The men’s and women’s track and field teams celebrated their seniors at the final home meet of the season. While the April 20 meet was not scored, the teams reported many personal records (PRs) and high spirits heading into the NESCAC championships at Tufts University this coming weekend.
The women’s team tallied 16 first-place finishes, nearly sweeping the field events with wins in the javelin, hammer, shot put, triple jump, high jump and pole vault. Madeline Saunders ’25 won the discus with 40.99 meters, following her recent record-breaking throw of 41.57 meters which she achieved the previous week at the Carla Coffey Invitational at Smith College.
In the running events, the women’s team snagged first place in both the 4x100 meter relay and the 4x400 meter relay. The Panthers also won the 1,500-meter race, 800-meter race, 400-meter hurdles, 400-meter race, 200-meter race, 100-meter hurdles and 100-meter dash. Katie Bruno ’26 crossed the finish line first in the 100-meter dash, stopping the clock at 12.54 seconds for a college PR.
In addition to Bruno, many members of the women’s team achieved PRs, including Nikky Sztachelski ’25.
“It was my last meet of the season, so it was great to end off on a good note with two new PRs in the 400 and 200,” Sztachelski wrote in a message to The Campus. “It’s always nice competing at home and not having to worry about waking up early to catch a long bus drive, and because it’s home it means our friends and family can come and support, which is amazing.”
On the men’s side, 13 Panthers achieved a first-place finish. The men’s team won the 3,000-meter steeplechase, 1,500-meter race, 400-meter dash, 400-meter hurdles and 110-meter hurdles. Additionally, they won seven field events, including the high jump, triple jump, pole vault, shot put, discus, hammer and javelin.
“I always feel like the home meet is a lot of fun because it is pretty low stakes. It’s like the tune up before NESCACs, and a lot of people’s families come out and friends from Midd. Everyone gets really excited this time of year,” said Peter Burke ’24, co-captain of the men’s team. Burke ran the 1,500-meter race, finishing third after Alec Gironda ’24 secured first place just 4.64 seconds earlier.
Before the meet began, the seniors on the mens’ and womens’ sides were honored. Meaghan McEnroe ’24.5, co-captain of the women’s team, enjoyed both the ceremony and strong sense of community at the meet.
“I did 400 hurdles, which I was really excited about. We had a really nice ceremony before for seniors, and I think me and Ciara Dale, another one of the women’s captains, were really excited to finish off the normal season doing the event we’ve always done. That was really nice closure,” McEnroe said.
Burke echoed the sentimental value of the ceremony. “It definitely feels a little bittersweet as a senior, but I’m enjoying it,” Burke said. “Coming to the end of the senior year, I’m definitely grateful for my years on the track team.”
Looking forward, the Panthers are turning their attention to the upcoming NESCAC Championship at Tufts University on April 27. The women’s team has won the NESCACs for the past two years, while the men’s team finished fourth overall last year.
“I’m excited. I think we have a lot of pressure and pride on the line from the two years of winning, but I think the women’s team has what it takes and that we’re the grittiest team out there,” McEnroe said.
That grit will be tested this weekend as the women’s team looks to win their fifth championship and become the second-most winning team in NESCAC history.
Charlie Keohane ’24 (she/her) is an Editor at Large. She previously served as the SGA Correspondent and a Senior Writer.
She is an environmental writing major and a psychology minor from Northern California. Outside of academics, Charlie is a Senior Admissions Fellow at the Middlebury Admissions Office. She also is involved with the women’s track team and hosts Witching Hour, a radio show on 91.1 WRMC. In Spring 2023, she studied abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, watching Greta Gerwig movies, polar plunging, sending snail mail, and FaceTiming her rescue dog, Poppy.
