In their final tournament, Mount Holyoke Tennis secures many victories

Photo by Kate Vavra ‘26

By Elodie Muller ’29

Staff Writer

The weekend of Oct. 10 marked the end of an era in Mount Holyoke Athletics as the tennis team played in its last match ever after the sport was cut in May 2024. The team attended the New England Women’s Invitational Tennis Tournament — abbreviated as NEWITT — hosted at Amherst College in Amherst, Massachusetts, and Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts.

Mount Holyoke was one of 13 colleges participating in the tournament. The roster included Smith College, Trinity College, Amherst College, MIT, Wesleyan University, Springfield College, Wheaton College, Emerson College, Colby College, University of Saint Joseph and Gordon College. Four Mount Holyoke students competed in the tournament: Kennedy Bagley-Fortner ’26, Cal Smith ’26, Kate Vavra ’26 and Lara Gao ’26.

“NEWITT … is one of the longest-running events in women’s Division III tennis. It started over forty years ago and used to have schools compete across all divisions against each other in the North East.” Caitlyn Lawrence, head coach of the Smith College tennis team, said in an email to Mount Holyoke News.

In the NEWITT, teams entered groups of two to three players in different draws. The players then competed in two singles matches and one doubles match, with teams that won two out of the three matches moving up in the draw.

“The tournament is a highlight for teams because of the format,” Lawrence said. “This team-based format makes this tournament unique and a lot of fun. It also means a lot of tennis is played. Over three days, we had over 230 matches.”

Smith and Vavra each won two singles matches apiece, and teamed up for two doubles match wins. Smith defeated Abigail Miner of Emerson College with a final score of 8-3 and won a victory against Teah Login of Emerson College by default due to injury. Vavra went up against and defeated Carlson Jones of Emerson College with a set score of 8-7 and finished the tournament with a victory against Anna Matsura of Emerson College, with the score from that match being 7-6, 7-6.

Smith and Vavra also teamed up to defeat Wheaton College’s number one-ranked doubles duo, Kara Greenlee and Alissa Ortiz, with a final score of 7-6 and a tiebreak score of 7-4. Smith and Vavra also had success against Miner and Jones of Emerson College with a final score of 6-3.

Newcomer Gao had success as well, defeating Kathy Kim of Gordon College with a final score of 7-6, 3-6, and 10-8. Gao was not previously a member of the tennis team, but played in the tournament due to her prior experience in tennis and squash.

“I wish there were more matches for us to play! I just feel like I played such a fun tournament with such an amazing team, had so much fun every single point, so I really wish the team could keep playing!” Gao said in an email to Mount Holyoke News.

Also in an email to Mount Holyoke News, previous number one player for the varsity tennis team Annika Chai ’25 offered her perspective. “As sad as it is that this is the last tournament for the Mount Holyoke varsity tennis team, I could not be prouder of my fellow teammates for competing! I would like to emphasize the fact that they chose to compete completely on their own. They were not forced by any commitment, there was no coach providing guidance or assistance on court and absolutely no support was provided by athletics. They won matches against NEWMAC schools that other MHC varsity teams would be lucky to even have close games against. Cal, Kennedy and Kate demonstrated everything a student-athlete at Mount Holyoke should be and more.”

With this tournament, the varsity tennis program at Mount Holyoke came to an end. Nevertheless, the players went out with their heads held high and showed the value that their program had to the college.

Karishma Ramkarran ’27 contributed fact-checking.

Mount Holyoke Soccer experiences a series of challenges and draws

Photo Courtesy of Mount Holyoke Athletics

By Bei Jia Viggiano ’28

Sports Editor

As Halloween approaches and the student body prepares for the highlight of the spooky season, Mount Holyoke College’s soccer team has been working hard. The past two months have witnessed a strong start, followed by a series of challenges and draws.

The kickoff to the season was a home game against Anna Maria College on Sunday, Aug. 31. The Lyons emerged victorious 4-0.

“At practice, we plan for the next opponent, capitalizing on their play-style weaknesses and our strengths. I think this type of game prep, combined with our drive to always do better and work as hard as we can on that field, led to our success,” Amelia Taylor ’29 said in an email to Mount Holyoke News. “Personally, I think what was really successful for me was allowing myself to make mistakes. Sometimes I get really hard on myself when I mess up, and it affects my playing afterward. I think before the kickoff game, I found peace with myself, and I felt confident enough in my ability, and that made a world of difference.”

The start of September saw a match against Albertus Magnus College on Wednesday, Sept. 3, in New Haven, Connecticut. Despite their best efforts, Mount Holyoke lost 1-0.

“I think our main response [to losses], no matter the outcome, is always to work harder. Soccer is as much a physical game as it is mental. No matter what the score is after, we always try to capitalize on holding each other accountable. Did you put your 100% effort in? Are you happy with how you played? These are the types of questions that we ask ourselves after every game, and that answer dictates how you move forward,” Taylor continued. “I think we always just try to look to the future, we don’t dwell on the past. A big part of our program is hard work and determination. No matter the outcome, we can always move forward. When we encounter a specific issue, we try to isolate it, and then work on [it] until we see improvement. At the end of the day, the most successful teams are the ones that can overcome losses and difficulties with their heads held high.”

The next two games concluded with a draw; The first against DeSales University on Sunday, Sept. 7, in South Hadley, Massachusetts, and the second against the Wentworth Institute of Technology on Wednesday, Sept. 10, in another home game. The match against DeSales had a tie of 1-1, while neither Wentworth nor Mount Holyoke scored a point in their game, leaving the score 0-0.

“Personally, [a tie] depends on the opponent. Sometimes a tie can come as a relief, while other times it’s frustrating,” Taylor explained. “For example, for our Babson game, we held them off for most of the match, and Babson is one of the best teams in the league. If anything, we were hoping for a tie. It’s when you tie a team that you know you have the potential to beat that’s frustrating.”

The Lyons next competed against Salve Regina University on Saturday, Sept. 20, where the visiting Seahawks earned a victory of 1-0 over the hosting Lyons. Four days later, Mount Holyoke attended a match against Westfield State University on Wednesday, Sept. 24, in Westfield, Massachusetts. The game ended in a tie of 0-0.

“I’ve had a great season this semester. I’m a freshman, so this is my first time playing at the collegiate level,” Taylor remarked. “There were bumps during this season for sure. I got an ankle injury halfway through, and we lost quite frequently. That doesn’t matter to me, though. To me, this team is so special because we all get along so well. Outside of soccer, we are all friends, and that’s a bond that can’t be broken.”

The following six games saw challenges for the Lyons. Despite their hard work, Mount Holyoke was defeated by Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Wheaton College, Smith College, Babson College, Coast Guard Academy and Emerson College.

“The culture of the team is so positive and supportive, I never felt uncomfortable once,” Taylor concluded. “Most importantly, I just loved being able to play soccer. I am so grateful that I was given the opportunity to continue playing and that I was able to play heavy minutes in many games. There’s a lot of love on this team, so at the end of the day, I never really care about the scoreboard.”

Now, the Lyons are preparing for their last two games before the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference — abbreviated as NEWMAC — post-season tournament. Over the course of four days, NEWMAC will be holding its Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and Championship. The final match for Mount Holyoke will be against Wellesley College on Saturday, Nov. 1, at 12 p.m., in Wellesley, Massachusetts.

Mount Holyoke’s soccer team has since competed in a game against MIT on Saturday, Oct. 25, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. They will next face Springfield College on Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025, at 7 p.m. at Mount Holyoke College.

Karishma Ramkarran ’27 contributed fact-checking.

Mount Holyoke Volleyball maintains balance of wins and loses

Photo courtesy of Mount Holyoke Athletics

Mount Holyoke Volleyball has had a pattern of wins and losses throughout the beginning of the season, with their longest winning streak being three.

By Bei Jia Viggiano ’28

Sports Editor

As the fall season dawns and students return from the break, Mount Holyoke’s volleyball team has been busy. The months of September and October have been a series of wins and losses that hang in a precarious balance.

The first match of the season was against the University of Saint Joseph on Saturday, Aug. 30, in West Hartford, Connecticut. The Lyons emerged victorious 3-0. They later competed against Eastern Connecticut State University on the same date and location, where they lost 3-1.

“This season, some of our players have moved around positions, which has allowed us to spread out our offense and become a less predictable team,” Sadie Duffrin ’26 said in an email to Mount Holyoke News.

September kicked off with a game against Amherst College on Friday, Sept. 5, in Amherst, Massachusetts. Despite the team’s valiant efforts, the Lyons lost 3-1 again. The following day, Mount Holyoke competed in a match against Fitchburg State University in West Hartford, Connecticut, and prevailed 3-0. Later that same day, the Lyons triumphed against their host, the University of Hartford, with a victory of 3-1.

“We’ve also been trying to have the mentality of adjustment and how to exploit what the other team is doing instead of focusing on what we’re doing,” Duffrin continued.

A third consecutive win for Mount Holyoke was earned on Friday, Sept. 12, in Poughkeepsie, New York. In a match against Mount Saint Mary College, the Lyons won 3-0. Later that day, the streak was ended by a defeat to the host, Vassar College, with a loss of 3-0.

With these alternating wins and losses throughout September and October, the team's win-loss record is in an oscillating pattern.

“It’s been a great season so far, and we hope to keep improving and win more conference games as it goes on,” Duffrin concluded.

Mount Holyoke’s volleyball team has since competed in a game against Wellesley College on Tuesday, Oct. 14, in Wellesley, Massachusetts. They will next face Babson College on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025, at 1 p.m. at Mount Holyoke College.

Quill Nishi-Leonard ’27 contributed fact-checking.

Mount Holyoke Field Hockey team secures a four-game winning streak

Photo courtesy of Mount Holyoke Athletics

The field hockey team maintained a four-game streak, their largest margin being 8-0 against Elms.

By Bei Jia Viggiano ’28

Sports Editor

As incoming and returning students moved into their dorms in late August, Mount Holyoke’s field hockey team kicked off the 2025 season. With both wins and losses, the season has been a steady rise to success for the team.

The first game of the season was on Saturday, Aug. 30, against the University of Southern Maine in Gorham, Maine, where the Lyons lost 2-0. The next day, they competed against Thomas College in Waterville, Maine, and once again lost 2-0.

Their first September match was on Tuesday, Sept. 9. The Lyons faced the University of Saint Joseph in a home game. Mount Holyoke scored two goals early on, holding a lead of 2-1 by the end of the first period. A score by Saint Joseph in the fourth period and a comeback shot in overtime resulted in a loss for the Lyons, leaving the final score 3-2.

“Our biggest struggle was ultimately putting the ball in the net,” Rory Bernardo ’29 said in an email to Mount Holyoke News. “Our first three games, we dominated but failed to execute on goals early on, so it has been made a priority of every player to score early and often.”

The first season win for the Lyons was at a home game against Dean College. On Thursday, Sept. 11, the field hockey team triumphed with a 4-0 victory. This was only the beginning of a series of victories for the Lyons.

“We have always been a tight-knit group,” Ashley Scott ’27 said in an email to Mount Holyoke News. “But recently, we have really started learning each other’s playing styles and tuning into each other’s strengths, which has helped us catapult our season in the right direction.”

Over the next week, the Lyons continued to prevail. Their next match was against Albertus Magnus College on Saturday, Sept. 13, in New Haven, Connecticut. Mount Holyoke secured its second win of the season with a score of 6-0.

Three days later, in Chicopee, Massachusetts, the Lyons faced Elms College on Tuesday, Sept. 16. The Lyons were victorious with a score of 8-0 the largest margin of success the team has had this season so far.

“We’ve really gained some much-deserved confidence,” Bernardo continued. “A lot of people are playing new positions, so it was tough to find our rhythm. That said, once we started to learn more about each other’s playing styles, we were able to succeed.”

The winning streak didn’t end on Thursday, Sept. 18, when Mount Holyoke competed against Nichols College. The home game resulted in a score of 4-0, marking a fourth consecutive win for the Lyons.

“We’ve been having great energy throughout the game, scoring early, and giving it our all every quarter,” Scott continued. “It’s been so fun to be back out on the field with the team. We’re a family, we have great chemistry, and we are always pushing each other to be better than the day before.”

On Saturday, Sept. 20, Mount Holyoke faced the Massachusetts Institute of Technology  at a conference in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT was in the lead with a goal in the first period. The Lyons tied the score in the second period, but MIT prevailed with a shot in the fourth period, making the final score 2-1.

“After a challenging game, we keep our heads up, try new strategies in practice, hype each other up, and watch film in order to better ourselves for next time,” Scott explained. “We come prepared to take on the next challenge together.”

“This team has really felt like a home to me,” Bernardo said. “Being a freshman, I was super nervous to meet new people and make a good impression, but my teammates immediately welcomed me with open arms and showed me that this is where I’m meant to be.”

Mount Holyoke’s field hockey team has since competed in a home game against Babson College on Saturday, Sept. 27. They will next face Wheaton College on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, at 1 p.m. at Mount Holyoke College.

Karishma Ramkarran ’27 contributed fact checking. 

Mount Holyoke alum van Dijk hired as team president of Boston Legacy Football Club

Courtesy of the Boston Legacy Football Club

By Bei Jia Viggiano ’28

Sports Editor

As the opening season approaches for the Boston Legacy Football Club, Mount Holyoke College alum Jennifer van Dijk ’98 has been selected as the club’s first team president. Boston Legacy Football Club is a professional women’s soccer club founded in 2023. The club will be joining the National Women’s Soccer League in 2026, kicking off the season at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Van Dijk is stepping into the role as the club prepares for operations in 2026, bringing nearly two decades of experience in leadership, digital media and sports marketing.

Van Dijk’s past experience includes serving as vice president of IMG Media in both digital strategy and consulting, as well as vice president of team marketing and business operations for the NBA. She was the digital and marketing groups and account manager to the Cleveland Cavaliers and LA Clippers, the latter of whom van Dijk subsequently served as chief strategy officer and vice president. Her experience as a leader is also noted in her position as chief executive officer for HOONIGAN, a company that appeals to car enthusiasts and automobile lifestyle, and SUPERPLASTIC, a company that creates animated characters for entertainment on digital platforms and merchandise.

As team president, van Dijk is responsible for managing the business operations and vision for the club. She also plays a key role in community growth and developing its facilities. For the role, van Dijk has moved to Boston, Massachusetts, approximately a two-hour drive from her alma mater, Mount Holyoke College.

Van Dijk attended Mount Holyoke College from 1994 to 1998. She was captain of the Division III Intercollegiate Golf Team and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science.

Karishma Ramkarran ’27 provided fact-checking

Mount Holyoke Track and Field prepares to finish off season

Photo courtesy of Mount Holyoke Athletics

Mount Holyoke College tied with Smith College for second place at their final meet of the season with Smith and Wellesley College, held on April 19.

By Bei Jia Viggiano ’28

Sports Editor

Mount Holyoke track and field is preparing to round out its season.

Their final meet was with Smith College and Wellesley College on April 19 at Wellesley in Wellesley, Massachusetts. Wellesley won with 80 points, while Mount Holyoke tied with Smith for second place with 58 points.

Mount Holyoke placed first in the 4x100 relay squad as Ioanna Tsoni ’27, Dalia Luckhardt ’27, Aria Mallare ’25 and Elle Rimando ’26 prevailed with 49.22 seconds.

Sachi Robinson ’28 won first place in the 400 hurdles race with a time of 1:08.18, earning her a number four spot on Mount Holyoke’s all-time fastest hurdlers list.

Tsoni made team history at the tri-meet by breaking three records, all within 75 minutes. Tsoni completed the 100 hurdles in 15.43 seconds, just 0.03 seconds less than her team record last year; secured a mark of 11.57 meters, besting her previous record in the triple jump by 0.29 meters; and set a new team record of 5.72 meters in the long jump, surpassing her previous best by 31 centimeters.

On April 25-26, the Lyons hosted the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference Championships at home.

The team will travel to New London, Connecticut, to compete at the New England Division III Outdoor Championships hosted by the Coast Guard Academy on May 2-3. The following weekend, the Lyons will compete at the University of Massachusetts Amherst to participate in the New England Intercollegiate Amateur Athletic Association Outdoor Championships. The team will return to Amherst on May 15 for a final chance at qualifying for the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III Outdoor Championships, which will be held on May 22-24 in Geneva, Ohio.

Sofia Ramon ’27 contributed fact-checking.

Varsity hunt seat team prepares for national championship

Photo courtesy of Mount Holyoke Athletics

Mount Holyoke College’s varsity hunt seat equestrian team will be competing at the IHSA National Championship to be held this weekend, May 2-4.

By Tara Monastesse ’25

Editor-in-Chief

After taking home a regional championship win earlier this month, Mount Holyoke College’s varsity hunt seat equestrian team will be competing at the IHSA National Championship this weekend. The competition will be held from May 2-4 at the Tryon International Equestrian Center in Mill Spring, North Carolina. Participating riders have been preparing for the event with additional practice sessions and clinics with Linda Langmeier, the head trainer of the Ethel Walker School.

The IHSA Zone I Championship, where the Lyons qualified for Nationals, was held on April 6 at the Mystic Valley Hunt Club in Gales Ferry, Connecticut. Mount Holyoke secured the championship title by a single point, prevailing with 40 points over Northeastern University and the University of Rhode Island, who tied for second place with 39 points apiece. After winning the tiebreaker with URI due to a higher blue ribbon count, Northeastern was selected to advance to the national championship alongside Mount Holyoke. The University of Connecticut came in fourth place, with a total of 34 points.

In addition to the Lyons advancing to the IHSA Nationals as a team, Megan Bliamptis ’25 and Cate Bates ’25 were selected to compete as individuals after each rider secured a reserve title during the Zone 1 Championship. Bliamptis was reserve champion in the Introductory Class, while Bates was named champion for Individual Intermediate Flat.

“I’ve enjoyed spending time with my teammates and seeing them grow as riders this season,” Bliamptis said in an email to Mount Holyoke News. “I’m honored to be competing at Nationals and I’m looking forward to being able to support everyone throughout the weekend. We always hope to do well and just feel positive about what we accomplish in the arena.”

“It was a dream come true,” Bates said of her win in an email to Mount Holyoke News. “All of my hard work had paid off.”

"Our season has been great,” Bates continued. “We have a great team that supports one another, something particularly evident when we host our home horse shows. It’s a lot of work, but we make it happen and run smoothly and efficiently.”

Bates suffered an unfortunate riding accident the day after the Zone I Championship and remains in recovery. While she will not be able to compete in this weekend’s competition due to her injuries, she still looks forward to supporting her teammates.

“I feel proud knowing that I helped get the team to Nationals, and will still be going with them and supporting everyone, coaching from the sidelines,” Bates said.

Sofia Ramon ’27 contributed fact-checking.

Mount Holyoke Lacrosse defeated by Salem State in 14–11 match

Photo courtesy of Mount Holyoke Athletics

While Mount Holyoke’s Lacrosse team lost their Salem match, players have voiced hope for their three remaining games in the spring 2025 season.

By Gia Gu ’26

Sports Editor

Mount Holyoke Lacrosse fell 14-11 to Salem State University on Tuesday, April 1, after leading 11-9 in the fourth quarter. The game marked the first competition between the two teams.

After Salem State opened with two quick goals, Mount Holyoke responded with goals from Emi Bisson ’26, Marielle Welch ’26 and Juliana Spaulding ’28 in the first quarter. The teams continued to trade goals in the second, with Bisson and Elle Mader ’26 each scoring to help the team enter halftime trailing just 7-6.

The Lyons built a 9-7 lead in the third quarter with three consecutive goals from Mackenzie Hillman ’27, Mader and Welch. Mount Holyoke then added two more goals early in the fourth, including a free-position goal from Bisson and another from Hillman, bringing the lead to 11-9.

Despite the Lyons’ push, Salem State closed the game on a 5-0 last run. The visitors scored five consecutive goals in the final ten minutes to take the win.

Bisson led the team with three goals, while Mader recorded two goals and two assists. Hillman and Welch added two goals. Spaulding and Ella Phillips ’25 each added one. First-year defender Josie McFadden ’28 had a season-high five caused turnovers, and first-year goalkeeper Valeria Bolanos ’28 made 11 saves.

“Our game against Salem State showed our drive and determination,” Maddie Millyan ’25 said in an email to Mount Holyoke News. “We started on a lull and worked to become competitive in the overall score of the game.” 

Despite the loss, Millyan said the team remains focused moving forward. “In each game, we can be competitive whilst hopefully bringing home the win,” Millyan said.

Mount Holyoke will play three more NEWMAC conference matchups to close out the season, including two home games and one on the road. The team’s final game of the season is scheduled for April 23 at Springfield College.

Gemma Golovner ’25 contributed fact-checking.

Mount Holyoke Rowing prepares for upcoming NEWMAC championship

Photo courtesy of Mount Holyoke Athletics

Mount Holyoke Rowing’s next competittion will be held on April 26 in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts; many student-atheletes have expressed excitement.

By Bei Jia Viggiano ’28

Sports Editor

April has been a busy month for the Mount Holyoke Rowing team, with the season coming to a close and the team looking ahead to post-season championships. Late March saw the Lyons in their first regatta of the spring at Amherst College against Amherst and Bryant University. The Lyons’ second varsity eight team prevailed against Amherst’s Mammoths with a 00:19.50 lead. Mount Holyoke College placed third in the varsity eight race.

“Our race at Amherst marked the countdown until NEWMACs, and since then, we’ve been putting in the work to build up our intensity,” Jen Butler ’25 said in an email to Mount Holyoke News. “This past month has been a busy one for my team, and it’s about to get busier as racing picks up. During spring break, we went to Clemson, [South Carolina] to start our water training while we waited for the water up at school to thaw.”

“[Clemson] was an amazing experience full of hard work, laughter, team bonding, and of course lots of sunscreen,” Lilje Stratton ’25 said in an email to Mount Holyoke News. “Since returning from Clemson, we’ve been working hard in preparation for the final races of the season. It’s been really nice to be back on the water after winter training indoors. Completing our first 2K race of the season at Amherst was exciting!”

“Our scrimmage at Amherst really gave us a reminder for what being on water and rowing a 2k feels like,” Holly Wrampelmeier ’26 said in an email to Mount Holyoke News. “I feel like our team has a really strong potential this year. Especially with the help of our new assistant coach, Jeff Collett, our novices have been building up very well to join us in races.”

On April 5, the Lyons raced Assumption University, Bryant University and the Mass Maritime Academy at Lake Quinsigamond. Mount Holyoke placed fourth in the varsity four race with a time of 10:04.42. In the varsity eight race against Bryant University, Mount Holyoke 1V8 and Mount Holyoke 2V8 placed second and third with a result of 08:13.60 and 08:32.99, respectively.

Since then, Mount Holyoke Rowing has competed at Clark University on April 12, Now, the Lyons are post-season and preparing to race in the NEWMAC Championship.

“We’re hoping to get some solid strokes in before showing up in force for NEWMACs,” Wrampelmeier said. “Even if we don’t win, the races up to NEWMACs give us good practice and let us know what to work on next.”

“April can be a tricky month; it’s when the majority of our racing takes place, on top of having to meet schoolwork deadlines,” Butler explained. “In addition, April can be incredibly unforgiving weather-wise. More rain and wind means more indoor practices for us, but the crew is doing well keeping spirits high and the pressure on even when we aren’t on the water.”

“The strong sense of teamwork and camaraderie in pushing hard together toward the finish line was exhilarating,” Stratton said. “I’m looking forward to the rest of our season.”

“We are so lucky to have a great roster of rowers and coxswains this season, and I’m excited to finish out my last season here at Mount Holyoke with this crew!” Butler added.

Mount Holyoke Rowing will next compete in the NEWMAC Championship on April 26,at the Donahue Rowing Center in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts.

Gemma Golovner ’25 contributed fact-checking.

Kendall Complex renovations underway and set to be complete in 2026

Photo courtesy of Juster Pope Frazier Architects

By Bei Jia Viggiano ’28

Sports Editor

Major Kendall Sports and Dance Complex renovations are underway at Mount Holyoke College. Following President Danielle Holley’s message to the community last May, this year will see Kendall undergo major redesigns and renovations of the gymnasium and locker room. Additionally, there are plans to renew and introduce equipment that will improve the experience of student-athletes.

Director of Athletics Andrea Ricketts-Preston said in an interview with Mount Holyoke News that the idea for the project pre-dated her employment at the College, but “at that time, it was in concept, it wasn’t in process.” This allowed time to consider the long-term effects of the project and revise the process for a greater impact.

The $6 million investment has been outlined in three phases: Phase 1A, Phase 1B and Phase 2. The process began on January 27, when some locker rooms and offices were closed and relocated for the purposes of renovation. Phase 1A commenced with construction impacting the men’s locker room, all-gender locker room, women’s staff locker room, basement offices, ergometer room and Kendall Multipurpose Room. During Phase 1B, which began in late February and will conclude in June, the upstairs gymnasium will be closed until completion. Phase 2 is scheduled from June 2025 to January 2026, when the varsity and women’s locker room, as well as the Field House Lounge, will be closed. In August 2025, the basement suite of locker rooms, the Multipurpose Room and the ergometer room will open. The project is set to be completed by January 2026.

“The original project didn't include a gym renovation,” Ricketts-Preston said. “It included some relocation of facilities here that at the end of the day, just didn’t really make sense from an accessibility standpoint.” Ricketts-Preston and Associate Vice President for Facilities Management Karla Youngblood FP ’99 reviewed the original plan and made revisions that resulted in “maximum impact across all of our sports and came in at a much cheaper price tag than the original plan, with a greater building impact,” Ricketts-Preston said. The gymnasium became a focal point of the project, with plans to have it completely renovated. Ricketts-Preston explained that the gymnasium has an “outdated, archaic setup” due to the nature of the courts and bleachers, and it was a “no-brainer” to include it in the project.

“It’s a 78-working days project to do the gym renovation. We’ll have bleachers on both sides, the basketball court will be centered, all the colors and branding will be on par, in alignment with all of our branding initiatives as it relates to Mount Holyoke in our athletic department.”

The locker room and offices in Kendall are also set for extensive renovations and redesign. “The entire space downstairs is being renovated to include three locker rooms, two offices and a new, updated rowing room, which will be really exciting,” Ricketts-Preston said. “And then upstairs, we’ll have faculty, staff locker rooms. We’ll have community space. We’ll have varsity locker rooms for all of our teams, and then we’ll also have an all-gender locker room for our Varsity student athletes, and we’ll have an all-gender locker room for our community members.” Ricketts-Preston added that she was especially proud of Mount Holyoke’s commitment to maintaining that aspect of the plan and “staying true to our mission, vision and values.”

While athletic equipment is set to be renewed to improve the student-athlete experience, Ricketts-Preston remarked on another significant piece of equipment that would be added to the gymnasium infrastructure. “This project is allowing us to put air conditioning in as part of the geothermal project, which is going to be very exciting,” Ricketts-Preston said. “From a community impact perspective, that will have a significant positive impact in our opportunity to hold camps and clinics in the summer, not only for the Mount Holyoke community, but for also the South Hadley and Pioneer Valley community.”

“So whether you're taking a beginning swimming class or you're taking Walking for Fitness, or you're taking an advanced level weight training class, our facilities will be improved for our community members to use,” Ricketts-Preston said. “That will mean that people [also] have a better experience when they're coming in and using our facility.”

Alayna Khan '27 contributed fact-checking.

Mount Holyoke Swimming and Diving wraps up the season

Photo courtesy of Mount Holyoke Athletics

By Gia Gu ’26

Sports Editor

Following four days of competition at the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference Championship, Mount Holyoke Swimming and Diving has completed its 2024-25 season. While the team finished ninth out of 10 teams overall, they walked away from the conference with something more valuable: A season of breakthroughs, resilience and a sense of camaraderie.

Emotions ran high in the 400-yard freestyle relay. It was the final event of the championship, and this race marked the closing chapter of seven seniors’ college swimming careers. The results were the deciding factor that gave the Lyons the extra push needed to beat Clark University by just three and a half points.

“Everyone got super loud and excited, and our relays just did tremendously and everyone swam their hearts out, and we did end up beating Clark. It was fantastic and definitely something I'm going to remember from this season,” Katherine Upton ’28 said in an email to Mount Holyoke News.

“While we didn’t rank high in terms of scoring at NEWMACS, we had the third highest rate of personal bests at this meet,” Kaylee Barnett ’26 added in an email to Mount Holyoke News. 

In addition to the progress in the technique of their strokes, the mindset of the whole team has grown stronger over the season. “We had to adapt to a lot of challenges early in the season. Changing events, injury and illness [were] difficult at first, but by the end of the season and especially NEWMACs we had totally figured out how to deal with anything that was thrown our way. I’m super proud of our mindset of adaptability all season, and I think keeping that for next year will serve us well,” Upton said.

With the guidance of a mental performance coach, the team refined strategies to enhance mental resilience. “The team has an excellent mental performance coach, and we worked alongside her this season to maintain healthy strategies for pre-meet anxiety, meditation and visualization,” Molly Malloy ’26 said in an email to Mount Holyoke News.

The sense of community and connection with one another is something that sets the Lyons apart from other teams. “We know each other’s goals, and we celebrate one another when those goals are met,” Barnett said. “Something we do every meet is make motivational posters for each other, and post-meet we share why we are proud of the person we made the poster for. Our closeness as a team is something I haven’t experienced on other swim teams, and I think this really sets us apart from others.”

“I think we have the best energy of any team we competed against. We’re the most invested in each other, we feel the highs and lows together, we’re proud of each other no matter how the event went. It’s just a team where everyone wants to be there and everyone supports each other so much and I think it really makes a difference,” Upton remarked.

This spirit of camaraderie is not exclusive to swimming and diving; it radiates throughout the entire athletics department. “I think our athletics department has a sort of multi-team camaraderie that you wouldn’t necessarily find at other schools. Each team is assigned a ‘sister team’ at the beginning of the year, and once a season each team gets together and makes posters for/cheers on their sister team,” Malloy said.

The bonds extend beyond competition. The Lyons help each other with coursework, attend each other’s club events and create a strong network of support. “If someone needs a textbook for Calc-101, someone on the team will loan it to them. If someone's club is hosting an event, the team will show up. If someone is having a movie night — often they invite the team. It's a really beautiful way to continue forging connections outside of the pool,” Malloy added.

Looking ahead, the team will focus on self-improvement and steady progress rather than rigid goals. “My personal goal is to live in the present more, and enjoy the little things that I enjoy about my sport more. I would love to have more team bonding events in the future,” Zoey Zhu ’27 said in an email to Mount Holyoke News. 

“Both my goal and our team goal is always to do better than we did the previous season. For me, that looks like being more committed to working out during the off-season, and working more heavily on my technique,” Barnett said.

With the resilience they have formed and the deep connections they have built, the team is poised to return stronger, faster and closer than ever in the seasons ahead.

Alayna Khan '27 contributed fact-checking.