Cassidy Gray - Annual Award - Collegiate Skier of the Year 2021

One of the most important annual celebrations of the state’s snow sports industry, the Colorado Snowsports Hall of Fame induction, is on tap for Sunday, August 22 at the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater. For the next several weeks leading up to the 2021 Hall of Fame Celebration, the CSM will be highlighting inductees and annual award recipients. Tickets for the event are on sale: HERE.

Cassidy Joan Gray was born Jan. 25, 2001, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. She enjoys biking, hiking and power skiing and was a volunteer soccer coach for three years. In 2021, Cassidy had two top career finishes: GS Finish: First (2021 RMISA Invitational at Utah) and Slalom Finish: 10th (2021 RMISA Invitational at Solider Hollow).

Buff freshman Cassidy Gray fired up the Black and Gold faithful at the NCAA Championships, leading a one-two CU finish in Giant Slalom with teammate Stefani Fleckenstein. On the strength of Cassidy and Fleckenstein, the Buffs won the women's GS race as a team with 94 points. 

Cassidy became the Buffs 98th Individual National Champion (96th NCAA) in program history and the first in women's alpine since the 2008 NCAA Championships. Cassidy’s performance was particularly impressive given the fact she started the race 26th out of a possible 33 racers. Even though she had a GS win earlier in the season at Park City, she didn't have a good NCAA seed because it was the only GS race she finished this season. Despite starting near the back of the field, she had the third-fastest first run and then her second run was over a second faster than every other skier in the field to get the win.

Cassidy missed the first collegiate races of her career making her World Cup debut. She returned for four races in Utah to qualify for the NCAA Championships. She then returned to the Canadian National Team and finished 23rd in the World Championships in the GS race, believed to be the best finish for a CU skier at the World Championships.  She also finished fifth in the GS at the Italian National Championships before meeting the Buffs in New Hampshire for the NCAA Championships.

When CU asked Cassidy - Why Colorado? She answered: "I love the town of Boulder and the school has such a cool vibe to it that it just felt like home right away.”

If you cannot attend the Hall of Fame Celebration in person, please consider making a tribute gift: HERE.