STARTING GUN

This past weekend, the indoor track and field team competed in its first events of the season at the Branwen Smith King Invitational at Tufts University. Captain Kane Demers ’26 won both the 60m hurdles and the long jump, while Noah Rockey ’27 won the 60m dash in a blistering 7.03 seconds. Caitlin Heus-Smith ’29 placed second in the triple jump and Mardy Novak ’27 took second in the shot put. Catherine Uwakwe ’26 finished third in the 60m hurdles in 9.26 seconds, earning her a spot in the top 50 of Division III times coming out of the weekend. The team will travel to Cambridge, Mass. tomorrow to compete in the Gordon Kelly Invitational hosted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

SNOWY BEARS

The Nordic skiing team opened its season in Lake Placid, N.Y. earlier this month, finishing in sixth place overall with a combined score of 292 points. The women took fifth place in both days of competition, led by Emma Crum ’26, who was the runner-up in the classic race and ninth in the freestyle sprint. Gillian Fairfax ’28 and Ruth Krebs ’29 also came in the top 25 of the race. The men took eighth place, with William Riley ’27 and Ollie Swabey ’28 earning top 25  finishes. The team returns to competition today at Colby College.

HOME COURT ADVANTAGE

Over the break, the squash teams saw success in their four home matches, including key NESCAC wins. The men’s team (4–8; 3–5 NESCAC) earned its first win of the season versus Wesleyan University (6–5; 0–5 NESCAC) 9–0, followed by two clean victories over Hobart College (0–11) and Connecticut College (4–7; 1–5 NESCAC). The team beat Hamilton College (5–6; 2–4 NESCAC) on the road, while falling to Middlebury College (7–3; 4–0 NESCAC) and Williams College (7–3; 3–1 NESCAC). The women’s team (5–7; 3–5 NESCAC) posted similar results to the men, including a 9–0 performance over Hamilton (4–7; 1–5 NESCAC). The teams played Amherst College yesterday, with both teams losing in a close battle.

SCORING APLENTY

The women’s hockey team (9–4–0; 3–3–0 NESCAC) finished its non-conference campaign strong with wins over Suffolk University (5–10–1) and William Smith College (7–8–0) earlier this month. The Polar Bears put up five goals against Suffolk, including two from forward Bella Schifano ’28. Against William Smith, forward Anyi Sun ’26 netted two goals, and a pair of Avas [Provenzo ’28 and Imposimato ’26] each had a score as well. After dropping its first two NESCAC games against Trinity College (6–8–1; 2–5–1 NESCAC), the team looks to bounce back this weekend at home versus Middlebury College (9–2–3; 5–1–2 NESCAC).

SURGING AHEAD

The men’s basketball team (10–6; 1–2 NESCAC) had an up-and-down series of games this month, including an important conference win. On New Year’s Day, the Polar Bears traveled to play Maine Maritime Academy (7–11), dominating 86–56, followed with a close 63–60 win at Emerson College (7–8). After a loss against Tufts University (15–2; 4–0 NESCAC), the team rebounded versus Connecticut College (13–4; 2–2 NESCAC) at home to earn its first NESCAC win of the season. Guard Ray Cuevas ’28 was the top performer with 26 points, six rebounds and seven assists, while guard Mason Dawkins ’29 added 14 points and eight boards. The team hosts Colby College (12–4; 1–2 NESCAC) tomorrow at 3 p.m.

BUOYANT BEARS

The swimming and diving teams had a productive winter break, including a training trip and two meets. The women’s team earned an impressive 198–98 win over Connecticut College thanks to Elizabeth Walsh ’26 and Nina Fearon ’26 who earned three first-place finishes. Katie Coulter ’28 and Harper Stevenson ’27 both earned three podium spots and Ursula von Goeler ’28 won both diving events. For the men, Jack Tran ’26 led the way for the Polar Bears with three first-place finishes, and Jaran Depew ’27 added one as well. Last weekend, the teams earned a handful of individual wins against the University of Maine. The women’s team will be back in the pool for the Colby-Bowdoin-Bates (CBB) classic next weekend, followed by the men’s CBB meet on February 7.