The Massachusetts men’s skiing team has not been the most consistent team all year, but when stakes are highest, the Minutemen are at their best.

Two weeks ago, UMass earned a one-point victory at the Eastern Collegiate Ski Conference regional over Plymouth State. That was the Minutemen’s first victory all season – they followed it up with a national championship.

Last week at the United States Collegiate Snowsports Association Nationals, the Maroon and White won its first national championship ever in both the giant slalom and the regular slalom.

UMass coach Skip Fox was thrilled with his team’s exceptional showing.

“I was so happy that we peaked at the right time,” Fox said. “It was almost surreal.”

This marks the first time an eastern team has won the championship in 23 years.

UMass started the week competing in the giant slalom on Thursday, placing three skiers in the top 10 to secure the title and defeating PSU and Sierra Nevada College by over a full second.

For the second week in a row, the Minutemen were led by senior Jason Small. At the ECSC regional, Small earned a first-place finish for the giant slalom in a UMass win. This week, Small followed up that performance with a second-place finish, clocking in at a combined time of 2 minutes, 16.66 seconds in his two runs.

Sophomores Andrew Hawes (2:19.21) and Ian Hohmeister (2:19.48) placed eighth and ninth, respectively, in the giant slalom.

The next day, the Minutemen participated in the slalom and proved they could dominate the field in both events, scoring another first-place team finish.

After three skiers placed in the top 10 in the giant slalom, the Maroon and White did even better with four skiers earning a top-10 finish.

Small showed that he is as adept skiing in slalom as he is in the giant slalom. He led the team by earning another second-place finish (1:40.17)

“He was so thrilled, you could see it in his expression on the podium, Fox said. “You know it was like his four years of racing for UMass just culminated in one fantastic finish.”

Hawes came in fifth place (1:44.00), Matthew Small came in ninth place (1:45.21) and Ian Hohmeister came in 10th place (1:45.45).

The Minutewomen also competed Thursday in the USCSA giant slalom and came in ninth place.

Heidi Skinner had the best time on the women’s team at 2:45.79, sufficient enough for her to earn 27th place.

Ashley Hawes (2:47.13) was close behind, placing 30th.

Two of the Minutewomen’s top skiers this year, freshman star Jamie Taloumis and senior Eliza Hawkins both had a difficult day. They failed to finish their first run and were disqualified.

Sophomore captain Emily Shilletto had a promising start, placing fourth in her first run with a time of 1:25.81, but missed a gate in the second run, dropping her to 58th place (2:56.55).

The team rebounded nicely on Friday in the regular slalom by claiming third place, coming less than a second away from first place.

Hawkins shook off her giant slalom disqualification and took fourth place, clocking in at 1:56.39. Hawes placed fifth (1:56.42) and Taloumis came in 10th (1:57.03).

The presentation and banquet awarding the national championships was held on Saturday.

Scott Feldman can be reached at [email protected].