At Castleton University's annual Years of Service Ceremony held Friday, Dec. 16, in the Fine Arts Center on campus, Chris Eder, co-head coach of the Spartan alpine ski team as well as the admissions-athletics liaison, received the Employee of the Year Award.
On the slopes, Eder led the Spartans to a historic accomplishment, as both the men's and women's alpine ski teams won the United States Collegiate Ski Association (USCSA) Eastern Regional Championships last February in Greenwood, Maine.
Advancing to the USCSA National Championships in Lake Placid, N.Y., the men's team recorded its fifth straight top-10 finish, ending up in sixth place in the combined standings, while the women's team finished in the top 10 for the fourth straight year, posting a sixth-place finish, one of the best performances at the national championships in program history.
In addition to his coaching duties, Eder plays a key role in helping his fellow coaches better understand the admissions process as well as informing the admissions officers about the needs of the various Castleton athletic programs. He meets with numerous prospective student-athletes, not just those interested in alpine skiing, but many possible Spartan student-athletes throughout the department. Eder has been working in college admissions since 1998 and has been with Castleton since 2003.