Justin Moore and Alison Swain honored at Fenway Park

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BOSTON, MA -- One of the smallest ballparks in all of Major League Baseball houses one of the best teams in the American League and last night the Red Sox hosted two outstanding coaches from Williams College. 

One of America’s smallest colleges, Williams boasts the top athletic program in NCAA Div. III, and is home to two of the most successful coaches in the country. Monday night, these two small worlds met as Williams coaches Allison Swain and Justin Moore were honored by the Red Sox before a game against the Chicago White Sox.

The Eph contingent of Lorenzo Patrick ’11, Alison Swain and assistant sports information director Kris Dufour rode the T from Alewife Station to Fenway and along the way they encountered former Eph hoops standout Ben Coffin ’04 who happily rode to the game with them. Coffin, an All-American, was the Most Outstanding Player in the NCAA Tournament in 2003 when the Ephs became the first NCAA Division III team from New England to win the NCAA title. Justin and Lisa Moore met up with Patrick, Swain and Dufour just outside Gate E at Fenway Park.

Swain was greeted behind home plate by former Eph tennis player Annie Schneidman ’08 and current captain Grace Baljon, while Moore was accompanied on the night by his wife Lisa and his dad Les took in the action from stands.

Jim Frew ’99, a former two-sport Eph athlete (basketball and baseball) who now works in Houston, was also on hand in Fenway on a “business trip.”

Swain, who is entering her third year as the head coach of women’s tennis, has won two NCAA championships in her first two years. Counting her senior year at Williams (2001) when the Ephs won their first NCAA women’s tennis title, Swain has a streak of 15 NCAA Tournament matches without a loss.

Moore, who coaches women’s crew, has won four NCAA championships and recently guided the US Women’s Junior Eight to a gold medal at the World Rowing Junior Championships.

While Swain and Moore were being honored information on Williams stellar athletic year and their individual team’s highlights were flashed on the huge scoreboard in center field along with photos of their teams and the vaunted purple cow.

As Swain and Moore were leaving the field an exuberant fan yelled “Go Ephs! Class of ’87!!”

Once the game got underway the White Sox opened up an early 4-1 lead before the Red Sox exploded for 6 runs in the bottom half of the third inning. The Red Sox would eventually go on to win 12-8, topping off a perfect night for the Ephs.