Women's Track Outdoor Season Outlook

As defending NESCAC and New England Division IIIs champions the Williams women’s track and field team is looking to repeat both championship efforts this spring. Further, the Ephs are looking to be more competitive as a team on the national level.

The women are coming off a second place finish from New England Division III indoor championships, losing a tough battle to MIT. The indoor season ended well for the Ephs with two All-Americans and many national qualifiers.

Although the women’s team is only returning one outdoor All-American from last season, junior Elise Johnson who placed 6th in the 100m hurdles, the team has the potential to make some noise this season. 

Senior captain Lauren Philbrook is coming into the outdoor season off being ranked number one nationally in the 5k during the indoor season. Philbrook move up to the 10k distance outdoors to score points for the Ephs. This year distance runners senior captain Robin Kuntz and Meghan Shea will be competing in the 3k steeplechase.

In the middle distances are Sara Wild and Lizzy Danhakl both sophomores, both nationally competitive in the 800m indoors and outdoors. This duo, both starters in soccer, qualified for nationals in the 800m indoors and is going to be an important factor during the season. Cross country and distance standout junior Olga Kondratjeva has returned from a fall semester abroad and she will join classmate Ariel Williams in the mile.

Returning All-American Elise Johnson is looking to go from 6th to 1st this season in the 100m hurdles. First years Hillary Higgs and Kelsey Ham look to be standouts in the sprints. Higgs is coming off a great indoor season and will be adding on the 100m and 4x100m relay to her list of events. Higgs could contribute points in all sprint events, while Ham is coming into the outdoor season from basketball and is looking to make a smooth transition. Ham looks to be another solid sprinter across the board, especially in the 200m and 400m where she will add big points for the Ephs.

Making a transition from the 400m and 4x400m relay is former All-American junior Emily Healslip. Healsip who will be moving to the 400m hurdles and might even compete in the 800m. Other 400m hurdlers include freshman Karyn Moss, junior Katie DuPree, and junior Nora Mitchell. Mitchell is another wildcard for the Ephs as she ranges from the 400m to the steeplechase. Her versatility makes her an important asset to the team.

Assistant coach Joel Williams believes "we have two-national relay teams on our hands." This year's 4x100m and 4x400m relay potentially consist of junior Elise Johnson, sophomore Anne Kearth, and Ham and Higgs. These four women have a chance to do some amazing things if they put it all together.

Head coach Fletcher Brooks’ field team is ready for the outdoor season so they can pick up where they left off in the indoor season. Ham will be a new addition in the long jump, while sophomore Sara Turner is expected to come up big in the pentathlon.

The Ephs open the spring portion of the schedule on March 28 at the University of Central Florida where they will see plenty of Division I competition, before returning to New England to compete at Springfield on April 4th.