HISTORY

An enthusiastic group of Norwegian students began a long tradition of competitive skiing in Madison by building a ski jump in 1919. Competitive skiing has taken many forms on campus since 1919. The Hoofer Alpine Ski Team was first conceived in 1933 and the modern team was created in 1970. Since then, the Wisconsin Alpine Team has been the most storied intercollegiate ski team in the country, boasting a long history of success, traditions, and fun.

1919

A group of Norwegian student ski jumpers constructed a wooden ski slide on Muir Knoll.

1920

The jump officially opened on January 11, 1920, and a crowd of 3,000 spectators appeared to watch the spectacle. This was the birth of the Badger Ski Club.

1931

UW students formed the Wisconsin Hoofers as a skiing and outing club.

1932

The Hoofers ordered their first set of 20 skis through the Dartmouth Outing Club, racking them in the Union billiard room and renting from the billiard desk - the club's initial source of income.

1933

The Hoofer Alpine Ski team was formed by a group of student meeting at the ski jump on Mendota for practice.

1939

Hoofers formed a women’s ski team to compete in slalom races with Barbara Meyer and Ruth Brown. Brown and Meyer dominated the division as almost every race was a competition between them.

1956

The war diminished campus interest in ski jumping and the 23 year old jump was demolished to build the parking lot next to the limnology lab. The ski team disbanded.

1964

Craig Taylor, a student interested in slalom racing, joined Richard Mortenson, and the Hoofer Ski Club President to persuade the athletic board to sponsor a ski team.

1964-1968

The ski team competed in slalom, giant slalom, and downhill. In 1968, the ski team achieved its best result by qualifying for the NCAA Championship Meet in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. The team finished last but qualifying was a great result in itself. Regrettably, there was no women’s team at the time.

1969

Due to budget constraints caused by the construction of Camp Randall’s upper deck, the Athletic Department cut the ski team for 1969.

1970

The modern alpine team was born as the Hoofer Ski Club financed a new ski team. The women’s team won the Midwest Collegiate Skiing Association Championships while the men’s team took second place.

1970-Present

Since 1970, Wisconsin Alpine has been one of the most successful intercollegiate ski teams in the country. Although we do not have complete records, here is a list of the years our men’s and women’s teams have qualified for the USCSA National Championships since 1998:

Women’s Nationals: 1998, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020

Men’s Nationals: 2001, 2017, 2018, 2020