DENVER – University of Denver Division of Athletics has named Eliska Albrigtsen as the Head Nordic Coach of the Pioneers‘ skiing program, DU Vice Chancellor for Athletics and Ritchie Center Operations Josh Berlo announced today.
She takes over the head coaching duties of the Nordic squad from Rogan Brown, who resigned in July for a career outside of athletics. In this position, Albrigtsen will work in tandem with Otto Tschudi Head Alpine Skiing Coach Joonas Rasanen in leading the men and women of the DU ski team.
“In Eliška, we’ve found a proven successful coach and an elite competitor. We’re very excited to have someone that is so accomplished and has competed in the Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Ski Association, but more importantly someone who we feel will be the perfect fit to further our Nordic skiing legacy as we compete for future national championships,” Berlo said. “Eliška helped Alaska’s program reach new heights in its program’s history in her six seasons there, and we’re confident that her focus on maximizing student-athlete performance and her immense passion for the sport will serve her well at Denver. We’re excited to welcome her back to Colorado and to lead our program alongside Joonas.
“I would also like to thank Rogan for his help in the transition to ensure our student-athletes had sport-specific leadership while we conducted a national search for his successor.”
Albrigtsen joins the Pioneers after spending the past six seasons as the head coach of the University of Alaska Fairbanks Nordic skiing and cross country running programs. During her time at the helm of the UAF ski team, the Nordic-only program placed in the top 10 overall and in the top six in the Nordic standings in each of the five completed NCAA Championships.
“I’m thrilled to join the University of Denver family as the head Nordic coach and work with all the talented student-athletes that DU has,” Albrigtsen said. “I cannot wait to bring my expertise in technique, physiology and innovative thinking to an already powerhouse team. Competing for an overall NCAA Championship is a new challenge I’m eager to take on, especially side-by-side with Joonas Rasanen. Joonas promotes a healthy attitude and culture, and I’m excited to work in a program that has the support DU skiing has from the department, alums, donors and the larger Colorado community. I’m looking forward to being part of the larger athletic culture at DU in its continued pursuit of comprehensive excellence.
“My son and I are also happy to return to Colorado, where we have close friends and family. We are grateful to be so warmly welcomed by DU Athletics and cannot wait to get started.”
During her time in Alaska, she helped the Nanooks earn 23 individual All-American awards, including 10 first-team honors. Under her guidance, Joe Davies won the 2023 individual NCAA championship in the 10K freestyle interval start and Fairbanks local and U.S. Ski Team member Kendall Kramer claimed the 2025 national title in the 20K freestyle mass start.
At the 2022 NCAA Skiing Championships, UAF placed seventh overall, marking the best finish ever for the program at the collegiate nationals. Additionally, the team finished third in the Nordic standings at the NCAAs in both 2022 and 2023.
Albrigtsen was named the RMISA Nordic Co-Coach of the Year in 2023. Also that year, Alaska Fairbanks finished fourth in the conference’s Nordic regular-season standings, the best finish in recent years for the program.
The former Czech national team member is the first woman to lead the Nordic squad in Denver skiing history and will be the second active woman at DU that is in a head coaching role responsible for leading male student-athletes, joining DU men’s and women’s swimming and diving head coach Alicia Hicken-Franklin.
Albrigtsen first joined Alaska Fairbanks in 2018 as an assistant coach for both Nordic skiing and cross country running before being promoted to head coach in 2019. Prior to joining UAF, she served as the head coach and junior development coach for the Central Cross Country Skiing organization in Madison, Wisconsin, while also leading as the program manager and junior head coach for the Madison Nordic Ski Club.
From Jablonec, Czechia, Albrigtsen (then Hajkova) shined at the collegiate level at the University of Colorado. She helped CU win team national championships in 2011 and 2013, and she claimed her own individual national title in the 15K classical in 2011.
As a Nordic skier for the Buffaloes from 2010-2013, the 2011 CU Female Athlete of the Year recorded six All-American honors—four of them being first-team awards. Albrigtsen was named to the All-RMISA First Team each season, picked up three RMISA Championships and finished in the top 10 in 45-of-48 career collegiate races. Internationally, Albrigtsen started 24 FIS World Cup events and finished eighth in the 15K classic mass start at the 2013 World University Games in Lago di Tesero, Italy.
A two-time member of the National All-Academic Ski Team (2011, 2013), Albrigtsen graduated from Colorado in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in integrative physiology.
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT ALBRIGTSEN:
Joonas Rasanen – University of Denver Otto Tschudi Head Alpine Skiing Coach
“I’m thrilled to welcome Eliška to our Pioneer family, and I’m excited to work with her to continue to grow our skiing program. What she accomplished in her time at Alaska Fairbanks is truly impressive, and her dedication to the sport and the student-athletes was clear throughout the search process. I know she will uphold the values, tradition and expectations of Denver skiing, as we strive to get the team back to the top of the podium.”
Otto Tschudi – Former DU Alpine Skier and current Board of Trustees Member Since 1991
“The hire of Eliška as the new Nordic coach at DU is a wonderful choice. She has proven to achieve exceptional results under difficult circumstances and will help DU get back where I believe we belong, at the top of the podium.”
Richard Rokos – Friend and former University of Colorado Head Skiing Coach
“Knowing Eliška being a standout all her life, I would like to congratulate Eliška and DU. They both represent excellence. I was honored to recruit her 15 years ago and officiate her wedding. She became a distant family member. It is great to have her close to “home”. I have no doubts she will be an asset to the program!”
Benjamin Buck – UAF Assistant Skiing Coach
“As Eliška’s assistant coach for the past 3 years, her move to Denver is bittersweet. These years working with her in Fairbanks have been the most enjoyable and formative years of my career as a ski coach thus far. As her friend, I am thrilled for her to start this new chapter at such a historic program. I can’t wait to see what she accomplishes with DU.”
