With four of six team members back from last year's Nordic championship squad, the University of Wyoming like their chances at this week's United States Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association national meet.

"The two that graduated were replaced by skiers who are even stronger, so we have high hopes for them," UW coach Christi Boggs said in a release prepared by the UW News Service. "They should be hard to beat, but you just never know what everyone else has until you get there.

"The two best skiers for us on the women's side are both seniors. This will be our best chance to repeat."

The meet, which is held for club-level college programs, will be held today through Saturday at Sugarloaf, Maine.

Today's event is the 1-kilometer skate sprint race.

The Cowgirls' top skiers are from Casper - Jennifer Kinner and Brooke Umphlett. Kinner won all three individual events last season while anchoring UW's winning relay team.

UW's other women's team members include Ava Bell, a sophomore from Laramie; Kristen Boroff, a junior from Pinedale; Erika Edgely, a junior from Lake Placid, N.Y., and Melissa Gangl, a freshman from Casper.

The Cowboys are hoping to build on last year's runner-up finish. UW placed second in all four events a year ago.

The UW men returned junior Riley Hopeman of Lander, who took second in the sprint, fifth in the 15K and fourth in the 8.5K last season.

"The men's teams has only Riley returning, but our new recruits will be very competitive," Boggs said. "Despite being young, this team is better than last year's team, so we hope to at least make people nervous."

Also qualifying on the men's side were Adam Alspach, a sophomore from Casper; Justin Daraie, a junior from Casper, and Collin McRann and Josh Peterson, freshmen from Lander.

Wednesday's event is the 15K classic followed by a day off Thursday. On Friday, the 8.5K skate interval race will be held, followed by the 3x5K relay on Saturday.