Smith Cross Country

Saturday, October 27, 2012

BTW

For those of you who follow the blog...

WE SUNK THE BATTLESHIP

The Smith cross-country team had a standout day of competition at the 2012 NEWMAC Cross-Country Championships. Smith hosted the event over their very hilly and demanding home 5k course. The race featured numerous nationally ranked individual runners and MIT, currently the nation's #1 ranked women’s cross-country squad. The harriers held their own, though, and placed an excellent third of ten teams. This is an improvement from last years 4th place team finish. Team scores read:

1. MIT (15)

2. Wellesley (74)

3. Smith (124)

4. Wheaton (131)

5. Coast Guard (148)

6. WPI (155)

7. Mount Holyoke (188)

8. Springfield (201)

9. Babson (212)

10. Clark (269)

The Smithies were again led by first-year standout Danielle Opatovsky. Her time of 19:15.69 was good for 13^th and All-NEWMAC recognition. Kylee Drugan-Eppich ran 19:31.87 to capture 22^nd. Teammate Katie Ferrall was just behind in 30^th place with a time of 19:45.60. Abby Mosca ran 20:11.35 to place 42^nd and Cynthia Masai 57^th with a time of 20:43.53. Smith’s displacers were Victoria Dunch and Micaela Young. Their times were 20:44.51 and 20:57.66, respectively. Katie Paulson-Smith, Lotte Dzialo and Katie Dempsey also ran exceptionally. Congratulations to all competing athletes.

**A special shout-out to all the friends and family that made the post-race luncheon a success. The Smith cross-country family greatly appreciates your hospitality and support!**

We look forwards to seeing many of you at the upcoming New England Regional Cross-Country Championships held at Westfield State on 10 October 2012.

Awards Ceremony

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Smith hosts the NEWMAC Championship this Saturday!

The gun goes off for the women at 11am. The starting line is by the track. See you there!

Meet the Captains!

L to R: Micaela Young and Abby Mosca

This year's team captains are Abby Mosca and Micaela Young. Both are juniors who have run on the team for three years. When not out running the trails of western Mass, Abby can be found stocking her backpack with endless supplies (scissors? Band-aids? snack? extra pen? Abby has you covered!) and perfecting her sideways hand-writing; Micaela can be found practicing for So You Think You Can Dance if she's not in the weight room, perfecting her one-armed, one-legged 8-minute plank hold. These two make a pretty captivating pair of captains--thanks for your leadership so far this season! Now, a bit about them....

Where are you from and why did you choose Smith?

Abby: I'm from Manchester, NH. What really helped me to choose Smith was my overnight visit; I felt so welcomed and absolutely loved the atmosphere on campus. After that I was hooked. The top notch academics, and great XC program didn't hurt either.

Micaela: I am from Saugerties, NY, near Woodstock. I chose Smith not only because I would have an opportunity to run in college, but also because this is such an inspiring place that makes you feel like no dream is unreachable. You can be who you are here at Smith, and achieve more than you thought possible. No other college I visited made me feel like I do when I am here.

What is your major?

Abby: I'm a math major! woohoo!

Micaela: My major is Biology and I am minoring in Chemistry while fulfilling the prehealth requirements.

What has been your favorite class at Smith?

Abby: That's kind of a toss-up. I love calculus, so I really enjoyed my calc 3 course. But I also really liked my linear algebra course, because I had a phenomenal professor. And then there's Intro Astronomy, which I'd have to say is a close second place.

Micaela: I honestly have liked the majority of classes I have taken at Smith! So, picking a favorite is hard. I guess I had the most fun when I took Acting I. Getting to play different characters was really interesting!

What is your favorite part of being on the team?

Abby: I love being on the team because it's given me the opportunity to form some amazing and lasting relationships with people who have the same priorities and drive as me. I love that we can challenge ourselves together to not only make each other stronger, but also to help each other grow as athletes and as individuals. I find it incredibly motivating to be surrounded by my teammates while we all put our all into something, and incredibly rewarding to then see what we can accomplish together with all of that work.

Micaela: The women on this team make it what it is. They are my best friends, and I cannot imagine my life without them. I always know who I am when I am running and when I am at practice. This team is my family away from home, and I love just being able to work together to accomplish great things!

Where is your favorite place to run?

Abby:

My favorite place to run is on trails (any trails). My favorite long run that we do as a team is the run near the Quabbin Reservoir.

Micaela: I love to run anywhere that the team goes! Smith has so many great trails and fun places to explore. I am a sucker for scenery, so anywhere that we run to that has a lake or stream and trails is golden in my book. The Holyoke Reservoir looked amazing in its fall coat this past weekend!

What is your favorite post -meet or post-workout treat?

Abby: I love a good sundae!

Micaela: I don't have a specific post-run treat that I have to have, but I must say that the apple pie after the Smith Invite was pretty amazing.

Monday, October 22, 2012

Hall of Fame

Gwyn Hardesty-Coogan shares two-and-a-half things with most Smith cross-country runners:

1. She's a Smithie... (duh);
2. She ran on the cross-country team and;
2 1/2. She has a hyphenated last name

Hardesty-Coogan also shares something with a select few; she's a member of the College's newly formed Athletics Hall of Fame. Last Saturday night twelve individuals and one team, representing the best of Smith Athletics, were inducted into the Hall of Fame. College President Carol Christ and Director of Athletics Lynn Oberbillig led the festivities held at Alumnae Hall. Inductees included Senda Berenson, credited with bringing the game of basketball to women, and Dorothy Ainsworth, international leader in female physical education and former director of athletics at Smith.

Hardesty-Coogan was Smith's fourth national champion and their first Olympian. In 1986 she captured the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships 3,000-meter title for Smith. She holds Smith's indoor and outdoor 1,500 and 3,000 meter records and the indoor 1-mile record. In 1992 she qualified for the Barcelona Olympics and represented the United States in the 10,000-meter run. There, Hardesty-Coogan placed an impressive 13th. She also qualified for the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta as an alternate in the marathon.

Congratulations Gwyn!

Prior to Dinner

Head Cross-Country Coach Ellen O'Neil and Hall of Fame Inductee Gwyn Hardesty-Coogan

Old uniforms and logos

Director of Athletic Lynn Oberbillig delivering introductory speech

Hardesty-Coogan enjoying the meal

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

All Hallow's Eve

It's Halloween! It's Halloween!

The moon is full and bright

And we shall see what can't be seen

On any other night:

Skeletons and ghosts and ghouls,

Grinning goblins fighting duels,

Werewolves rising from their tombs,

Witches on their magic brooms.

In masks and gowns

we haunt the street

And knock on doors

for trick or treat.

Tonight we are

the king and queen,

For oh tonight

its Halloween!

- Jack Prelutsky

Looking forwards to Halloween I thought I'd post... Despite conversations I've heard regarding candy, paper bags (Kylee) and an upcoming cross-campus costume run, the team has been really focused. They're excited for the upcoming NEWMAC Cross-Country Championships and have had some really great workouts out on the trails. But...

As they practice to and fro,

others peer on from long ago.

They snicker and whisper a secret, you see,

of something they keep from every Smithie.

Workouts on the grounds they run,

are unmarked graves of daughters and sons!