Williams looks forward to Hosting Little 3 XC Championship

Williams College will host Amherst College and Wesleyan University on Saturday at the traditional Little Three Cross Country Meet, at Mt. Greylock High School. The athletic relationship between these three schools goes back to 1899 when they formed the Triangular League. The Williams College website claims, "The Little Three is believed to be America’s oldest, continuous intercollegiate athletic conference without a membership change." The competition extends across 26 different sports, which always bring out the utmost in healthy competition.

The Ephs have been consistently building as the season progresses, cutting down their volume as Championship season approaches. In the NCAA polls released on October 22nd, Williams was ranked 3rd, behind Calvin College in Ohio and Wartburg College Iowa. The women from Amherst are the defending NCAA Cross Country Champions from 2007, and they are currently ranked in 10th position, having lost a few of their top runners from last season. Wesleyan did not make the top 35 in the poll this week. However, Assistant Coach Mitchell Baker notes that anything can happen and "All past wins-and-losses are out the door going into Saturday, so this year's Williams team will have to approach it with their own motivations and identity to carry them through."

Senior Captain Lauren Philbrook, from Hopkington, MA has been extremely consistant this season, as the top runner for Williams in all of their competitions. The team had a great 3rd place finish at Div I New Englands two weeks ago, and Head Coach Farwell notes, "We're in excellent shape and clicking on all cylinders as a group as we head into championship season."

It promises to be a day of tough rivalry and gutsy racing, making for a great atmosphere as many parents come out to support the teams. Coach Farwell comments, "Little Three always elicits great spirit from our team, from each individual for their best race thus far in the season and as a collective unit. For some of the team it is a 'grand finale' that they have built up to since early summer, or for some seniors for 3 1/2 years."