DULUTH, Minn (csssaints.com) – The College of St. Scholastica Director of Athletics Jessica Cherry announced that Maria Stuber will step down as head coach of the men's and women's skiing program. 

"Maria has been a valuable leader to CSS and its student-athletes," said Cherry. "We wish her all the best as she continues to advocate for Women in Sports and advance the careers of athletes in Nordic Skiing. I have appreciated her dedication, passion, and inspiration and she will certainly be missed."

Stuber took over in 2017 and has led the Saints for the past seven seasons, the program is coming off a record-breaking season. The team obtained multiple Central Collegiate Ski Association team wins, Victoria Dybwad (Oslo, Norway/Donski HS) and Zachary Jayne (Bend, Ore./Summit HS) skied to individual NCAA Central Region Champions, the men's team won the NCAA Central Region Championship, and, for the first in program history, the maximum number of men qualified for the NCAA championships. Stuber also coached Max Nelson (Grant, Minn./Mahtomedi HS) who qualified for the Para World Cup and earned a spot on the National Team and she coached Emma Stertz (Grand Rapids, Minn./Grand Rapids HS) to the top finish for an American, 17th place at the Biathlon World Junior Championship. In 2023, Stuber was named the Central Collegiate Ski Association Women's Team Coach of the Year and the Tucker Center Women Coaches Symposium College Coach of the Year.  

Stuber led the men's and women's ski program to new heights during the 2020-21 season as a school record five Saints qualified for the NCAA Skiing Championships, including three women for the first time in program history. At those championships, Stuber coached Emil Book Bratbak (Lillehammer, Norway/Lillehammer) to All-America honors in the 10km classic, to become the program's second NCAA All-American.

"I am heartbroken to leave our team and coaching staff at CSS," Stuber said. "In a lot of ways this feels like saying goodbye to family. These people have been everything to me for the past seven years. We experienced extreme joys like we are on top of the world, and also complete devastation. We have laughed, cried, sweat, bled, and everything in between. The things we accomplish together at St. Scholastica will always be a highlight of my career. Developing student-athletes at this small college is the most rewarding job in the whole NCAA.  I'm grateful to have had this opportunity.  Thank you to the college for continuing to support our creativity and continuing to elevate support of this DI caliber skiing program."  

Stuber will be transitioning to the role of Program Director for the Stratton Mountain School T2 Team, an elite/professional ski team based out of Stratton Mountain, Vermont that houses some of the best athletes in the world, including Minnesota's own, 2023 World Champion and Olympic Gold Medalist--Jessie Diggins.   

"One of the highlights for me will be getting to work with former St. Scholastica Assistant coach and 2022 WSF Tara VanDerveer Fellow, Kristen Bourne who I'll be coaching, as well as Julia Kern (2023 World Championship Bronze Medalist). There are going to be days where Kristen and I will be trailside doing all the same things we did here in Duluth but with athletes focused on the World Cup. This feels surreal and like a truly full-circle career and life experience."  

A national search for a men's and women's skiing coach will begin immediately.