By Emma Bynes
@emma_bynes4
The women’s track and field team at Springfield College will host Rhode Island College in the Pride’s indoor season and home opener on Saturday, Dec. 7. Their next meet – to open the new year – is at Brandeis University for the Reggie Poyau Memorial Invitational on Jan. 18. Returning to Springfield on Jan. 25, the Massasoit Classic will be the first meet after winter break.
Springfield will travel to Boston University twice this season, for the John Thomas Terrier Classic and the David Emery Valentine Invitational. The women’s team will close its regular season by hosting the Triangle Classic on Feb. 22. The Pride also travel to Wheaton College and Tufts University for their invitationals in early February. The NCAA Division III indoor national championship will take place March 14-15.
The Pride, who finished fifth in the NEWMAC during the 2024 campaign, are expecting to improve on last year’s performance. They also finished 28th out of 36 teams in the New Balance New England Division III championships. Senior Samantha Paul –- a key returning member of the track team –- placed fourth in the triple jump at last year’s championship, the highest finish for the Pride at that event. In addition to Paul, the Pride return approximately 40 upperclassmen this season.
One of those returnees is sophomore Jillian Barry, “We lost a big group of seniors last year, but we also had a really good group of freshmen come in, so it’s exciting to see what they will do,” Barry said. Another sophomore, hurdler Katherine DeFosse, was named an All-Academic athlete, along with Paul.
Something that is abnormal and exciting this year is that some track athletes are competing in multiple events. Sprinters are able to participate in jumps and jumpers are running sprints. “It’s a little different than usual, but it’s a great way to bring the team closer together,” Barry said.
The team has been practicing since September, and athletes have been lifting 3-4 times a week. Head coach Mike Miller is impressed that the first-years are stepping up and retaining the team culture.
“The returners have picked up right where they left off,” Miller said “And the first-years are taking what the returners are doing and deciding ‘Let’s improve from here.’”
Although track & field can feel like an individualized sport, Miller emphasizes the importance of getting to know each athlete on a personal level. “We can relate sports back to the things they felt in other sports,” he said.”We try to embrace a community where every single person is helping each other.”
Photo Courtesy of Springfield Athletics