Williamstown, MA--The women’s track and field team looks to carry the success of the indoor season through the spring with even more NCAA qualifiers and championship titles. The athletes will have to remain sharp, though, if they want to stay on top of the competition.
After taking back the Division III New England Indoor Championship, the Ephs will try to do the same in outdoor, but MIT will no doubt be eager to defend their outdoor title. In addition, the Ephs will defend their ninth consecutive NESCAC title. Several teams that were not contenders during the indoor season due to athletes competing in other sports, such as Middlebury, have the potential to come on fresh and strong this spring.
The added pressure to carry on a successful tradition has driven Williams athletes to perform at their prime, and this year the Ephs are as prepared and driven as ever to accept the challenge. Filled with young talent, the team’s depth will certainly be an advantage in the championship meets.
In the sprints, senior co-captain Elise Johnson and Hillary Higgs ’12 are a dynamite pair, with three-time All-American Johnson (2008 & 2009 outdoor, 2010 indoor) going after a fourth title as she focuses on the 100m hurdles. Higgs, already a two-time All American after the indoor season, looks to be an unstoppable force in the 100m, 200m, and 400m.
Both Johnson and Higgs will bring speed to the sprint relays, as well, in addition to senior co-captain Nora Mitchell and first-year Rebecca Fine, who both competed at indoor nationals this winter. Kelsey Ham ’12 joins the squad this spring after a winter of basketball to compete in the sprints, as well.
First-years Julie Paschal and Tanasia Hoffler will continue to develop under head coach Fletcher Brooks’s instruction as they compete in the jumps. Hoffler earned All-American honors in the triple jump this winter and shows promise for the outdoor season, while high jumper Paschal just missed All-American honors in indoor, finishing ninth. With a personal best of 1.70m, Paschal is a quickly developing force in the high jump.
Karyn Moss ’12 and Sara Turner ’11 will both compete in the outdoor heptathlon after showing great improvement in the indoor pentathlon this past season. At Division III New Englands, Moss and Turner took second and fifth, respectively, in the pentathlon.
In the throws, Jasmine Adekoya ’13, Eileen Becker ’12, and Madeline Watson ’12 bring young talent and depth to the squad and should all be key contributors to scoring for the Ephs this season.
The mid-distance Ephs include Lizzy Danhakl ’11, Olga Kondratjeva ’10 and Ariel Williams ’10, all of who competed in the distance medley relay at indoor nationals and whose indoor seasons showed steady improvement. Their sharpening speed shows potential for the outdoor season.
In the longer distance events on the oval, more young talent shows promise for the outdoor season. First-year Jennifer Gossels, who just missed qualifying for nationals by a fraction of a second in the indoor season, will continue to compete in the 5k and will also try out the longer 10k distance this season. Annie Dear ’13, whose indoor season was cut short by an injury, will return to the track fresh and determined to make her mark this spring.
Tina Meade ’11 had a breakthrough indoor season as she consistently cut seconds off of her 5k and 3k times. With months of solid training under her belt, Meade looks to show further improvement this spring. Bret Scofield ’10, also competing in the longer distances, looks to have a strong final season of her collegiate career.
The first meet for the Ephs after returning from spring training in San Diego will be at UMass-Amherst on April 10.
