When athletic competition for the spring sports was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, collegiate teams across the country were prevented from honoring their seniors with traditional Senior Day/Night presentations.
For the next four weeks (March 31 to April 24), GoRegisPride.com will recognize the Regis College seniors in men's and women's lacrosse, softball, men's and women's tennis, and men's and women's track and field. These articles will be posted close to the date of the scheduled senior ceremony. This spotlight on women's track and field falls on the same week of the Senior Day presentation scheduled for Friday, April 3, after the Regis Spring Classic.
The Regis College women's track and field team would like to honor two student-athletes who have played a significant role in the improvement of the program to become one of the annual contenders within the Great Northeast Athletic Conference. Both four-year letter winners, Maddie Boucias (Buckland, Mass.) and Elisabeth Cooke (East Longmeadow, Mass.) helped the Pride win back-to-back GNAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships in 2018 and 2019.
MADDIE BOUCIAS
Maddie is one of the team leaders for the 2019-2020 season. In her time here, she has played an instrumental role in the development and success of the distance group. She currently holds a total of five school records: two indoor (4x800 meter relay, distance medley relay) and three outdoor (800 meter run, 3000 meter steeplechase, 4x800 meter relay).
As a sophomore, Maddie won the 5000 meter run and finished fourth in the 1500 meter run, plus she was a member of the 4x800 relay team that placed third at the 2018 GNAC Outdoor Championship, helping her team take the overall team title. As a junior, Maddie placed second in the steeplechase, qualifying for the New England Championships in the process, and was a member of the 4x800 relay team that placed third at the 2019 GNAC Outdoor Championship, helping her team earn their second straight GNAC title.
This year, Maddie came off a solid cross country campaign with a busy indoor season, competing in seven meets while still fulfilling her full-time student-teaching commitment. She concentrated on the 800 meter run, posting a season-best time of 2:31.75 at Smith College Jan. 18. She led off the record-setting distance medley relay at Springfield College Jan. 25 and the 4x800 meter relay that also broke a school record at Tufts University Feb. 1. At the inaugural GNAC Indoor Track and Field Championships Feb. 16, she finished sixth in the 800 meter run in 2:32.51.
Maddie's contagious positive energy and team-oriented approach to track and field will be greatly missed. Maddie will graduate in May with a degree in history and secondary education and plans to pursue her master's degree in education at Regis College.
ELISABETH COOKE
Elisabeth, affectionately known as "Cookie," to the track and field family, is one of the team leaders for the 2019-20 season. In her time here, Elisabeth has made a tremendous impact on the track and field program.
As a sophomore, Elisabeth qualified for her first ever Division III New England Championships in the shot put, finishing 23rd overall with a throw of 10.17 meters (33' 4.5"). Later that year, Elisabeth placed second in both the discus throw and the hammer throw as well as fifth in the shot put at the 2018 GNAC Outdoor Championships, helping her team to their first-ever GNAC title.
As a junior, Elisabeth had an impressive performance at the 2019 GNAC Outdoor Championships, where she placed in the top five in every event she competed in: second in the discus throw, third in the hammer throw, and fourth in the shot put. Elisabeth earned a total of 18 points at the meet, helping her team make history by winning the GNAC title for the second year in a row.
At the 2020 GNAC Indoor Championships, Elisabeth placed second in the weight throw and fourth in the shot put, continuing her own tradition of dominance in the throwing events. That capped an indoor campaign in which she participated in seven meets and finished within the top 10 of an event nine times in 14 opportunities.
Her charismatic personality and strong work ethic will be greatly missed. Elisabeth will graduate in May with a bachelor's degree in psychology and plans to pursue her master's degree in applied behavior analysis at Regis College.