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Head Coach Jim Pennington has guided 71 All-Americans in 24 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. This past year, SC was eigthth among 56 teams at the indoor ECAC championships after placing sixth among 21 teams at the Division III indoor New Englands. This past Spring, the Pride was fourth of 28 teams in the outdoor Division III New Englands 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. They were 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 held at MIT to cap off an exciting season where many personal-bests and top individual and team performances were obtained by team members for the year.
The team practices/competes at the Blake Track and Field facilty, an eight-lane lighted facilty 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 Fall, 2008, Springfield College opens a new fieldhouse with a 200 meter indoor track/recreational building.
Two returnees to this year's team earned All-American honors a year ago. Junior Kelsey Bishop finished sixth in the hammer throw at the NCAA Division III championships with a SC record toss of 171'4". She also excels in the shot, discus and javelin. Sophomore Nikki Hay was sixth in the triple jump with a school record 38' 1 1/4". She also competes in the long jump and sprints.
Additional returnees who will be counted upon for point production are: Academic All-American (ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA) Alyssa Brigham and Jess Borsotti, both distance runners, Kristyn Meade, SC record holder in 600 meters, Amanda DiPaolo distance, hurdler Catherine Croce, high jumper Lara Dalidowitz, sprinters Nicole Reynolds, Katie Parente and Jenn McBride, jumper Kayla Robertson and hammer thrower Sarah Waddington. Newcomers to the program include Stephanie Colella who missed last year with an ankle injury, she is a 130 foot javelin thrower and multi-eventer. Freshman include Jani Springer, jumper and javelin thrower, Lacey Cartier, a top 800 meter runner, and Amanda Mullen distance.
all women's track and field headlines
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