Zach Kayne of Bend, Oregon, is debuting on the Stifel U.S. Cross Country Ski Team for the 2024-25 season. A student-athlete at the University of Utah, Zach achieved strong results and secured a spot on the D Team. 

Zach grew up in Southern California and never touched snow until the age of nine—he learned to snowboard before he knew what cross-country skiing was. Then, he moved to Bend, Oregon and started training at Mt. Bachelor Nordic Center. His favorite memories of his career include being an NCAA regional champion as a college freshman and qualifying for the U.S. Junior World Championships. 

For the 2024-25 season, Zach's goals are to score NCAA points for the University of Utah Utes, qualify for the U23 World Championships, and compete within the SuperTour and RMISA circuits. 

Outside of the sport, he has been a small business owner since he was 14. He owns Hurricane Headwear LLC and is pursuing his undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering. He loves to ride bikes, play basketball with his dad and friends, and take his '79 CJ5 out four-wheeling into the Deschutes National Forest.