- The University of Utah climbing team won its fifth consecutive title at the USA Climbing Collegiate National Championships.
- The competition took place in Kennesaw, Georgia from May 21-24 and featured over 350 climbers.
- Head Coach Sophie Hoermann credits nearby climbing opportunities and elite facilities for their success.
SALT LAKE CITY — As far as dynasties go, the University of Utah climbing team can safely be considered one after winning the USA Climbing Collegiate National Championships for the fifth year in a row.
The annual competition held in Kennesaw, Georgia, took place on May 21-24 and brought over 350 climbers from 105 colleges across the nation to compete in lead, bouldering and speed climbing categories.
The U. had five athletes secure podium finishes:
- Logan Miner: first in the men's speed climbing (advanced) category.
- Anderson Fuhrer: second in the men's lead climbing and men's bouldering (both advanced) categories.
- Nathan Monte: third in the men's lead climbing (advanced) category.
- Kaden Poore: third in the men's lead climbing (intermediate) category.
Those strong individual performances helped power the team to a comfortable 2,200-point victory over the runner-up University of Colorado team.
Not an officially sanctioned NCAA sport, the climbing team was responsible for securing its own funding for competitions and sent over 20 climbers to this year's national championships.
In a release from the U., Sophie Hoermann, a U. senior and head coach of the climbing team, said the team's success is likely attributable to the high concentration of climbing opportunities near campus and elite training facilities in Salt Lake City.
"We get a lot of strong climbers moving to the U for school," Hoermann said in a statement, adding that being a strong climber is not required to join the team. "We welcome anyone who wants to compete, and we try to make a culture that's inviting and provides lots of opportunities to learn.
And despite the team's success at this year's championships, Hoermann said the level of camaraderie is what really made her proud of the team.
"I saw a lot of people coming on days they weren't competing to cheer on their teammates," she said. "Event days are long and intense and can be really tiring. So, I'm proud of the sportsmanship our team showed with each other and with other teams."
Later in June, USA Climbing will hold the Youth National Championships in Salt Lake City.
