Smith College Athletics

2011-12 marks the 40th anniversary of varsity athletics at Smith College. From the first contest in 1971 to the expansion of the NEWMAC to present times, varsity athletics has had a long and vast history. Here then, we present some little known facts about varsity athletics at Smith College.

Fact No. 25 (for week of April 30, 2012): In the 1971-72 season, Field Hockey, Tennis, and Basketball were Smith's only three varsity sports. The next year, Crew, Softball, Squash and Volleyball were added to the varsity lineup. Lacrosse joined in 1973-74, while Crew took a year off. In 1974-75, Crew was back to stay, and Equestrian and Swimming followed in the next season. Soccer was given varsity status in 1976-77. Cross Country and Track and Field became varsity sports within a year of each other, in 1980-81 and 1981-82. Other sports that enjoyed varsity status at some point between 1971 and present day were: Archery, Sailing, Gymnastics, and Skiing.

Fact No. 24 (for week of April 23, 2012): In the 1985 spring season, Smith Crew swept the Valley Championships with three first place finishes for the Varsity 8, Junior Varsity, and Novice 8. The team was coached by Kathy Keeler, and current Smith coach Karen Carpenter Klinger was a member of the team. The next spring, Smith repeated its stellar performance in this race, winning the Varsity, JV, 1st Novice, and 2nd Novice races in the 1986 Valley Championships.

Fact No. 23 (for week of April 16, 2012): If you refer back to Fact No. 3, you'll see that Assistant Athletic Director Bonnie May served as Smith's Volleyball coach for 26 seasons. She also held the position of Head Softball Coach for 25 years, from 1982 to 2006. Under her leadership, the team went to the NCAA Tournament once, won the conference three times, and qualified for the ECAC Tournament four times, winning it in 2004.

Fact No. 22 (for week of April 9, 2012): Smith Lacrosse has had three 10-win seasons in its history as a varsity sport at Smith. These occurred in 1991, 1992, and 1999 and were all under Coach Judy Strong, who led the team from 1988 to 2001 and in 2003. In '91 and '92 Lacrosse was the NEW8 Regular Season Champion and advanced to the ECAC Tournament in 1991, as well.

Fact No. 21 (for week of April 2, 2012): Earning the distinction of Smith's longest-serving current head coach, Chris Davis has led the tennis team since 1979. The team won the NEW8 Tournament in the 1987-1988 and 1988-1989 seasons. They were also crowned NEW8 Regular Season Champions in 1987-1988, 1988-1989, and most recently in 1997-1998 when the team went 7-0 in the conference.

Fact No. 20 (for week of March 26, 2012): Smith's Athletic teams have been known as the Pioneers since 1986, receiving the current spirit mark mascot in 2008. Prior to 1986, Smith's teams competed as the Unicorns.

Fact No. 19 (for week of March 12, 2012): In looking at the last forty years, Sue Payne, current Head Equestrian Coach, has been a fixture at Smith for 38 years, joining the Equestrian program in 1974 and serving as head coach since 1981. In addition to receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000 from the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association, she has trained many successful riders in her time at Smith. Most recently, Jessica Wills, class of 2005, placed third at 2003 Nationals in intermediate over fences.

Fact No. 18 (for week of March 5, 2012): Head Track & Field Coach Carla Coffey joined the Pioneers in 1992. Among her achievements at Smith, she has coached 18 Track & Field All-Americans. Most recently, Etta Grover-Silva, class of 2010, earned All-American status in the 2008 and 2009 indoor and outdoor seasons competing in the pole vault.

Fact No. 17 (for week of February 27, 2012): The Smith Pioneers Basketball 1,000 Point Club currently has nine members. The highest scoring member is Christina Hobson, class of 1999, with 1,619 career points. The most recent member, Berit Schelde, was inducted in 2010 with 1,065 career points. Hobson played under coach James Babyak, and Schelde played under current coach Lynn Hersey.

Fact No. 16 (for week of February 13, 2012): Current Smith Squash coach Tim Bacon has been with the program since the 1994-1995 season. Under his leadership, the team earned its best record in the 1997-1998 season, in which the team went 19-4. Crucial wins included shut-outs against Mount Holyoke twice, Wellesley, Wesleyan, Johns Hopkins, Connecticut College, and Bard College. The team finished ranked 12th nationally.

Fact No. 15 (for week of February 6, 2012): In recent history, Shanti Freitas, class of 2008, holds five of the six Smith College Diving records. A recent recipient of the Marly Pineda Seven Sisters Swimming and Diving Award, Freitas received All-American and NEWMAC All-Conference honors three of her four years at Smith. Along the way, she finished 2nd on the 1M Springboard at Nationals in 2005 and 2nd on the 3M Springboard at Nationals in 2008.

Fact No. 14 (for week of January 30, 2012): The longest standing Smith Indoor Track and Field record dates back to 1983. Abiba Jimma, class of '86, ran the 300 meter dash in 45.84 seconds at the Holy Cross Crusader Invitational. Jimma, from Ghana, West Africa, also held team indoor records in the 55m, 400m, and 4x400m at the conclusion of the 1983 indoor season.

Fact No. 13 (for week of December 12, 2011): Smith Skiing had a hugely successful 1985-1986 season, led by first-year, first team All-American skiier Tina Mertes. The team finished second in East Regionals and finished 9th out of 16 in Giant Slalom at Nationals. Mertes finished fifth overall in Giant Slalom at Nationals. The team was coached by John Parsons and assisted by current Smith College Assistant Athletic Director Theresa Collins.

Fact No. 12 (for week of December 5, 2011): Gymnastics was a varsity sport at Smith from 1976-1988. The team posted its best record in the 1977-1978 season, with 7 wins and 4 losses. The team was coached by Carol Alberts.

Fact No. 11 (for week of November 28, 2011): The Smith College Basketball team has been the conference tournament runner up three times in its history as a varsity team. In 1988-1989 and 1997-1998, Smith competed in the NEW8 Tournament and finished second in the tournament both seasons. Most recently, in 2010-2011, Smith was the NEWMAC Tournament runner up under the direction of head coach Lynn Hersey, led by NEWMAC Conference, NEWBA, and ECAC New England Rookie of the Year Rosa Drummond.

Fact No. 10 (for week of November 21, 2011): Smith Squash has produced three All-Americans: an honorable mention for Ashley Kilgore in 2003, second team for Ashley Mears in 1989, and first team for Wendy Irwin in 1985. In 1985 the team was also ranked eighth in the nation, finishing the season with a 16-5 record and a Howe Cup Division II victory.

Fact No. 9 (for week of November 14, 2011): The Smith Swimming and Diving team had especially dominant performances from 1980 to 1983 under the leadership of current coach Kim Bierwert, who has been with the team since 1977. 1982-1983 marked the third year in a row that Smith finished in the top ten nationally. That year they had nine All-Americans, including Monique Fischer, who won 200 Back, and Barbara King who won the 1m and 3m Diving and qualified for Division I Nationals.

Fact No. 8 (for week of November 7, 2011): The Seven Sisters Crew Championships have been held since 1986 and were recently hosted by Smith in 2011. In 1998, 1999, and 2003-2005, Smith Crew won both the Varsity 8 and Second Varsity 8 races. Their Varsity 8 boats also took the top spot in 1986, 1988, and 2001. The Pioneers have been coached by Karen Klinger since 1997, and she rowed for Smith as an undergraduate, graduating in 1987.

Fact No. 7 (for week of October 24, 2011): The Smith 1988-1989 Riding team had an exceptional season. Not only did they win Region III and have eight competitors at Nationals, but the team placed 8th out of 13, which was the program's best national finish ever. The team was coached by current Equestrian coach Sue Payne (then known as Sue Gray), who has been with the program since the 1981-1982 season.

Fact No. 6 (for week of October 17, 2011): The 1987 Smith Cross Country team won seven of the ten meets it participated in that season, including the NEW 8 Championships and New England Regionals. Meg White placed 14th in the NCAA Division III Championships and was named an All-American. The team was coached by Mary Jane Grinaker.

Fact No. 5 (for week of October 10, 2011): Under the leadership of current coach Christine Davis, Smith Tennis has won the Seven Sisters Championship eight times. The most recent victory occurred in 1998, and before that the team won in 1983, 1984, 1990, and four consecutive titles from 1993-1996. Behind Wellesley and Vassar, Smith has the third most tournament titles of all participating schools.

Fact No. 4 (for week of October 3, 2011): Jackie Blei, current professor in Smith's Exercise and Sport Studies department, took over as Smith's Field Hockey coach in 1980. Under her leadership, the team went from a 5-9-3 record in 1980 to a 7-6-2 showing in 1981 and 10-1-2 in 1982. In 1983, the team made it to the NCAA Division III Championship, where they advanced to the quarterfinals and posted a 16-3-1 record on the season.

Fact No. 3 (for week of September 26, 2011): Current Smith College Assistant Athletic Director Bonnie May was the Smith College volleyball coach in 1981, the first year the NCAA held a national Division III women's volleyball tournament. Her 1981 team qualified for the tournament and competed in California against the University of California at San Diego. They finished the season with an impressive 28-13 record.

Fact No. 2 (for week of September 19, 2011): Smith College soccer went 4-2 in its inaugural season as a varsity program in 1976 with wins against Williston Academy, Boston University, Vassar, and Harvard. The program went on to win the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) New England Women's Soccer Championship in 1985, 1987, and 2006.

Fact No. 1 (for week of September 12, 2011): Smith, along with Babson, Brandeis, MIT, Wheaton, and Wellesley was one of the founding members of the New England Women's Six (NEW6) in 1984.  The league expanded again in 1988 with the additions of Worcester Polytechnic Institute and Mt. Holyoke to become the NEW8.  Brandeis left the league in 1994, but was replaced by Clark, and Springfield and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy joined in 1998, which was also the same year the league starting sponsoring championships in men's sports.  From that point on, the league was known under its current name, the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference, or NEWMAC.