Justine Lamontagne won the women’s giant slalom at the NCAA Championships, becoming the second woman in Montana State history to claim a national skiing title, according to a March 12 announcement from the university.
Lamontagne’s victory is significant as it highlights her transition from competing on the world stage at the 2026 Olympics in Cortina, Italy, to excelling in collegiate competition. Her experience at international events contributed to her performance back in college skiing.
“Actually, coming back was great,” said Lamontagne about returning from the Olympics. “It’s such two different things. (College skiing) is more human, more happy pressure. The World Cup or the Olympics is all about handling the pressure, the TV, the extra stuff. Coming back to college was fun.”
Lamontagne led after her first run by more than one second and maintained control during her second run to secure first place. Montana State head alpine coach Kris Shampeny said, “When she put up that time in the first run, that helped her mindset on the second run. That allowed her to just get in the gate and deal with what’s in front of her.” He added that Lamontagne’s teammates played an important role in keeping her relaxed before her final run.
Reflecting on how Olympic experience influenced her college season, Lamontagne said, “I think it really brought that momentum and also that experience. Just a lot of volume of skiing and just in general (being in) great shape. I think that really translated in college (skiing).” Shampeny praised his athlete’s dedication: “She’s amazing, super nice and a really hard worker. This was a long time coming for her, and I’m so proud.”
Lamontagne’s achievement marks another milestone for Montana State’s ski program as it continues to compete at high levels nationally.
