By Jana Cunningham, communications specialist, University Marketing & Communications
The University of Utah’s J. Willard Marriott Library will honor the U Ski Team and Ron Steele during their annual Ski Affair at the Little America Hotel on Nov. 7 at 6 p.m. The fundraising event supports the library’s ski archives, which houses the largest collection of ski and snow sport history in the country.
The ski team will receive the library’s History-Maker Award for their historic achievements and their 11th NCAA championship. When the ski team won the national championship in March it marked the first such title by any sport since the U joined the Pac-12 conference in 2011. Their 11th NCAA title is the most by any U team.
“We selected the U ski team for this award because of its impressive history as one of the nation’s top college teams,” said Barbara Yamada, chair of the Ski Affair Board. “We are so proud of the students and the coaches that make the team the shining gem that it is.”
Also honored at the event will be former U ski team and ski industry executive Ron Steele who will receive the library’s S. J. Quinney Award for his contributions to snow sports. Steele was a three-time All-American while skiing for the U from 1974 to 1978 and a U.S. Olympic team member in 1972. He is a 40-year employee of Group Rossignol North America, serving as president since 2012.
The library’s Utah Ski Archives, founded in 1989, documents the history of ski competition on local, national and international levels, the founding of major resorts, snow safety and avalanche control, ski equipment, ski instruction, freestyle skiing, back-country skiing and virtually every facet of winter sports in Utah and the surrounding region.
“As the largest, most comprehensive archive of its kind, the Utah Ski Archives reaches the national and international community, chronicling the lives and careers of skiers who come to Utah from across the globe to compete and enjoy our incredible winter sports terrain,” said Gregory Thompson, associate dean for Special Collections at the Marriott Library,
Admission to the Ski Affair is $75 per person, $1,500 for a reserved table of 10. Reservations can be made online or by calling 801-581-3421 or emailing judy.jarrow@utah.edu. Reservation deadline is Oct. 31.