Spring sports preview: Track

The men’s and women’s track and field teams enter the spring outdoor season not really knowing what to expect. The teams have had to overcome losses due to graduation and injury, and will rely on runners that either haven’t run outdoors before or haven’t run outdoors in over a year. Despite this inexperience, the teams boast some of the best runners in the country and in school history.

The strong women’s team is led by Ellen Davis ’07, who is currently ranked first in the country for Division III in the 5K. Kristy Williams ’06 holds it down in the field events, breaking the school record in shot put with an amazing 40′ 4 3/4“ throw this past winter. The women are also expecting big things from Cara Chebuske ’06 in the 1000 meters.

Owen Kiely ’06 heads up the men’s team after coming in first in New England last fall in cross-country. Kiely suffered a stress fracture in his right leg that forced him to sit out the indoor season, but looks to be back at full strength for outdoor and is expected to go to Nationals in the steeplechase.

Sam Grover ’08 recently set the school triple jump record and the team is also leaning on Jon King ’07 in the 5K.

Despite suffering injuries to Mike ”Mad Dog“ Brady ’07 and Sean Watson ’08 during the winter as well, according to sprinter Dan McLaughlin ’07, the spring team ”has a lot of potential to be good.“

The team’s first outdoor meet is in South Carolina at Myrtle Beach before coming back north to compete in the Tufts Invitational on Apr. 1. You can catch them at home on Apr. 15 in the Elmer Swanson Invitational and on Apr. 22 in the Little Three meet.