Justine LaMontagne (photo by Paddy Mahar)
Photo by: Bobcat Creative Services
Justine Lamontagne Puts 'Gold' in Bobcats Blue & Gold by 2026 NCAA Giant Slalom Championship
3/12/2026 5:48:00 AM | Women's Skiing
MSU senior becomes first Bobcat since 2017 to claim national crown
BOZEMAN, Mont. (March 11, 2026) – The distance between Cortina, Italy, and Salt Lake City, Utah, is nearly 6,000 miles. But for Justine Lamontagne, it didn't seem nearly that far.
Swapping the bright lights of the Olympics, rubbing elbows with the likes of Mikaela Shiffrin and ducking in and out of international television broadcasts, for the rigors of college classes and the slower pace of the Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Ski Association circuit wouldn't be an easy trade.
But for Lamontagne it was a no-brainer.
"Actually, coming back was great," said Montana State's star, whose final college season was broken up by a trip to Italy for the 2026 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 took that fun to the highest level possible Wednesday, winning the second women's national championship in Montana State history when she claimed first place in the giant slalom. Lamontagne built a cushion of more than one second with her performance in the first run, then sailed down the U.S. Olympic Park mountainside under perfect control in the second run to clinch the championship.
"When she put up that time in the first run, that helped her mindset on the second run," said Montana State head alpine coach Kris Shampeny. "That allowed her to just get in the gate and deal with what's in front of her."
Lamontagne's spectacular first run came right out of the gates – literally. She was the day's first woman skier. Fittingly, she wore bib number one.
With that nearly-flawless first run, though, came the butterflies. "I know she was pretty nervous for her second run," Shampeny said. "Her teammates did an unbelievable job of hanging with her and keeping things light with the atmosphere and the joking. That really helps her keep her mind off of where she is, and when she gets in the start gate she can focus on what's in front of her and go."
Lamontagne said that the Olympic experience boosted her confidence returning to the college circuit and particularly the NCAA Championships. "I think it really brought that momentum and also that experience," she said. "Just a lot of volume of skiing and just in general (being in) great shape. I think that really translated in college (skiing)."
Shampeny couldn't have been more pleased for his star senior's showing on Wednesday. "She's amazing, super nice and a really hard worker," he said. "This was a long time coming for her, and I'm so proud."
#GoCatsGo
Swapping the bright lights of the Olympics, rubbing elbows with the likes of Mikaela Shiffrin and ducking in and out of international television broadcasts, for the rigors of college classes and the slower pace of the Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Ski Association circuit wouldn't be an easy trade.
But for Lamontagne it was a no-brainer.
"Actually, coming back was great," said Montana State's star, whose final college season was broken up by a trip to Italy for the 2026 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 took that fun to the highest level possible Wednesday, winning the second women's national championship in Montana State history when she claimed first place in the giant slalom. Lamontagne built a cushion of more than one second with her performance in the first run, then sailed down the U.S. Olympic Park mountainside under perfect control in the second run to clinch the championship.
"When she put up that time in the first run, that helped her mindset on the second run," said Montana State head alpine coach Kris Shampeny. "That allowed her to just get in the gate and deal with what's in front of her."
Lamontagne's spectacular first run came right out of the gates – literally. She was the day's first woman skier. Fittingly, she wore bib number one.
With that nearly-flawless first run, though, came the butterflies. "I know she was pretty nervous for her second run," Shampeny said. "Her teammates did an unbelievable job of hanging with her and keeping things light with the atmosphere and the joking. That really helps her keep her mind off of where she is, and when she gets in the start gate she can focus on what's in front of her and go."
Lamontagne said that the Olympic experience boosted her confidence returning to the college circuit and particularly the NCAA Championships. "I think it really brought that momentum and also that experience," she said. "Just a lot of volume of skiing and just in general (being in) great shape. I think that really translated in college (skiing)."
Shampeny couldn't have been more pleased for his star senior's showing on Wednesday. "She's amazing, super nice and a really hard worker," he said. "This was a long time coming for her, and I'm so proud."
#GoCatsGo
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