CMC75 Moments: 1995 Women's Track and Field Takes First SCIAC Title
As part of the buildup to the 75th Anniversary celebration for Claremont McKenna College (visit CMC's 75th Anniversary Countdown Page to learn more), we are reliving many of the great moments from CMS athletic department history over the 75-day countdown from April 17 to July 1. If you were a part of this great moment and would like to add to the memories, or if you would like to submit your memories of your own favorite CMS Athletics moments, fill out the form on our main 75th Anniversary page.
Great Moments from 75 Years of Athletics
1995 Women's Track and Field Wins First SCIAC Championship
The CMS women's track and field team had been the SCIAC runner-up six times in its history heading into the 1994-95 season, but Occidental in the 80s and Pomona-Pitzer in the early 90s kept the Athenas from securing their first ever championship. After a narrow 74-71 loss to Pomona-Pitzer in a regular season dual in 1995, it appeared that the same runner-up fate might befall the program for a seventh time. However, CMS responded with a strong showing at the SCIAC Championships, outscoring the Sagehens 165-142 to finish as league champions for the first time.
Senior Heather Schroder was the SCIAC Champion in the javelin and qualified for nationals in the hepathlon, contributing to the program's first SCIAC title just months after contributing to the women's basketball program's first NCAA bid. Jennifer Culley won the long jump and 400 meters and earned a trip to the NCAA Championships, and Megan Murphy won the triple jump to lead CMS to the narrow win.
The Athenas have made winning championships a regular habit since the 1995 team broke the ice; they have won or shared 18 league titles in the 25 years since. Culley also went on to win a national championship in the 400 meters as a senior in 1998, while leading an All-America relay team that year as well as the Athenas finished seventh as a a team.
Heather Schroder:
We had such a well-rounded team! When I look at the list of the women that were on that team, I think about all of the solid performances by everyone and that several of us were also multi-sport athletes (many played basketball and went straight into track season). Everyone was also very supportive of each other. We had our track dinners where we would get awards from coach, but also hear about everyone's PRs. We laughed a lot and celebrated each other's victories! It truly was the best part of the entire experience.
As for the SCIAC Championship, I didn't know at the time that our team had never won and always come up short. Maybe I missed that part about no championships, but maybe coach never shared it with us? I knew we had not won the prior season and I had a lot of guilt over that. I got hurt initially doing long jump the first day and then finally pulled my hamstring the next day during hurdles, not being able to finish anything and score anything for our team. I didn't want that to happen again.
Coach put in a lot of time with us, and especially with me because of the heptathlon. We often worked on the javelin until it was dusk and it became too dangerous! It was also the event I had the least experience with and his coaching is what helped me win that event, not only in the SCIAC Championship but also when I went to Nationals for the heptathlon.
As for those of us going to Nationals, we stayed on campus while everyone went home for the summer. It was a fun time too and that year I had Jennifer with me (the prior year I was the only female to go to Nationals!). It was always fun watching Jen run the 400; I was also a 400 runner at one time, so I admired how graceful and natural it looked for her to run it. Also, this was the last year of running on the old track; the all-weather track was added that summer.
I also never knew it was such an ice-breaker for the teams after us. I am so glad Coach Goldhammer and the other athletes have experienced success while in the CMS track program!
1995 Women's Track and Field Roster
Head Coach: John Goldhammer
Assistant Coaches: Kelly Beck, Doug Birkel
Arleen Arredondo (So., Sprints, CMC)
Gretchen Brugman (Sr., Distance, Scripps)
Jenny Cohen (Fr., Hurdles, CMC)
Amy Colton (Fr., Throws, Scripps)
Jennifer Culley (Fr., Sprints, Scripps)
Jennie Davis (Jr., Distance, Scripps)
Michael Greenfield (So., Sprints, Scripps)
Sarah Gerard (Jr., Middle Distance, CMC)
April Hassel (Fr., Throws, HMC)
Alyson Ingham (So., Middle Distance, CMC)
Theresa Keeler (So., Hammer, HMC)
Karen Morales (Jr., Sprints, Scripps)
Hiromi Mori (So., Middle Distance, Scripps)
Megan Murphy (So., Jumps, Scripps)
Melissa Paulisson (Fr., Jumps, CMC)
Gretchen Sauer (So., Distance, CMC)
Kirsti Scheer (So., Distance, CMC)
Heather Schroder (Jr., Heptathlon, CMC)
Lisa Spievak (Jr., Hurdles, CMC)
Jennifer Stallard (So., Discus, Scripps)
Jennifer Stuart (Fr., Distance, CMC)
Abigail Tammi (Fr., Jumps, CMC)
Louise Tench (Jr., Middle Distance, Scripps)
Dianna Turner (Fr., Throws, CMC)
Amy Ward (Jr., Distance, CMC)