Athletics

Varsity Sports

Women's Indoor Track and Field

Overview

Muriel Schwinn '13 and Emily Heckman '13 lead the Hamilton College women's indoor track and field team into 2012-13. Heckman was part of a 4x800-meter relay that finished first at the 2012 New York State Collegiate Track Conference (NYSCTC) Championships and earned NYSCTC all-conference honors. Hamilton has won that relay two years in a row. She made the 2012 Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) All-Conference team based on that same relay's performance at the ECAC Division III championships. Schwinn finished second in the long jump at last year's NYSCTC meet and made the all-conference team. She holds program records in the 55- and 60-meter dash as well as the long jump. Schwinn was selected to the 2011-12 Capital One Academic All-District Women's Track and Field/Cross Country team by the College Sports Information Directors of America.

Hamilton hosts meets on campus at Margaret Bundy Scott Field House. The facility received major renovations in the summer of 2010, including a state-of-the-art Mondo FX surface that rivals any program in Division III. The Continentals host invitationals on January 26 and February 9 this year. Student-athletes may qualify for the NYSCTC championships, the ECAC Division III championships and the NCAA Division III championships. The 2013 national meet is at North Central College in suburban Chicago. Hamilton also travels to invitationals at St. Lawrence University, SUNY Brockport and Rochester Institute of Technology.

Schwinn enjoyed a remarkable rookie season in 2010. She set team records in the 55 and 60 meters and the long jump. Schwinn was voted the Liberty League's rookie of the year after she finished first in the 55 meters and second in the long jump, and helped Hamilton to a win in the 4x200-meter relay at the league championships. She went on to earn NYSCTC all-conference honors for taking third place in the 55 meters and long jump at the championship meet. In 2011, Schwinn finished third in the 55 and 200 meters at the NYSCTC meet.

Long and triple jump standout Akilah Bond '09 earned All-America honors for finishing seventh in the triple jump at the 2007 and 2009 NCAA Division III Championships. Bond just missed a third All-America award in 2008 when she ended up ninth in the triple jump at the NCAA meet. She holds program records in the triple jump and as part of an 4x200-meter relay with Alexandra Americanos '10, Liz Wahl '10 and Danica Wuelfing '10. Schwinn broke Bond's long jump record in 2010. Bond was voted league rookie of the year in 2006 and was a co-field performer of the year selection in 2007.

Bond is the second All-American in team history. Maggie Hanson '02 was a two-time All-American in the 1,500- and 5,000-meter run. Hanson was the first female national champion in Hamilton College athletics history. She won the 5,000 meters at the 2001 NCAA Championships after she earned All-America honors in 2000 in the 1,500 meters. Hanson racked up a total of nine All-America awards between cross country, indoor and outdoor track & field. She is simply the best distance runner in program history. Amanda Chase '03 qualified for the 2003 NCAA Championships in the 800 meters. Hamilton has scored team points at the NCAA championships four times, and the Continentals won a Liberty League indoor title in 2000.

Hamilton athletes earned nine all-conference honors last season, but the program is about more than just athletic performance. Academic excellence is also important to coach Hull. Eleven student-athletes made the 2011-12 NESCAC Winter All-Academic Team, and the Continentals received 2012 USTFCCCA Division III All-Academic Track and Field Team honors. Rachel Bennek '07 was selected to the 2007 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Women's Track & Field/Cross Country team. Bennek was voted to the college division's second team for District I. She was one of 22 student-athletes on the all-district team from Division II and III schools located in New England and New York.