The National Hockey League recently announced a ban on the use of Pride Tape by players during games, warm-ups and practices, as reported by MSNBC. The rainbow athletic tape has been utilized by many professional hockey players as a way to show support for the LGBTQ+ community and to promote a more inclusive athletic environment.
After a three-year delay caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Mount Holyoke College Athletics admitted its fourth class of inductees to the Athletics Hall of Fame, according to a press release on the Lyons Athletics website. Catherine Herrold ’00, Langhan Dee ’04, Mary Mazzio ’83, Elizabeth Kennan ’60 and Penny Schneider Calf ’68 were all honored in a reception and dinner at the Willits-Hallowell Conference Center on Thursday, May 25.
Mount Holyoke College Cross Country stormed to a 13th-place finish out of 37 competing teams at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Cross Country Invitational. At the event on Sunday, Sept. 17, Boston University claimed first place in the women’s varsity 5K race with a total time of 1:27.47 and 26 points, followed by Stonehill College with 94 points and Connecticut College with 99 points.
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 Rowing competed in a regatta on Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester County, Massachusetts, on Saturday, April 15, against Clark University, Connecticut College, the University of Rochester, Pacific Lutheran University, Washington College, Williams College and Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
On Saturday, April 8, Mount Holyoke Track and Field competed in the Amherst Spring Fling meet against Amherst College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Middlebury College, Williams College, Wesleyan University and Brandeis University. While it was a non-scoring meet, several Mount Holyoke team members managed to break personal records while competing.
Mount Holyoke Rugby made the difficult decision to pull out of the University of Vermont’s “Ruggers Supporting Survivors” tournament after the majority of participating teams withdrew from the event, likely the result of a scheduling conflict with the weekend’s numerous major religious holidays. The tournament, which took place on Sunday, April 9, was a fundraiser for HOPE Works, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending sexual assault and supporting survivors. It featured speakers and advocates from HOPE Works who delivered a talk before the start of the matchup, as well as UVM’s senior recognition ceremony.
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.
Mount Holyoke’s annual Building On Our Momentum conference was held on Tuesday, March 28, bringing speakers from all over to speak about their life experiences and social justice work. Celebrated transgender inclusion advocate Schuyler Bailar spoke to students in a panel about his experience being the first transgender athlete to compete on a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I team that matched his gender identity. Bailar was a swimmer for the Men’s Swimming and Diving team at Harvard University.
Mount Holyoke Squash newcomers Habiba Abouelatta ’26, Tina Mei ’26 and Ku Paw ’26 played in the College Squash Association Individual Championship last weekend. The competition took place from Friday, March 3, to Sunday, March 5, at the Arlen Specter U.S. Squash Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Photo courtesy of Mount Holyoke Athletics.
Shweta Kiran Cavale ’23 defeated her American International College opponents in both her doubles matches and her singles matches on Feb. 25.
By Lauren Leese ’23
Staff Writer
Mount Holyoke Tennis launched its spring season with a match against American International College on Saturday, Feb. 25. The Lyons defeated the Yellow Jackets 6-3, obtaining three of their points by default. A second game against Eastern Nazarene College was originally scheduled for the same day but was postponed.
In the No. 1 doubles match, AIC bested Annika Chai ’25 and Jaskirat Kaur ’26 with a score of 8-3. The No. 2 doubles match saw Shweta Kiran Cavale ’23 and Cal Smith ’26 score an 8-3 victory over the Yellow Jackets. The No. 3 match defaulted to the Lyons.
Kiran Cavale and Smith both won their singles matches, with Kiran Cavale scoring 7-5 and 6-1, and Smith scoring 6-1 and 6-2. Chai’s and Kaur’s singles matches went to a third round, where their AIC opponents secured victory.
Smith spoke about the atmosphere of the competition, and how even the Lyons who couldn’t play due to a lack of opponents brought team spirit to the game.
“Tennis is often regarded as a quiet sport, but there is nothing like the feeling of your team cheering you on after a good point,” Smith said. “Kate Vavra [’26], whose match was unfortunately forfeited by AIC, really led the team in energy, bringing pom poms and her always impressive team spirit. The whole team brought an amazing energy that I was proud to be a part of.”
Kiran Cavale expressed optimism about the competitions ahead. “Initially, I was quite nervous to come back after the off-season to play a match but I think it went much better than I anticipated,” she said. “The team has been working very hard during the practice and I believe that everyone is very committed to helping us have an amazing season.”
Mount Holyoke Tennis will compete in their next match at Bates College on March 15.
