Women’s track and field hosted the NESCAC Championships at Lee Track this past weekend for the first time since 2015, delivering a showcase of outstanding performances across a competitive field. With a total of 135 points and five NESCAC individual titles, the Ephs finished the weekend in second place, 17.5 points behind the Tufts Jumbos.
For many Ephs, the opportunity to host NESCACs felt special. “It means so much because you get to compete at home [for NESCACs] once every 11 years,” co-captain and 5k runner Kate Swann ’26 said. “I can’t imagine a better way to end on NESCACs than at home.”
The home setting also contributed to a lively crowd for the Ephs. “There were so many supporters cheering for us,” hurdler and long jumper Eliza Ayres ’29 said. “A lot of people were there for their first track meet. It was so exciting to share what we do with them and explain the events.”
Sunday opened with an early boost in the 3000m steeplechase, where Charlene Peng ’26, who walked onto the team her sophomore year, claimed the conference title in 10:32.63, while Clara Gahm ’28 and Ella Kirkwood ’28 each recorded personal bests en route to fourth and sixth-place finishes.
Soon after, Kate Tuttle ’28 captured the NESCAC title in the 1500m, setting her fifth consecutive school record and a NESCAC meet record with a time of 4:24.53. “I love competitive races, and I knew that the 1500m was going to be a close race,” Tuttle wrote in an email to the Record. “[Grace McDonough from Connecticut College] set the meet record last year, and I knew that winning the race would likely require setting a new meet record and season best, which it did.”
Alongside the action on the track, the Ephs added points in the field events, where Ellie Fitzgerald ’26 placed second in the pole vault, clearing 3.75 meters, followed closely by Audrey Cheng ’29, who cleared 3.60 meters to place third.
On the sprint side, Bella King-Harvey ’27 placed first in the 400m with a season-best time of 54.79. “It can be easy to get caught up in how others are running and gauge your pace based on them, but I knew I had to trust my muscle memory and commit to getting out fast,” King-Harvey wrote in an email to the Record.
The Ephs carried that momentum into their two relays. Cate Donaldson ’27, Ella Sukup ’26, Claire Jensen ’27, and King-Harvey attacked the track in the 4x400m relay, finishing first in 3:44.63. “I felt a surge of energy with 100 meters to go when my teammates were cheering me on by the fence,” Sukup wrote to the Record. “Everyone rallied together after each running in multiple events to race for each other and compete for the win.”
Closing off strong, Tuttle, Lily Yampolsky ’28, Jordan Liss-Riordan ’27, and Annika Paluska ’28 captured the 4x800m relay title in another school-record performance with a time of 9:02.98. “By the time I got the baton, Kate and Lily had already gotten us pretty far into the lead,” Liss-Riordan wrote to the Record. “I knew that once I handed off to Annika, nobody would be able to pass us.”
According to co-captain Fiona Picone ’26, the team’s sense of connection makes the demands of the sport sustainable. “Running really tests your limits physically,” she said. “It wouldn’t be possible to push our bodies the way that we do without this community that supports us.”
Even in a high-stakes championship setting, the Ephs emphasized a mindset that extended beyond results and numbers. “Our captains always talk about going out there and doing your best,” hurdler Hannah Thomas ’29 said. “Your results do not define you. We are joyfully striving together.”
Looking ahead, the Ephs expressed confidence in the NCAA Div. III Outdoor Track and Field Championships, set to take place from May 21 to May 23 in La Crosse, Wis. “We have some people who could do some damage at Nationals,” Thomas said. “The hay is in the barn.”
Before Nationals, the Ephs will return to competition at home in the Farley Inter-Regional Extravaganza (F.I.R.E) Meet beginning on Friday, May 8.
