Entering the season ranked 13th in the nation, the Amherst College field hockey team handily defeated Five College opponent Mount Holyoke before falling to third-ranked Bowdoin this past Saturday.
The game against Mount Holyoke marked the team’s season opener, and the offense came out strong. Four different Amherst players contributed goals, and the Jeffs took the game by a decisive 5-0 score.
Katie Paolano ’16 quickly put Amherst on the board, collecting her own rebound and finding the back of the net just two minutes into play.
While the Amherst men’s basketball season typically picks up in early November, the team had an unusual opportunity to play together a little earlier this year. In mid-August, the team took a 10-day trip to Italy, a visit that consisted of team bonding and sightseeing as well as some basketball mixed in along the way.
Men
After placing ninth in the nation to conclude their 2014 season, the men’s cross country team looks to return to the NCAA Division III championships in 2015 and make some noise at the regional level along the way.
Key graduates include Greg Turissini ’15, Romy Sklar ’15 and KC Fussell ’15, but Amherst will also return talented runners who can build off their year or two of experience.
Mohamed Hussein ’18 took the conference by storm in his first-year campaign, placing 12th overall at the NESCAC meet and also placing 23rd overall at the NCAA championships.
A biology and French double major, a Goldwater Scholar, a Rhodes Scholar finalist and a member of the Amherst softball team — these are just a few of the ways to identify the multitalented Donna Leet. I have been fortunate enough to have called her my teammate for the past two years, but never once did I hear Leet brag about these many accomplishments. Her humble, approachable manner combined with her quirky personality and incredible work ethic makes her an integral part of the Amherst community.
Men’s Cross Country
The men’s cross country team enjoyed a successful season, highlighted by a fourth-place finish in the NESCAC championship and a second-place finish at the NCAA Division III regionals. The team also made its first appearance at the NCAA Division III championships since 2009, placing ninth overall at the national meet.
Standouts from the year include Dan Crowley ’16, Mohamed Hussein ’18 and Greg Turissini ’15, who all earned second team All-NESCAC honors.
Men’s Basketball
Coming off an appearance in the NCAA Division III Final Four, the Jeffs once again made the NCAA tournament this season, but this time fell in the second round of competition.
There were many bright spots throughout the year as the Jeffs began the season by hosting and winning the Ken Wright ’52 Invitational, scoring 282 points over the course of three games.
Baseball
Amherst baseball enjoyed another winning season, posting a 27-15 record and returning to the Division III NCAA regionals for their third straight season. The team narrowly missed a NESCAC title, falling to Wesleyan in the extra-inning championship game thriller.
Mike Odenwaelder ’16 was named the NESCAC player of the year for the second straight season. He led the league in hits and total bases, posting a .373 batting average. He also blasted seven homers in additional to stealing 15 bases.
