Amherst has long sported a proud football tradition dating back to the days of legendary head coach, Jim Ostendarp. Yet not even the famed “Darp” could match the feat achieved by last year’s purple and white, which became the first in the program’s history to put together back to back perfect seasons. As such, the purple and white enter this season riding high expectations and seeking an unheard-of third consecutive 8-0 season.
Women’s basketball continued to impress under the leadership of NESCAC coach of the year G.P. Gromacki, who improved his outstanding record to 262-24 over nine seasons at Amherst. The women finished 30-2 on the year, 9-1 in conference and made yet another NCAA postseason run, falling only in the Final Four round to a talented Thomas More squad. The women dominated in regular season play, winning by margins of up to 58 points — they won their first game of the season against Albert Magnus 97-39.
The men’s soccer team had a fairytale season, going 18-1-2 overall en route to the program’s first-ever national championship. After falling to Brandeis in the third round of the NCAA tournament in their 2014 season, the squad was back and hungry for more before graduating one of the most talented and decorated classes that the program has ever seen.
Under the leadership of Division III coach of the year Justin Serpone, the purple and white came back from a goal deficit, netting two unanswered to claim the national championship over Loras College.
The Amherst women’s track and field team finished with 19 points to place 10th in the 11-team field at the NESCAC championship at the college.
Senior Victoria Hensley tabbed a fourth-place finish in the 400-meter race with a time of 57.81 seconds.
The purple and white demonstrated success in the field events with Becki Golia ’18 finishing third in the high jump with a mark of 1.63m. This mark improved upon her previous career best of 1.62m.
