Women’s Cross Country

Head coach Donna Ricks received the Women’s Coach of the Year award from the Tucker Center for Research on Women & Girls in Sport at the University of Minnesota on Apr. 19, following a fall where the Knights won the closest 1-4 finish in NCAA DIII Cross Country history, the first national title for a women’s team and only the second in school history after the 1980 Men’s Cross Country team victory. 

Women’s Track and Field

The Knights celebrated their seniors with five event victories at Carleton Relays on Apr. 20, also sending a few athletes to compete in the 10,000-meter event at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse that night. The 10,000 was highlighted by Hannah Preisser ’26’s fourth-place finish and 19-second PB (personal best)  of 35:32.83, which ranks 18th in Division III and puts her at fourth on the school’s all-time list. She earned MIAC (Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) Athlete of the Week honors for her performance. Katie Hirsche ’25 finished 22nd in a time of 37:28.53, eighth on the all-time list and fourth in the conference standings.

At home, Neenah Bosman ’24 highlighted the meet with close to a 10-foot PB in the hammer throw with 45.23 meters, launching herself to a second all-time in school history. Helen Cross ’24 won both the 1,500-meter (4:37.36) and 800-meter (2:20.13, a PB) events, leading a 1-4 finish in the former event. Mary Blanchard ’24 finished second in the 1,500-meter with a season’s best of 4:44.42, Sophie McManus ’25 set a PB of 4:46.28 just behind Blanchard, and Aliya Larsen ’26 ran a PB of 4:51.69 for fourth. McManus returned in the 400-meter hurdles event, running 1:13.75 for fourth place, with Libby Rowland ’25 taking second in a time of 1:10.73. Emma Trojan ’27 placed fourth in the high jump (1.3 meters), Hadley Twitchell ’26 finished third in the 200 (27.24 seconds), and Bianca Lott ’26 finished fourth in the 100-meter run (13.3 seconds). The 4×100-meter relay ran a SB of 51.58 seconds for second and the 4×400-meter relay won with a time of 4:11.59.

Men’s Track and Field

The Knights celebrated their seniors on April 20 at the Carleton Relays and had fabulous performances on Apr. 24 at the Gary Wilson Invitational at the University of Minnesota. Decathlete Ian Mortensen ’24 won three events at the Carleton Relays, throwing 55.45 meters in the javelin, jumping a PB of 6.43 meters in the long jump, and running 16.22 for a PB in the 110-meter hurdles. He also cleared 3.83 meters in the pole vault for third place. Soren Kaster ’27 won the pole vault (4.07 meters) and placed third in the 110-meter hurdles (16.43 seconds, a PB). Gabe Nichols ’25 won the 1,500-meter with a time of 3:53.17 and set a PB of 1:56.18 in the 800-meter event for fifth. Roy Llewelyn ’26 and Indy Lyness ’26 placed second and third in the 1,500-meter event, running 3:35.52 and a PB of 3:58.94 respectively. Ethan Ash ’24 won the 800-meter in 1:54.97, and Josh Meier ’25 placed fourth with a time of 1:55.97.

Brett Hanley ’25 finished third in the 3000-meter steeplechase event (10:09.59), Liam Kennedy ’24 and Sam Reiter ’24 were third and fourth in the 100-meter dash (53.19 and a PB of 53.44), Asher Nathan ’27 placed third in the 200-meter run (23.04, a PB), Noah Morris ’24 placed fourth in the hammer throw (a PB of 21.92 meters), and Tim Adams ’25 finished fifth in the pole vault (3.53 meters). Nichols reset the school record in the 1,500-meter run, running 3:48.51 for fifth overall. Lyness also finished fifth in his event, the 800, setting a new PB of 1:54.55. Meier and Ash were ninth and tenth in the same event, running times of 1:55.15 and 1:55.16 respectively. Alistair Pattison ’24 set a new PB of 1:55.91. He, Lyness, Meier and Ash ran 3:20.35 in the 4×400-meter event for sixth place. Llewelyn ran a PB in the 5,000-meter event (14:35.81, fifth all-time in school history), Kaster ran a PB in the 400-meter hurdles (55.31), and Liam Kennedy set a season’s best time of 51.99 in the 400-meter run.

Women’s Tennis

The (14-0, 9-0 MIAC) Knights, who are ranked 22nd in the nation, beat No. 36 Gustavus Adolphus College 8-1 on April 20. Mary Hose ’24 joined Amelia Asfaw ’25 to win in doubles, then both won their singles matches, which earned Hose MIAC Athlete of the Week honors. Kat Smiricinschi ’27 and Ryan Witter ’27 won their tenth straight doubles match of the year, with Witter also winning at doubles. Mariam Nechiporouk ’25 and Ingrid Smith ’25 claimed victory in their doubles match.

Men’s Tennis

The (12-5, 7-1 MIAC) Knights fell to No. 13 Gustavus Adolphus College, dropping to second in the conference standings on April 20. Though the whole team battled hard, Aniketh Vipparla ’24 and Zach Leslie ’’26 won the only victory for the Knights in doubles, making the final record 1-8. 

Softball

The (12-17, 3-12) Knights recorded seven losses against MIAC opponents. They fell 0-8 and 3-6 to St. Mary’s on April 18, 5-9 and 7-11 to Augsburg on April 21, 3-11 and 7-10 versus St. Olaf on April 23, and 2-14 and 1-11 versus St. Benedict on April 24.

Baseball 

The (10-19, 7-9 MIAC) Knights recorded two wins and four losses against MIAC opponents. They were swept 1-3 and 1-11 at Concordia-Moorhead on April 17, split 4-6 and 14-9 versus Augsburg on April 21, and split against Hamline 4-1 and 6-16 on April 22. 

Men’s Golf

The Knights won the Luther Spring Classic with a total score of 591 on April 20 and 21. Sam Higaki ’’27 won his second consecutive individual title with a 36-hole score of 142 or two-under par, with Justin Rodriguez ’27 placing third with a three-over par 147. Gordon Walker ’26 moved up to a tie for fifth on Sunday, tying Higaki’s 18-hole total of 71, for a five-over par 149. Ryan Choi ’25 hit a nine-over-par 153.