2021-22 Senior Spotlight - Track & Field/Cross Country

2021-22 Senior Spotlight - Track & Field/Cross Country

WESTON, Mass. – After the Pre-Conference Meet April 23, the seniors on the cross country and track and field teams were recognized for their significant contributions to the program.

Elisabeth Cooke (East Longmeadow, Mass.) returned to the program for the outdoor season. She graduated in 2020 with her bachelor's degree in psychology and just completed her Master of Science degree in applied behavior analysis. At the Regis Spring Classic, her first competition in over two years, she set a new personal best in the hammer throw with a mark of 35.59 meters, plus she finished second in the discus throw, earning her GNAC Field Athlete of the Week honors. Cooke collected three All-GNAC awards at the 2022 GNAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships by finishing second in the shot put and third in both the discus throw and the hammer throw. She was voted GNAC Field Athlete of the Year for outdoor track and field.

Emily Fagundo (Dover, N.H.) compiled three individual top-six finishes to score points for the Pride and help the women's team win the 2019 GNAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships. She earned All-GNAC honors at the 2020 Indoor Championships with a second place finish in the long jump, and she finished fourth in the long jump at this past year's GNAC Indoor Championships. She received the Regis Athletics Female Senior Scholar-Athlete Award for her excellence in academics, plus she is a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-America selection, the first Regis College student-athlete to receive Academic All-America honors. The Regis College Class of 2022 Co-Valedictorian, Fagundo graduated with her bachelor's degree in nuclear medicine.

At this year's GNAC Indoor Track and Field Championships, while still in volleyball season, Matt Ferrara (Sandown, N.H.) scored points for the Pride by finishing fourth in the high jump after clearing 1.75 meters and fifth in the long jump with a mark of 6.22 meters. He received the prestigious Regis-Casserly Award for his excellence in athletics, academics, leadership, and service as well as the Crimson and Gold tassel. Ferrara graduated with his bachelor's degree in nursing, but he plans to return for one more year of competition while beginning his pursuit of a graduate degree.

During the cross country season, Ashleigh Kelley (Stoneham, Mass.) finished third at the GNAC Championships before posting the best finish ever by a Regis runner at NCAA Regionals, crossing the finish line in 31st place to earn All-Region honors. She won the one mile run at this year's GNAC Indoor Championships and the 1500 meter run at the GNAC Outdoor Championships, setting the school record in the process. Kelley was named the Regis Athletics Outstanding Female Senior Student-Athlete of the Year. Earning Academic All-GNAC honors in 2021-22, Kelley graduated with her bachelor's degree in exercise science and is planning on coming back for another year of collegiate competition.

Erin Kelley (Stoneham, Mass.) earned First Team All-GNAC honors during the 2021 cross country season after she finished seventh at the GNAC Championships. During the indoor season, she set the school record in the 3000 meter run at the US Track and Field New England Indoor Championships after she won the event at the GNAC Indoor Championships. She set the school record in the 5000 meter run April 2, then she broke the school record in the 10,000 meter run April 15, qualifying for the New England Championships. A three-time Academic All-GNAC selection, Kelley graduated with her bachelor's degree in exercise science and is also returning to the program next year.

Lizzy Melvin (Southington, Conn.) was selected to the GNAC Women's Cross Country All-Sportsmanship Team in 2018 and is a three-time Academic All-GNAC honoree, helping the women's cross country team earn the Judith W. Burling Team Award for Academic Excellence. This past fall, she finished 20th at the GNAC Cross Country Championships with a collegiate-best six-kilometer time of 27:52, plus she finished 10th at the Elms Blazer Classic in 28:17. She is a member of school records in the 4x800 meter relay and distance medley relay set during the 2020 indoor season. Melvin graduated in May with her bachelor's degree in exercise science.

Gustavo Novelle-Ruddy (Boston, Mass.) was a three-time selection to the GNAC Men's Cross Country All-Sportsmanship Team. During the 2021 cross country season, he finished 11th at the Elms Blazer Classic and 24th at the GNAC Championships. In the 2022 outdoor track and field season, he finished fifth in the 1500 meter run at the Wellesley Invitational and won the 5000 meter run at the Regis Spring Classic with a time of 18:39.17. Novelle-Ruddy graduated with his bachelor's degree in business management.

Nicholas Pastore (Brockton, Mass.) was one of the top competitors in the conference throughout his collegiate career. After finishing in the top six in four different events at the 2019 GNAC Outdoor Championships, he won both the 60 meter dash and the long jump at the 2020 GNAC Indoor Championships. At the 2022 GNAC Indoor Championships, he finished second in the long jump with a school-record mark of 6.47 meters. He also set the outdoor school record in the long jump at the 2022 GNAC Outdoor Championships, finishing second at 6.27 meters along with a third place finish in the 100 meter dash. A three-time Academic All-GNAC honoree, Pastore graduated with his bachelor's degree in nursing.

Hannah Plamondon (Woonsocket, R.I.) was part of the 2019 women's track and field team that won the GNAC Outdoor Championship. At the 2022 GNAC Indoor Championships, she won the conference title in the triple jump with a collegiate-best mark of 9.54 meters. She also posted collegiate best marks in the long jump at 4.42 meters and in the preliminaries of the 60 meter hurdles with a time of 10.37 seconds. During the spring, she finished second in the triple jump at the Wellesley Invitational at 9.17 meters. A three-time Academic All-GNAC selection, Plamondon graduated with her bachelor's degree in nursing.

Jackie Samse (Wethersfield, Conn.) earned All-GNAC honors at the 2019 GNAC Outdoor Championships with a third place finish in the javelin throw with a mark of 28.39 meters, helping the team win the overall conference title. Her collegiate-best marks in the discus, hammer, and javelin all came at the 2019 Tufts Snowflake Classic. During the spring 2022 outdoor season, she finished in fourth place in the javelin throw at the Regis Spring Classic with a mark of 27.25 meters. Earning Academic All-GNAC honors for 2021-22, Samse graduated with her bachelor's degree in nursing.

Erin Sheehan (Pembroke, Mass.) helped the 2019 team win the GNAC Outdoor Championships with a fifth place finish in the 400 meter dash and as part of a second place finish in the 4x400 meter relay. At the 2022 GNAC Indoor Championships, she earned All-GNAC honors with a third place finish in the 200 meter dash with a collegiate-best time of 27.90 seconds. She posted her collegiate-best 100 meter dash time of 13.77 seconds April 16 during the Silfen Invitational at Connecticut College. A three-time Academic All-GNAC honoree, Sheehan received her bachelor's degree in nursing.

The Regis College men's and women's track and field teams each finished third at the 2022 GNAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships to cap off the 2021-22 academic year.