The Mount Holyoke College Western Riding club team demonstrated their skills at a double header home show on Saturday, Nov. 2, hosted at the College’s Equestrian Center. The Western team has had a competitive season so far, winning their preseason tournament. The Nov. 2 show was the team’s first official show of the season, followed by a single show at home on Nov. 3. The western teams at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the University of Connecticut also competed on both days.
Following six years as an assistant basketball coach at Juniata College, Abby Wemhoff has stepped into the role of head coach for Mount Holyoke College’s varsity basketball team. As a former Division III basketball player at University of Mount Union, with coaching experiences at both Waynesburg University and Juniata College, Wemhoff hopes to bring “good energy” to the team in an effort to have the players encourage each other during the season. She approaches coaching with an emphasis on attitude and effort, aiming not only to impart technical skills but also to cultivate qualities of character that will serve her players on and off the court.
After a three-year career coaching swimming at Elms College, Kevin Walker has joined the Mount Holyoke College athletic community as the assistant coach to the varsity swimming and diving team. A former member of Springfield College’s swim team, which competes with Mount Holyoke in the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference — also known as NEWMAC — Walker brings his experience as both a coach and an athlete to the Lyons.
Among 30 participating Division III cross country teams, Mount Holyoke College placed fourth at the multi-divisional University of Massachusetts Dartmouth invitational, persevering through rain and mud. Connecticut College, Keene State College and Westfield State University placed in front of the Lyons at the meet on Sept. 21.
In a major restructuring of the Department of Athletics, President Danielle R. Holley announced in a May 13 email to the Mount Holyoke community that the College would no longer sponsor a tennis program, effective immediately.
In the time since the announcement, current members and alums of the tennis team have mobilized to save the program. The team is demanding an extension of the program for at least two more years and, during that time, the ability to search for alternative funding options in order to retain the program in the future.
The Mount Holyoke College Rowing team opened their spring season in Lake Quinsigamond on April 13, 2024. The competition was hosted by Clark University in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, with the regatta consisting of Mount Holyoke, Washington College, Connecticut College, Simmons University, University of Rochester, Williams College, Worcester Polytechnic Institute and Clark University.
South Carolina Gamecocks defeated the Iowa Hawkeyes 87-75 in the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship on Sunday, April 7, securing its second title in three years and a perfect 38-0 season record, The Ringer reported. Despite the Gamecocks’ near-perfect success in the last three seasons, their achievements seemed to have been lost in Caitlin Clark’s shadow.
On March 26, the Georgian national football team, a part of the Georgian Football Federation, secured its place in the Union of European Football Association Championship for the first time in history. The feat marks a significant milestone for the country, sparking celebrations seen and felt nationwide.
Deanna Stellato-Dudek, an American pair figure skater, has set a new precedent in the ice skating rink. After retiring in 2001, the 40-year-old has become the oldest woman to win a World Figure Skating Championship, CNN reported. She competed with her skating partner, Maxime Deschamps, representing Canada at the 2024 World Figure Skating Championships.
The Mount Holyoke Riding team hosted the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Springfield College, Bentley College, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Smith College, Amherst College, Worcester State and Bennington College during the Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association Mount Holyoke College Show on Saturday, March 2. The Lyons placed first at their home show with 45 points, with UMass Amherst coming in second with 39 points.
The Olympic Games, a show of extreme athleticism and skill, are an opportunity for athletes worldwide to compete for global titles. People around the globe gather to participate. However, women have had to fight for the right to participate in sports throughout history.Now, the rates of gender-equal participation are projected to reach an even split in the 2024 games.
The Mount Holyoke College Lacrosse Team officially kick-started their season with a home game against Simmons University on Feb. 24. Linnea Alsted ’27, Teya Broad-Wright ’27, Mackenzie Hillman ’27 and Syd Baker ’27 made their collegiate lacrosse debut with the season opener. Mount Holyoke started with a 3-1 lead at the beginning of the second quarter, but ultimately, Simmons caught up and prevailed with a final score of 17-4.
