|
Head Coach Jim Pennington has guided 72 All-Americans in 25 seasons at Springfield College and has led the Pride to seven top-20 finishes at the NCAA Division III Indoor and Outdoor Championships.
The women's program, started in 1977, has been a perennial strong team in New England among all divisions. In 2008, Springfield indoors finished fourth of 33 scoring teams in the New England's, and 27th of 56 teams at the ECAC's. Outdoors, Springfield placed second in the NEWMAC's (two points behind the winner), sixth in the New England's of 28 scoring teams, and third in the ECAC's of 53 scoring teams.
In 2007, Springfield was eighth among 56 teams at the indoor ECAC Championships after placing sixth among 21 teams at the Division III indoor New England's. In the Spring of 2007, the Pride was fourth of 28 teams in the outdoor Division III New England's and third in the NEWMAC Championships. All of these accomplishments after a 9-1 dual meet season.
In 2006, SC recorded a fifth-place finish among 42 teams at the indoor New England Division III Track and Field Championships. It went undefeated in dual meets again in 2006. The women notched a third-place finish among 40+ teams at the outdoor New Engalnd Division III Championships. They finished second at the NEWMAC Championships to cap off an exciting season.
The team practices/competes at the Blake Track and Field facility, an eight-lane lighted facility with dual runways, 42-inch lanes, and new throwing circles and cages. It is considered to be one of the top facilities in New England for track & field. In August of 2008, Springfield College will open a new fieldhouse (with a 200 meter indoor track), as well as a new wellness center and exercise science building.
Because of that, Track & Field will take an additional upswing at Springfield College in 2008-2009. Indoors, SC will host two track meets in the new fieldhouse. In addition, SC will host both the New England's and the ECAC's outdoors in Division III in May.
Two returnees to this upcoming year's team (2009) have earned All-American honors within the past two years. Senior Kelsey Bishop finished sixth in the hammer throw at the NCAA Division III Championships in 2007 with an SC record toss of 171'4". She also excels in the shot, discus and javelin. Junior Nikki Hay was sixth in the triple jump with a then-school record leap of 38' 1 1/4" at the Outdoor NCAA's in 2007. Then in 2008, she finished third in the same event with a new school record of 39' 3 3/4" (11.98 meters). She also competes in the long jump and sprints. Hay was named the Co-Most Outstanding Female Performer at the 2008 ECAC Division III Championships held at Springfield College, and was later named the USTFCCCA East Region Female Field Athlete of the Year.
Pennington will also depend upon many additional outstanding returnees for point production in 2009.
all women's track and field headlines
|