Track and Field Receives the Sportmanship Award and Two NEWMAC Selections

SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. (May 2, 2007) - The Mount Holyoke College Track and Field team was regaled with two New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) All-Conference Selections and the NEWMAC Sportsmanship Award.

Senior Gretchen Sminkey (White River Junction, Vt.) was named to the NEWMAC All-Conference first team after winning the discus throw event at this past weekend's NEWMAC Championships hosted by Coast Guard. Sminkey recorded the second best throw in MHC history with a mark of 126'4", upsetting two other throwers to capture NEWMAC Champion honors. Classmate Andi Villasenor (Gardnerville, Nev.) earned second-team All Conference honors by placing second in the shot put. Villasenor's throw recorded a distance of 11.41m (37'5").

The Track and Field team was also honored with the first annual Sportsmanship Award, as voted on by the NEWMAC participants. The Sportsmanship Award is given to the team that best demonstrates the ideals of sportsmanship and the NEWMAC Code of Conduct, regardless of overall record or season finish. When casting their votes, athletes were instructed to "consider institutions whose student-athletes, fans, and coaches demonstrated good sportsmanship and ethical behavior that attributed to a positive overall experience."