Kirsten qualifies for NCAA finals!

Kirsten ran the 400m hurdles 1:02.45 and finished second in her preliminary heat and ninth overall to make it to the NCAA finals!  The final race is tonight, May 26, at 4:45pm Pacific/7:45pm Eastern.    For results and a live web cast, check out this link: http://www.ustfccca.org/weekly-results/national-championships-central-outdoor-track-field#d3.

Kirsten Qualifies for Nationals!

Congratulations to junior Kirsten Silfvenius, who is heading to the NCAA Championships at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps College in California on May 24-26!  She is currently ranked eleventh in the country in the 400m intermediate hurdles, and top 14 will compete.

Below, Kirsten competes in the 60m hurdles during her first indoor track and field season.

What a season!

What a season!  At last weekend's Open New England's, two seniors finished their college track and field careers with personal bests.  Katie Eison-Washington ran a PB of 125.82 in the 200 meter dash to place 25th, and Katie and fellow senior Mary Cote helped Morgan Augillard and Sonia Brown of the 4x100 team finish in a season best time of 49.14 seconds.  Sarah Romano wrapped up her final track season with a personal best discus throw of 37.95.

And that's not all--junior hurdler Kirsten Silfvenius may have herself a ticket to the NCAA championship next weekend in California!  Her time of 14.87 seconds in the 100m hurdles broke a five-year Smith record, and her 62.08 in the 400 hurdles placed her eleventh nationally.


The following pictures are from the Track and Field banquet held on May 2 at Pizza Paradiso.  First are a few of the paper plate awards from the captains, followed by pictures of a few choice items "willed" from seniors to returning teammates.

Aw, yeeah!  Who's jealous now?  Katie wills this spiffy onesie to...Sonia.  (I think, or am I misremembering?)  We hope to see it in action in the 4x100 next year!

Finally, a big GOOD BYE, MARLEE!  We will miss you!  Please come back and visit!

Pics from Smith's Athletic Banquet

Smith's annual Athletic Banquet gives the athletes an opportunity to don the fancy clothes never seen at practice and celebrate the accomplishments of the year.  Honored this year were seniors Mary Cote, Jean Egger, Katie Eison-Washington, Ellie Giles, Kristin Peck, and Sarah Romano--we will miss you!  Also awarded were the athletes who earned NEWMAC Academic All-Conference: Kayla Clark, Mary Cote, Kylee Drugan-Eppich, Ellie Giles, Abby Mosca, Kristin Peck, Kirsten Silfvenius, and Kristen Warren.  Distance runner Kylee Drugan-Eppich also received the Marly Pineda Pioneer Team Award, which is given to athletes who exemplify dedication, passion, selflessness, sportsmanship, and the spirit of a champion.  Although she was injured for the majority of the cross country season, she came to practice every day with a smile, ready to cross train and encourage her teammates.  She came back strong for both indoor and outdoor track, PRing in every race she competed throughout the two seasons.  Anyone who has been cheered up by Kylee's infectious smile and laugh, or encouraged by her mid-race knows that she truly captures the spirit of Marly Pineda.

Courtney, Abby, Micaela, Val, Kylee, Katie, and Caroline

Maya, Marlee, Katie, and Emily

Morgan, Mary, and Kirsten

No, this is not the cross country team....I managed to clip the lower part of the sign that says Track and Field. Meredith, and head coach Carla (back row), and Kristen, Emily, Grace, Fiona, and Kayla (front row).

Meet the Captains, Mary and Grace

Senior Mary Cote smiles mischievously.

Sophomore Grace Maliska is back in action during outdoor season after an injury prevented her from competing during indoor.

Whether competing in multiple events per meet for Mary and cheering for others in the rare moments she is not competing, or helping out tirelessly behind-the-scenes for Grace until she is able to compete again, these two lead with big hearts and complete dedication to the team.


Where are you from and why did you choose Smith?

            MARY: Where are you from and why did you choose Smith? - I am from Gardiner, MT and I grew up inside Yellowstone National Park.  I applied to Smith on a whim, with the help of strong persuasion from my mother, and after seeing the beautiful campus (and receiving a helpful financial aid package) it would have been difficult for me to say no.

            GRACE: I am from Winchendon, MA, about 1.5 hours from Smith. A very small town right on the border of NH in central MA. I chose Smith because I fell in love with it in the first five minutes I was on the campus as a junior in high school. Who wouldn't want to go to Smith????

What is your major? 

            MARY: I am an Architecture major with an Afro-American Studies minor.  They don't quite go together but I love both.  

            GRACE: Sociology! I just declared!

What has been your favorite class at Smith?

            MARY: Being a second semester senior, there are so many classes I would like to say are my favorite.  But, my top three would be Death and Dying in Afro-American Culture with Kevin Quashie, Central Africa with David Newberry, and my two intro architecture studios with James Middlebrook.  Each professor opened my eyes not only to how much there is to learn in this world, but how my own unique talents can contribute to the future of that world.  

            GRACE: Hmm, my favorite class would probably have to Gender and Globalization. It is a sociology class about globalization. This class made me realize that globalization is exactly what I am interested in, and it is so exciting that I can study something so structured and unstructured through sociology—very exciting!

What is your favorite event in T&F?  What event would you never want to do?

            MARY: My favorite event has always been long jump—there is something about it that just brings out my most competitive side.  I like that.  I would never want to do pole vault; it freaks me out just thinking about being upside-down. (Which is why I respect the pole vaulters so much….)

            GRACE: Well, my favorite event by far is javelin. I would never ever ever ever want to do the 400 again—that terrible, horrible, awful race that I was always forced to run in high school.

What is your favorite part of being on the team?

            MARY: As much as I hate to admit it, the running part.  Knowing that I have a time of day set aside to exercise everyday, and knowing that I have people to laugh and complain with the whole time is one of the biggest reasons I do track.           

            GRACE: My favorite part of being on the team is being a part of this hidden diamond of Smith College. The track team has SUCH talent from the athletes and coaches, and when it is combined together—holy cow, it's magical!

What is your favorite post-track-meet or mid-track-meet treat?

            MARY: I would by lying if I said that Carla's fruit snacks weren't my favorite thing.  I don't know what it is about them, but I just can't get around how much I like them.

            GRACE: Hmm, my favorite post-track meet treat would have to be a nap. I get tired.

Indoor Season Finishes with New Records!

The indoor track season finished with a record-breaking bang at the Armory Track and Field Center in New York City March 2nd & 3rd.  The 4x200 team  of Katie, Sonia, Morgan, and Mary clocked in at 1:47.82, which is a new Smith record!  Another highlight was Kirsten's performance in the 500m.  She achieved a personal record of 1:18.82, and she finished in eighth place.  


That wraps up the indoor track season.  The first meet of the outdoor season is Tufts' Snowflake Classic on Saturday, March 31.

Newest Member of the Track and Field Team Arrives Feb. 20!

Coach Lisa at the hospital with littlest Pioneer, Sabine, and members of the track and field team who conveniently added a loop through the hospital delivery ward to their workout.