the Alaska Anchorage Invitational's giant slalom on Feb. 21 but DNF'd in the RMISA Championships GS on Feb. 22 … Finished the season by coming in 15th in slalom at the UAA Invite on Feb. 23 and 17th in the same event on Feb. 24 in the RMISA Championships.
Before College: Previously competed for the U.S. Ski Team (2019, 2021, 2022) and Ski and Snowboard Vail … Raced in two FIS World Cup events in Croatia and Slovenia in January 2022 … Placed fifth in giant slalom at the 2021 U.S. Alpine National Championships at Copper Mountain … Had four top-10 finishes at U.S. Nationals from 2019-2021 … Recorded two top-10 finishes for Team USA at the 2020 Youth Olympic Games, placing eighth in giant slalom and sixth in the team parallel slalom in Switzerland … Competed at three FIS Junior World Championships (2020 Norway, 2021 Bulgaria, 2022 Canada).
Personal: Daughter of Robert Williams and Elizabeth Rountree … Has a younger sister, Isabel … Born in North Carolina before moving to Colorado in middle school … Attended high school at Vail Mountain School before going to Colorado Mountain College in Steamboat Springs … Made the President's List (2023) and Dean's List (2024) at Colorado Mountain College … Majoring in psychology at DU … Would like to work in a psychology-related field and do something involving wildlife conservation after college … Is an avid hiker and mountaineer, including climbing Denali in summer 2024 … Also enjoys reading and writing … Earned the Les Streeter Award in 2018 with Ski and Snowboard Club Vail and Team Athletes Giving Back Award in 2021 with the U.S. Ski Team … Donated to the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) through the Athletes Giving Back Award … Passionate about climate change and water rights … Spent two weeks while in high school installing long-lasting water filters in rural Bolivia … Is a licensed drag racer … Also participated in soccer, tennis and horseback riding (show jumping and cross country) when she was a kid.
Why DU: "I chose DU because the alpine team has a lot of depth as well as fantastic resources. The psychology program is really good too with a ton of options for specialization and many skilled, experienced professors."
