November 19, 2016 – NCAA Div. III Championships

The 2016 cross country season came to a close today, with the Williams women finishing fourth and the men finishing ninth. Both Eph squads had arrived in Louisville ranked fifth nationally, with legitimate hopes of substantially out-performing their rankings.

The twists and turns that have marked the entire season continued in Louisville. The women, racing first, had planned for a strong early pace but still found themselves unexpectedly far back in 19th place with 469 points at the one-kilometer mark. In the dense and fast field at an NCAA championship, moving up is a tall task, but the women managed to do well nonetheless, dropping almost 100 points over the last half of the race.

Behind a stellar NCAA debut for Carmen Bango ’20 (44th) and a nearly shoulder-to-shoulder finish from Anna Harleen ’18 (73rd) and Victoria Kingham ’18 (75th), the Ephs needed a strong 4-5. They got it from Emma Herrmann ’20 (94th) and Laney Teaford ’17 (98th), with each passing approximately 75 competitors in the final two kilometers to closed the scoring at 232 points. With that, the team squeaked into fourth place by two points, just clear of the New England champions from MIT for the final podium spot. Senior classmates Maggie Peard and Emma Zehner completed the top seven, and Zehner’s finish would have earned the fifth position for any other team except team champion Johns Hopkins.

On the men’s side, a major setback hit the Ephs before the race was even 90 seconds old, as a pileup took down Liam Simpson ’18 and Griffin Colaizzi ’18. While those two unlucky harriers battled hard to rejoin the race, they had given up valuable time to the field. With plans scrambled, the team was buried in 26th place at two kilometers and 20th at 4.2 kilometers.

Ben Decker ’18 led the way in 44th place, followed by Austin Anderson ’19 with a tremendous effort for 81st. Only five seconds later, Simpson was 105th, showing how densely the field was packed. Colaizzi, scraped up from his fall earlier, was 122nd, and Noah Williams ’17 closed the scoring in 138th. Fast finishes brought the team closer to the sought-after podium, but ultimately the Ephs tallied a final score of 330. Zeke Cohen ’19 and Peter Hale ’17 were in the sixth and seventh spots.

For Teaford, Peard, Zehner, Williams, and Hale, it was the final race in an Eph uniform. An exceptional group of senior leaders have demonstrated commitment and perseverance for four years, and they were critical to the team this season. Next season the Ephs will look to build on this year’s finish and continue the success of Williams cross country.

November 13, 2016 – Div. III New England Championships

The relentless pace of championship season continued today as the Ephs arrived at Stanley Park in Westfield to contest the regional championships against a field of top Division III competition.

The strength of the region in 2016 was evident in both races, especially the women’s. Five teams from New England, including the Ephs, are featured in the top 10 of the national rankings.

With each race crowded with approximately 400 runners, tactics and strong nerves became extremely important. The Eph women showed tremendous poise in moving through the field. After the favored MIT squad set a very fast early pace and held a significant lead with a mile to go, the Williams harriers closed extremely well, narrowing the gap and missing an upset of the NCAA second-ranked Engineers by only three points, 68 to 71.

Anna Harleen ’18, Carmen Bango ’20, and Victoria Kingham ’18 finished seventh, ninth, and tenth, respectively, to lead the charge. Senior tri-captain Maggie Peard ’16 and Emma Zehner ’16 closed out the scoring in 21st and 24th to give the team five all-New England honorees.

Following up the women’s strong effort, the men toed the line with a slightly different outlook. Favored on paper but missing senior tri-captain Peter Hale for the second consecutive race, the Ephs knew that securing an automatic bid to the national championships would be their main objective.

Right from the start, the Ephs were cool under pressure. Navigating through a soccer goal that stood in their path less than 200 meters into the race, then moving calmly up through a mass of runners, the men battled to the finish in an extremely tight matchup with MIT.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fans and coaches at the finish line had no way to be sure of the outcome, but uncertainty was understandable when the final results were announced. The Ephs had tied MIT with 110 points each, but the Engineers won on the strength of the tiebreaker, based on individual matchups. The Ephs took some consolation from putting all seven of their finishers ahead of MIT’s fifth man.

In addition, the men also put their top five on the all-New England regional team. Ben Decker ’18 (sixth), Liam Simpson ’18 (12th), Griffin Colaizzi ’18 (28th), senior tri-captain Noah Williams (29th), and Austin Anderson (35th) made up the scorers on the day.

With two second-place finishes, the Williams squad earned two automatic team berths to the NCAA championship next weekend in Louisville, Kentucky.

 

 

November 6, 2016 – USATF New England XC Championships

In a first for the team, Williams sent a large group of men and women to Boston for an unique opportunity to run against some of New England’s best postcollegiate clubs and athletes.

During previous years, the ECAC championship meet fell between NESCACs and the NCAA regional, and gave the Ephs’ “second seven” a chance to compete in a postseason setting. When the ECAC meet was cancelled this year, the USATF meet fit the schedule. This gave the team a chance to return to Franklin Park, a course familiar to the hundreds of Eph alumni who have run there over the years.

For this year’s team, though, it was a new experience. In addition, while the women would run their standard 6k championship distance, the men were competing over 10k, two kilometers farther than any other cross country meet they’ve run.

Luckily, the team was ready for anything. In the women’s race, a very fast leader pulled the pack out quickly, leaving the field strung out. This played to the strengths of the late-surging Ephs, who were able to finish with three runners in the top 35 despite running against a field of older, more experienced athletes. Anna Passannante ’20 was 20th in 22:26, Stella Worters ’17 was 25th in 22:37, and Nina Pande ’17 was 34th in 23:00.

In the men’s race, the men relished their chance to contest the 10k distance for the first time. The performances would give no indication of the Ephs’ lack of experience. Tri-captain Nigel Bates ’17 led the way with his 32nd-place finish in 32:54, and he was followed by trio of first-years: Will McGovern (40th, 33:09), Nick Gannon (43rd, 33:17), and Sam Wischnewsky (44th, 33:17).

Afterward, spirits were high as the team recapped the numerous personal bests and strong races from throughout the lineup. It was a very encouraging sign of the Ephs’ collective fitness as the top group looks to run well at the NCAA regional championship on November 12 in Westfield.

October 29, 2016 – NESCAC Championships

The Williams men’s and women’s cross country teams showed championship-worthy resilience today, overcoming a muddy course and some daunting reversals of fortune to maintain their grip on the NESCAC titles.

The course, set up by host Colby College on Waterville’s Quarry Road trails, was the toughest course the Ephs had seen this season. The terrain was a steady dose of twisting, rolling trails that never let the pack settle into a comfortable rhythm. Light rain and temperatures in the 40s  compounded the challenge, with slick mud leading to treacherous footing on many hills.

The men’s team faced the task of defending their three-year streak of NESCAC championships without senior captain Peter Hale ‘17, who experienced some lower leg pain on Thursday and was a late scratch from the race. He had been either the first or second Williams finisher in every race he had run this season. While losing Hale left the Ephs more vulnerable to other teams, it also created opportunity for his teammates to contribute even more.

Fortunately, that’s just what happened. The team employed a conservative early strategy, saving strength for the later portions of the race when the hills took the worst toll. In the end, only one team, Middlebury, had their fifth scorer across the line before the Ephs’ seventh man. Depth won the day with Williams scoring 83 points to Amherst’s second-place score of 100.

The women raced next and operated with much the same efficiency. By the midway point, Williams runners were set up exactly where they expected to be, taking up a large chunk of the top 25 places. Over the last 10 minutes of the race, the Eph women continued to move well, closing out with their fifth scorer in 15th place, before any other team had three across the line. The team clinched its second consecutive conference banner with a final score of 47 points to Tufts’ 72 for second-place.

The senior-laden lineup, with seven of the 12 women running in their final NESCAC championship, was bolstered by strong performances from first-years Carmen Bango and Emma Herrmann, and juniors Anna Harleen and Victoria Kingham.

The team celebrated the dual championships and look forward to two steady weeks of continued training for the NCAA regional at Westfield on November 12th.

October 22, 2016 – Plansky Invitational ♦ Alumni Return ♦ Community Service 

For the Ephs, October has flown by as preparation for championships hits high gear. This weekend’s small home meet was a low pressure situation, with Williams hosting three other squads and welcoming back alumni from across the country.

The Eph contingent did not include the racers projected to run at the NESCAC meet on October 29, but many runners were primed for personal bests. Despite cold, rainy weather that softened the course and slowed the times, enjoyable competition developed. The alumni ran well, capturing seven of the top 10 spots in the men’s race and five of the top 10 in the women’s race. Connor Kamm ’10 and Shayna Barbash ’14 were the individual men’s and women’s winners, respectively, with times of 15:57 and 20:02 on the 5k course.

Afterward, the current team mingled with alumni for a chilly but companionable lunch at the course.

Aside from running news, over reading period earlier in the month, the Ephs had spent some time doing service programs. A trail crew created new stone steps, another did trash pickup along the team’s adopted stretch of Route 43, and a third helped with fall cleanup at a local farm. This type of service has been an annual tradition for the team for more than a decade now.

 

October 15, 2016 – Little 3 Championship at Wesleyan

It was a bright and beautiful day on the Wesleyan cross country course as the longstanding rivalries of the Little 3 were renewed. In recent years, the meet’s outcome has moved beyond its traditional significance and held implications for the national rankings.

This year, Williams and Amherst brought men’s squads ranked third and eighth in the country, respectively, and on the women’s side, Williams was also ranked third while Amherst was ranked 23rd. All three teams, mindful that a small meet can be very unpredictable, were geared up for each other’s best efforts.

The Eph women were riding a eight-year win streak into the race and quickly removed any doubt about their claim to a ninth straight victory. Establishing a strong pack of eight runners among the overall top 10, they maintained this dominant early position all the way to the end. Emma Zehner ’17 led the way with her individual championship, Carmen Bango ’20 ran a tremendous race for third place, and the team scored an outstanding 19 points to top Amherst’s 52 and Wesleyan’s 69.

In the men’s race, even with 28 consecutive Little 3 wins, the Ephs took nothing for granted. The top runners from Amherst and Wesleyan led a fast early pace that only Peter Hale ’17 and Ben Decker ’18 chose to match. As the front four separated themselves, a tactical race developed in the chase pack.

In the final mile, Williams showed depth to back Hale’s win and Decker’s third place finish. Capturing sixth, seventh, and eighth overall, the team closed out the scoring with 25 points, ahead of Amherst with 42 points and Wesleyan with 74. The Eph win streak now stands at 29 years.

It was a day for celebrating for the entire team, with PRs and good racing nearly all the way through the lineup. Next week, the Ephs will host the alumni at the annual Plansky Invitational before turning their attention toward the NESCAC championship on October 29.

October 8, 2016 – James Earley Invitational at Westfield

The Williams cross country teams sent a large group to Westfield today and showed the depth and competitiveness that have become trademarks of the program.

Many of the Williams men and women were running their first races at the collegiate championship distances, but all displayed poise over the 8k and 6k races, respectively. Under the cool and dry conditions, the pace was quick from the gun. Settling into the field in good positions, the Ephs ran to numerous personal bests and outstanding debuts.

With the top 15 men and women taking a weekend off and first-years heavily represented among the Eph racers, the team could have been overmatched. Instead, among a field of more than 40 teams, most of them running their varsity lineups, Williams’ men placed fourth and the women placed seventh.

The meet provided valuable experience for those who competed, and almost every Eph who did not compete was in attendance to support their teammates. Team spirit was characteristically high, and seeing the course gave the team a great chance to preview the site of the New England regional championship to be contested in November.

October 1, 2016 – Paul Short Run at Lehigh

A select group of Williams cross country runners headed southwest to Pennsylvania for Lehigh University’s Paul Short Run. Each year, this meet includes highly ranked teams from all divisions of the NCAA, and this edition gave the Ephs the chance to compete against perennial powers Iona, Georgetown, Adams State, and most of the Ivy League.

The forecast all week had predicted rain and mud, but race day brought cool and dry conditions. Paces were quick throughout the day as talented fields took full advantage of the ideal racing weather. Williams was able to capitalize as well, and whether in the open race or the later varsity Gold race, nearly every Eph recorded a personal best.

Aside from the individual success, the races also revealed great signs of progress toward team goals. In the varsity Gold 8k, the men’s team had a solid 36-second spread between their first and seventh finishers. In the Gold 6k, the women’s team brought their top five finishers across the line within 60 seconds.

In the end, the men’s team was 14th overall, which was comparable to the 13th place finish for the Ephs in 2015, when they went on to finish second at the national championships. As for the women, their 23rd-place finish was encouraging, especially when considering the group’s improved depth; in 2016, the fifth Eph was nearly 30 seconds faster than 2015’s fifth. Equally important, both teams finished as the top Division III squads in their respective races.

En route back to Williamstown after the race, the team stopped to stretch their legs with a brief walk down Historic Huguenot Street in New Paltz, New York, and enjoyed a well-deserved visit to a local ice cream shop.

 

September 24, 2016 – Purple Valley Classic –  Williams hosted the annual Purple Valley Classic, welcoming the strongest field of Division III competition assembled anywhere in the country so far this season. On the men’s side, four teams ranked in the top 10 nationally were in attendance, with three others also ranked in the top 30. For the women, the competition was even more formidable, featuring six of the top-10 nationally ranked teams and four others also in the top 30.

The home course at Mount Greylock High School was in great condition, with sunny weather and temperatures in the 50s. The Ephs split their squad to give each runner the best opportunity to perform well. In the open 5k, Williams’ first-years took full advantage, establishing great position at the front of the field, running in packs, and controlling the race. Several of the young Ephs, both men and women, showed the potential to contribute to the varsity group in the next few weeks. Throughout the lineup, personal bests were common.

In the varsity men’s 8k and women’s 6k races that followed, the team ran very well against the outstanding competition. With about 280 runners in each race, the experienced Eph lineup showed good composure in navigating crowded fields. The solid early pace established a clear front pack by the first mile, and created chances for each runner to test themselves in some exciting individual battles.

When the scores were tallied, the Eph men measured up well, securing second place behind SUNY Geneseo, currently ranked #2 in the Div. III national polls. The women had a similarly impressive result, finishing third to Geneseo and MIT, nationally #2 and #5, respectively. With the Eph women splitting the squad and holding out a few key runners, the team projects to be even stronger in the coming weeks.

Next week the Ephs will again split up, with a group traveling to the highly competitive Paul Short Run at LeHigh University on October 1, while others will train through in preparation for the Westfield Invitational on October 8.

September 16, 2016 – Coed Relays – On Friday, the Williams cross country team held its annual Coed Relays. The event has been a traditional early-season workout for more than 20 years, and features mixed teams of two to three runners who take turns racing around the home cross country course.

The duos or trios cover a maximum of 12 kilometers, in two- or three-kilometer legs of the relay. About ten years ago, more layers were added to the tradition, as teams began coordinating their running gear and creating themed costumes. This year, Ninja Turtles, Batman, Superman, a former President, giant bananas, a gorilla and many other things were all represented among the costumes as the runners arrived at the course.

By the time the running started, the groups were focused on running well and taking advantage of the perfect conditions. The timers recorded many outstanding splits, and the teams benefited from the competitive but fun atmosphere of this intrasquad event.

September 10, 2016 – Ron Stonitsch Invitational at Vassar – On September 10, the Ephs opened the 2016 season with a trip to compete in Vassar College’s Ron Stonitsch Invitational. In humid conditions on a soggy course, the goal was to run conservatively in the first half of the race, then use the second half to move up and finish well.

With the men racing six kilometers and the women racing five, both teams were able to put in a quality effort that was just a bit shorter than the standard championship distances.

The men’s team beat two nationally ranked teams, #24 RPI and #29 NYU, en route to a winning score of 34 points. RPI was second with 57. On the women’s side, the team scored 41 points for the win, beating nationally ranked Stevens Institute and RPI, which scored 74 and 112 points, respectively.

After the race, the team headed to Storm King Art Center, a 500-acre outdoor sculpture park in the Hudson Valley. John P. Stern, president of the Center, greeted the Ephs with a brief talk and overview of the exhibited works, and then the group spent some time touring the grounds and relaxing to enjoy the beautiful setting.

August 22, 2016 – Ready for another XC Season! Things are whirring to life again in the cross country office as we prepare for another fall season.  First-Year students arrive on the 29th and the upper-classes will come soon afterward.  The Eph harriers have scattered far and wide this summer for all sorts of interesting jobs, internships, and adventures.  Some have stayed right here on campus while others traveled as far away as China or Kenya, training diligently all the while.  We’re excited to welcome them back next week and get started with our 2016 season!