Kayley Bell | Staff Writer | kbell@mail.smcvt.edu
A track team is set to become the first new sports team to join St. Michael’s College in almost a quarter of a century.
The last sports team to be added to the college was women’s ice hockey in 2000.
From fall 2025, there will be a varsity men’s and women’s outdoor track program.
“It’s another sign that St. Michael’s athletics is on the move,” said head coach Molly Peters.
Peters is currently coaching her 19th year of women’s cross country and her fourth year of men’s cross country. She is also entering her 13th season as the Nordic Skiing head coach.
This new track program succeeds the intermittent club track team that has been going on at St. Michael’s College since the 1970s, after the cross-country programs were added to the school.
As a club team, cross-country athletes could compete as an “unattached” team, not officially representing the school, and without a coach.
“I have always wanted to see a track program here at St. Michael’s, so it’s a dream come true,” Peters said.
Peters, who started her career as a track coach, looks forward to sharing her “knowledge, experience, and love of track with the athletes at St. Michael’s.”
According to Matt Akins, St. Michael’s College Director of Athletics, Peters was a driving force in adding the track program. “I see the value of what a community sport it is, and a lifelong sport,” said Akins.
Peters said other sports teams at St. Michael’s College have achieved success with additional support from the school, and hopes the same will happen with track.
“The first year will be about building the numbers and establishing a solid group of athletes excited to train every day and race fast at the track meet,” Peters said.
University of Vermont’s track.
This program is a way for cross-country members to continue to train and expand their seasons into the spring.
“I was completely surprised,” said Jocelyn Sommers, ’26, captain of the women’s cross-country team. “We don’t have a track facility on campus, and it was never something I thought would happen.”
Peters said the team will initially use nearby track facilities to practice.
“I was really surprised when Molly announced the sport,” said Kennedy Holsapple, ‘27, a member of the women’s cross-country team. “It wasn’t really something I thought would be added to the school as an NCAA sport.
“The new track teams will be really helpful in getting some speed work in and being in a competition mindset.”
Braden Butler, ’26, captain of the men’s cross-country team, agreed. “Originally, coming into college, I was not looking to run track, but since being here, I was hoping we would have some sort of track program,” he said.
Many members of the cross-country team are looking forward to the all-year training that will come with the program and the potential to acquire more athletes.
“Along with the training all year, I think there will be lots of benefits with recruiting, with recruiting more runners than just cross-country,” Butler said.
“I was pretty surprised because I came here knowing we didn’t have a track team,” said Adam Bilodeau, ’27, a member of the men’s cross-country team. “I’d come to terms with that, but now I am very excited.”
Men’s and women’s cross-country assistant coach Ryan Robitaille looks forward to how these new teams will “uplift the training and help the whole season.”
He said the distance side of the team will be filled very fast, “so we’re going have to find those sprinters, hurdlers, and relays.”
Robitaille added that an “overall goal for the program is getting numbers to start and just to build a positive program.”
Peters said recruiting is in full swing. “We are definitely starting a little late in the recruiting cycle, so it’s been a race to get the announcement out about the new program.”
The athletes already have in mind what events they would like to participate in.
“I am interested in running the longer events like the 3k, 5k,” Sommers said.
Butler is interested “in the 1500 meter and the 5k,” he said.
“Anytime you can get more athletes on campus ready to do their best, it’s a win,” Peters said.