Something to Cheer About
Colby’s spring sports teams and athletes celebrate wins and successes
For Colby sports fans hungry to cheer on their favorite teams and athletes, this spring has been the equivalent of an all-you-can-eat buffet: a satisfying smorgasbord of wins, accomplishments, and even the awarding of a national championship.
Women’s lacrosse made it to the NCAA Division III Final Four in Salem, Va., the furthest the team has advanced in the tournament.
On the track & field team, Levi Biery ’26 won the NCAA Division III national championship for the men’s 400-meter hurdles, and Fiona Mejico ’25 claimed second place in the women’s 400-meter hurdles.
Jake Cohen ’25 of the tennis team made it to the first round of the NCAA Division III individual championships in Claremont, Calif.
The men’s crew team made their first appearance at the Intercollegiate Rowing Association National Championship, joining five other NESCAC schools in the 2025 IRA regatta in Camden, N.J. Both the varsity eight and second varsity eight qualified for their respective grand finals, with the varsity rowers placing sixth and the second varsity team winning third place.
So much success has meant the feeling this spring at the Harold Alfond Athletics and Recreation Center, and on the road for away games, meets, and matches, has been upbeat and even buoyant, said Amanda DeMartino, the Harold Alfond Director of Athletics.
“It’s been just so exciting, with everybody supporting each other,” she said. “Because we have this close-knit environment, when one succeeds, we all succeed.”
A strong foundation
DeMartino attributed the successes of teams and individual athletes to the strong foundation that coaches and student athletes have worked to build. The state-of-the-art Harold Alfond Athletics and Recreation Center, which opened five years ago, is a symbol of the College’s commitment to supporting its athletes. So is Colby’s Peak Performance program, which aims to maximize the health and performance of student athletes by combining sports medicine, strength and conditioning, sport psychology, nutrition, and sport science into one holistic model.
“And kudos to our coaches for continuing to balance recruiting better and better athletes every year while also ensuring that we’re developing the athletes that we have right now, so that there’s a good student experience,” the athletics director said. “I think our coaches are really dedicated to that.”
Karen Henning, head coach of the women’s lacrosse team, believes the success of Colby Athletics is the culmination of many years of work and many different factors. One is how President David A. Greene and Mike Wisecup, who served as the College’s athletic director from 2019 to 2024, approached the Covid-19 pandemic.
It was a hard time for every college, but Greene and Wisecup overcame a difficult situation and prevented the College’s athletic programs from slowing down or losing momentum. Henning and other coaches had to be creative, recruiting high school athletes over Zoom when they couldn’t see them play in person. It was different, but it worked, she said. Many of the 12 seniors on the lacrosse team were recruited that way, and they helped bring their team to the NCAA Final Four.
“I think Colby found ways to help create opportunities for us to keep moving forward,” Henning said. “I think that’s why you’re seeing some of the results now, and I’m grateful for it.”
Climbing to Peak Performance
The coach also attributes some of the success of the student athletes to Peak Performance. She and her team worked all season with Beaux Myers, the program’s mental performance coach, and he traveled to many away games, including the tournament in Virginia. Myers helped the team with journaling, meditation, and visualization so they could perform at their best.
“Having him travel with us for those last few weekends was incredible,” Henning said. “Having Beaux on the sideline is invaluable. His acute awareness of the mental needs of both the athletes and coaches provides a steadying presence, especially in close games. This insight not only enhances our focus but also gives us a strategic advantage when every moment counts.”
Other members of the Peak Performance team also were instrumental, she said, and listened to what she and her athletes needed. Jorge Morales, the assistant strength and conditioning coach, has encouraged the players, who are now able to lift weights they never thought they would before.
“They want to get stronger, and they want to get faster,” Henning said. “They’re not going to get pushed around on the field.”
Through building strength, they are also building confidence, which she believes will be a lifelong attribute, especially in conjunction with the lessons they learned in the classroom and throughout their experience at Colby.
“They’re not going to shy away from challenging the status quo. They’ll make sure that things are getting better. They’ll add to the team dynamic, because of these challenges that they faced while they were at Colby,” Henning said. “They’re learning how to take on leadership roles and how to push past their limits. And when they graduate, they’re prepared for the next phase of their lives.”
