GREEN BAY, Wis. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) - Green Bay senior Nordic skier Carolyn Freeman (Ely, Minn.) is preparing to compete at the 2011 NCAA Division I Skiing Championships this week in Stowe, Vt. This year's championship events will be hosted by the University of Vermont at the Stowe Mountain Resort and Trapp Family Lodge March 9-12.

Freeman, who qualified out of the NCAA Central Region, will be competing in the 5K freestyle on Wednesday and the 15K classic race on Friday. Freeman is one of just 39 female Nordic skiers nationwide who qualified for the NCAA competition.

This year marks Freeman's third appearance at the NCAA Championships in as many years. At last year's NCAA meet, she finished 17th in the 15K freestyle and 32nd in the 5K classical event. Her 17th-place showing was the second highest finish at the NCAAs in school history.

Despite her past success, 2010-11 proved to be a breakout season for Freeman. The senior placed first in seven individual races this season after going winless in her previous three seasons. She qualified as an alternate for the United States U-23 Olympic development team following the U.S. Cross Country Championships in January and also won the classic race at the NCAA Central Regional.

Freeman was able to turn in the best season of her career following the loss of her coach, mentor and friend, Butch Reimer, who lost his battle with leukemia in October 2010.

To hear Freeman talk about her skiing career at Green Bay, her relationship with Reimer and her thoughts on the 2011 NCAA Championships, watch the video below.

The NCAA Skiing Championships will be webcast live on NCAA.com and highlights will be shown on CBS at noon CT on Saturday, April 30. For more information on the 2011 NCAA Skiing Championships, click here.