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2024-25 Roster |
2024-25 Schedule |
2024-25 Coaches
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. – It is all about the process in sports.
That mindset has served the Williams College women's track & field team well, as the Ephs captured the 2019 NCAA Division III Indoor Championship and won five straight New England Division III Championships from 2018-23 (no event in 2021 due to COVID-19 pandemic).
"Our program is about setting big goals and aspirations, but never letting our value be defined by an outcome," said 12th-year head coach
Nate Hoey. "The pursuit, chase and journey are the rewards. Our value is in how we show up every day for each other and ourselves. We want to be present for each other and put effort into connecting and building relationships with each other. When we do that, it enhances the daily process and pursuit and helps create a tremendous environment."
During the 2023-24 indoor season,
Genna Girard '24 earned All-American honors at the NCAA Indoor Championship, placing fourth overall in the 5,000-meter run.
Bella King-Harvey,
Camryn Taylor '24,
Claire Jensen and
Cate Donaldson teamed up and earned All-American recognition in the 4x400-meter relay, finishing third overall. The group's time of 3:48.06 was a Williams' indoor track & field school record and the 11th fastest time in NCAA Division III history.
Hoey (sprints & hurdles) will be supported by assistant coaches in
Mike Blair (pole vault),
Barb Grossov (throws),
Dusty Lopez (middle & long distance) and
Stephanie Mauer (middle & long distance). Seniors
Grace Kaercher,
Gabby Odoom and
Jae Yu will serve as captains.
"I am most looking forward to building strong connections with the team," said Kaercher. "We spend the fall split up into distance and speed-power, so it will be great to get back on the track and cheer on teammates from every event group. Celebrating each other's successes is a big part of our team culture, and I have been grateful for the support I have received from the team over the past few years. I admire that everyone on our team goes out there and gives it their best in every race and are ready to pick each other up and keep training regardless of the outcome."
The Ephs return 37 student-athletes from last year's team. The seniors include
Rachel Arthur,
Blakeley Buckingham,
Nora Johnson, Kaercher,
Alisa Kanganis,
Malia Klein,
Poppy Miller, Odoom,
Sophie Rosencrans,
Chloe Schneeberg,
Daisy Valle and Yu. The returning juniors feature
Ziann Facey,
Ellie Fitzgerald,
Amelie Jamanka,
Livi Mazerolle,
Katerina Papachela,
Charlene Peng,
Fiona Picone,
Charlotte Staudenmayer,
Ella Sukup,
Greta Vaughn and
Eliana Zitrin.
The returning sophomore class consists of
Hayley Ballard,
Julia Brennan,
Tamar Byl-Brann,
Megan Chester,
Rafaela Delgado Carpio-Rivero, Donaldson,
Morgan Eigel,
Helen Hurden, Jensen, King-Harvey,
Jordan Liss-Riordan,
Mariem Sayahi,
Caitlin Striff-Cave and
Kelsey Tarby.
The 19 newcomers feature 17 first years and two sophomores. The first-year class is made up of
Uma Champe,
Alice Culver,
Hannah Cumming,
Alex Eremenko,
Maria Fareti,
Clara Gahm,
Mireya King,
Ella Kirkwood,
Olivia LaBelle,
Aurora Lewis,
Mirembe Mubanda,
Lia Navon,
Maggie Nichols,
Annika Paluska,
Hannah Prokup,
Kate Tuttle and
Lily Yampolsky. The two new sophomores are
Anne-Sophie Frederick and
Vivian Koles.
"The people are what makes the track & field team special," said Kaercher. "Everyone comes from such different places and had a different relationship to track, so it is always a treat to chat with someone new at practice, on the bus or at a meet and hear about their life. As a group, we have achieved a healthy balance of working hard but not taking ourselves too seriously, which I have come to appreciate."
The Ephs' 2024-25 indoor season begins on Saturday, Dec. 7, as they compete at the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener and Early Bird Invite in Boston, Massachusetts. Williams will be back in action during January with the Ramapo Invite and Riverhawk Invite on the 17th and 31st, respectively.
"Since we race only a few times during the indoor season, every meet on our schedule is important," said Kaercher. "In particular, this weekend's season-opening meets should be exciting because it will be the first time any of us have competed in track since the spring. Everyone who competed in cross country will be coming off a summer and fall of consistent training and racing, while the speed-power folks have been building toward the meet since starting their fall training in September. The season opener is always a fun chance to use some latent fitness and a get a race in before the holiday break."
The unit will compete at Tufts on Feb. 7, 8 and 15, while also taking part in the BU Valentine Invite on Feb. 14. The New England Championship occurs Feb. 28 and March 1 on the Track at New Balance in Boston. The All-Atlantic Region Track and Field Conference (AARTFC) Championship takes place on March 7-8 in Ithaca, New York.
"We are excited for the season ahead," said Hoey. "Fall training has gone well. The team is bringing great energy each day, and I am excited for us to have fun embracing the process and journey ahead."
The Tufts Final Qualifier is scheduled for March 8 in Medford, Massachusetts, and then the indoor season concludes with the NCAA Championship on March 14-15 at Nazareth University in Rochester, New York.
"We are looking forward to the New England Championship as a great team opportunity," said Kaercher. "Ideally, many people will qualify to compete in this meet by meeting the event standards in the January and February invitationals. The more Williams' student-athletes we have entered in the meet, the better we will be able to contend with other schools in our region and show off our strength. After that, for individuals and relay teams that qualify, the national meet in March will be an exciting end to the indoor season."
The women's track & field program is competitive and always striving for the best results, but they never loose sight of the true value in Ephs' Athletics.
"The track team has made invaluable positive contributions to my Williams' experience," said Kaercher. "I am glad to have constant access to a group that cares about this sport and each other."
