Ski team retains top spot in rankings

The UVM ski team won its second straight carnival and maintained the top spot in the Ski Racing Magazine Power Rankings after a win in the EISA Circuit at Colby Carnival. Despite lacking four of their top skiers — who were competing in Europe — the team racked up 991 points and had the first back-to-back 900+ point performances at two straight carnivals since 1999. Ten different skiers have won an event so far this season, and UVM has had a skier on the podium for every event.

Former UVM goaltender named ECHL goalie of the week

The East Coast Hockey League has named Joe Fallon, UVM class of ’08, of the Las Vegas Wranglers as their Goaltender of the Week for the week ending Jan. 23. He had a 2-0-0 record for the week and posted a shutout and save percentage of .938. Fallon was a sixth round selection by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft and is the UVM all-time leader in goals against average, save percentage and shutouts. Fallon’s 20 collegiate shutouts rank second all-time in NCAA Division I history.

Boss of the week: BJ Raji

His pick-six with just over six minutes left in the fourth quarter, iced the NFC championship for the Green Bay Packers, but Raji did more than just propel his team to Super Bowl XLV. He became the heaviest player to score a touchdown in a postseason game. Listed at 337 pounds, Raji broke the record previously held by William “Refrigerator” Perry who, at 318 pounds, scored a touchdown for the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XX exactly 25 years ago this week.

Goat of the week: Jay Cutler

No doubt about it, Cutler’s sprained MCL is a painful injury, but with a trip to Super Bowl XLV on the line, he could have done more to help his team. Cutler could have played through that injury or at least shown interest in helping third-string quarterback Caleb Hanie. Instead, Cutler chose neither and alienated much of the fan base that had finally embraced him after his departure from Denver.