Basketball captain Marley Berano ’25 attends NCAA leadership Forum
The National Collegiate Athletic Association’s annual Student-Athlete Leadership Forum took place in Baltimore, Maryland, on April 13-16, hosting over 250 student-athletes from around the country. The athletes represented all three divisions of the NCAA, and the captain of Mount Holyoke’s basketball team, Marley Berano ’25, attended this year’s forum.
Mount Holyoke Athletics celebrates NCAA Division III Week
By Lauren Leese ’23
Staff Writer
The Mount Holyoke College Student-Athlete Advisory Committee announced several events to celebrate the National Collegiate Athletics Association’s Division III Week, all of which are open to any Mount Holyoke community member. The NCAA is divided into three divisions with different standards and rules to suit different athlete experiences. Division III, of which Mount Holyoke College is a member, prioritizes academic achievement and well-rounded student life along with a competitive athlete experience.
NCAA Division III Week runs from April 10 through April 16. Amrit Khinda ’25, the SAAC Diversity, Equity and Inclusion subcommittee chair and member of the Lyons’ basketball team, explained the significance of Division III Week for student-athletes at Mount Holyoke.
“DIII week … presents a valuable occasion for all individuals affiliated with a DIII institution to observe and celebrate the profound impact athletics and student-athletes have on campus,” Khinda said. “It is a way to build a better understanding of the DIII student-athlete experience.”
SAAC Outreach and Community Involvement Chair Maddie Millyan spoke about what being a Division III athlete has meant to her. “Being on a team is an experience that I think has helped me in every aspect of my life because I am able to see not just myself grow but my fellow teammates and that is so rewarding,” she said. “The friends and connections I have made as a student-athlete at Mount Holyoke College will stay with me through my entire life, and for that, I am forever grateful.”
This year’s Division III Week also serves to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Title IX, the landmark legislation that prevents sex-based discrimination in federally-funded schools. A poster to commemorate Title IX was set up at the Kendall Sports and Dance Complex entrance for viewing throughout the week. The display shows the text of Title IX along with statistics about gender equity before and after the passage of the legislation.
In the lead-up to Division III Week, the athletics department celebrated National Student-Athlete Day on Thursday, April 6. The day was commemorated with a make-your-own energy bar event at the Kendall Sports and Dance Complex.
Several events took place throughout Division III Week. On Monday, April 10, Head Swimming and Diving Coach David Allen hosted a mindfulness session. A Spirit Day event took place on Tuesday, April 11, where participants were challenged to dress as their favorite female athletes. Thursday, April 13 saw the Empowerment Movie Night event, where community members were invited to the Blanchard Great Room for a screening of the movie “Swimmers.”
Multiple athletic competitions occurred during Division III Week with extra activities for spectators. On Wednesday, April 12, Mount Holyoke Lacrosse competed against Smith College in a home game that featured events and giveaways at half-time. Spectators also had the option to bring or purchase stuffed animals for donation to a women’s and children’s shelter. The final score was 18-8 to Smith. Mount Holyoke Tennis scheduled a home game against Babson College for Friday, April 14, with games and food provided.
The Athletics Department will provide transportation for spectators who want to watch the two away-from-home athletic competitions scheduled for Saturday, April 15. In the morning, Mount Holyoke Rowing will compete at the Donahue Rowing Center in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts. Their opponents include teams from Clark University, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Washington College, Williams College, Connecticut College, Simmons University and Rochester Institute of Technology. Mount Holyoke Track and Field will be heading to the Jerry Gravel Invitational at Westfield State University in Worcester, Massachusetts.
SAAC Programming and Legislation subcommittee chair and Mount Holyoke Rowing athlete Zoe Wolfel ’23 spoke about her excitement for the Saturday competitions. “All of our races are off-campus, which means that people on campus don’t often get to come see us race,” Wolfel said. “I am really excited for everyone to see what we do.”
Several other events were scheduled going into the weekend. The 2023 SAAC Formal will take place on Friday, April 14 in the Great Room, with food, music and activities for attendees. Millyan, whose SAAC subcommittee planned this event, spoke of her excitement for the formal. “It is going to be a great time to meet new people, try new things and have fun,” she said.
On Saturday, April 15, the Mount Holyoke community will be able to compete in the MHC Community 5K. Division III Week will wrap up on Sunday, April 16 with a Field Day event on Skinner Green.
Cross Country finishes 11th in regional race, Selkin qualifies for national championships
The Mount Holyoke Cross Country team earned an 11th place finish out of 21 teams at the National Collegiate Athletic Association Mideast Regional Championships. The race was held at St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York, on Saturday, Nov. 12. With an overall team score of 327, the Lyons finished behind Connecticut College and ahead of Westfield State University, while Williams College took first place with a total score of 47.
New NCAA constitution discusses financial compensation for Division I athletes
The National Collegiate Athletic Association has been a lucrative institution since its inception in 1906, bringing in millions of dollars in revenue every year from its participating schools. The way the NCAA operates has long seemed set in stone, but over the years the question of whether or not Division I student-athletes should be paid has risen to prominence following conversations about the monetization of athletes’ name, image and likeness.
In desperate scramble for better press coverage, NCAA eliminates all sports and adds lightsaber dueling
NCAA changes eligibility policy for transgender athletes
Fencing competes in Big One tournament
Four foilists and four épéeists from Mount Holyoke Fencing represented the College at the New England Intercollegiate Fencing Conference Big One tournament on Saturday, Nov. 7. The competition, which was hosted by Vassar College, featured over 10 teams belonging to various NCAA athletic divisions, including Smith College, Dartmouth College and the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
NCAA to add four teams to women’s basketball championship bracket
In a unanimous vote on Thursday, Oct. 14, the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Women’s Basketball Committee and Women’s Basketball Oversight Committee approved a proposal to expand the Division I Women’s Basketball Championship bracket by four teams. Beginning in 2022, the proposal would allow 68 teams to compete in the tournament instead of the previous 64. The same change was approved for the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship in 2011.
COVID-19 Changes the Game for College Athletics
Photo courtesy of Pixy.org
By Gigi Picard ’22
Sports Editor
After the onset of COVID-19 last spring, colleges across the U.S. canceled end-of-the-season athletic competitions. The three divisions within the NCAA had to reevaluate plans for future seasons across all sports.
The future of football remained questionable because it is a contact-heavy sport. The Big Ten and PAC-12 NCAA Division I conferences originally canceled their football fall seasons. This sparked controversy and outrage among players and coaches. There has been pressure by the ACC, Big 12 and SEC conferences, all of which have begun their football season, for the Big Ten to play. The Big Ten recently considered revoting and starting a season. The return of other sports, whether they are played on the field, court or in the water is questionable as well.
Another decision colleges had to make concerned their own athletic departments. Some colleges in all NCAA divisions cut at least three varsity teams due to financial trouble as a result of COVID-19. Schools such as Stanford University, the University of Connecticut and the University of Minnesota were among those who had to cut athletic programs. Some sports that faced the chopping block included swimming and diving, tennis, golf, lacrosse, soccer, cross country, field hockey, rowing, squash, track and field and equestrian. These changes will take place after their 2020-2021 seasons.
Women in sports
NCAA and Mount Holyoke Athletics respond to the global pandemic
Divers place in NCAA DIII Northeast Regionals, Araujo wins unprecedented NEWMAC Coach of the Year
Three divers from Mount Holyoke qualified for the 2020 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Northeast Diving Regionals at Springfield College on Feb. 28 and 29. Coach Rachael Araujo won the title of New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Coach of the Year this year. This win is a first in the Mount Holyoke Swim and Dive program history.
Athletic department hires two game-changers
Mount Holyoke student-athletes receive end of semester honors
Cross country earns D-III All-Academic Team title
Athletics celebrates National Division Three Week
B LEXI LOBDELL ’20
The Mount Holyoke athletics department, in conjunction with schools across the country, sponsored the National Division III (D3) Week from April 3-April 7, to recognize the hard work and experiences of student athletes. The week kicked off on Monday night at 7:30 p.m. in Kendall in the field house.
Mount Holyoke empowers athletes on and off the field
BY LEXI LOBDELL ’20
Recent sexual assault cases involving National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) teams and coaches have brought women’s rights to the forefront of collegiate sports discussion.
Mount Holyoke’s mission includes improving education and leadership, as well as creating opportunities for women and advancing women’s rights. Adhering to this mission, the athletics department has several policies in place to cultivate a safe environment for student-athletes.