Courtesy of Sean Elliot
As the Fall Semester comes to an end with course registration passing, and finals beginning to rear their ugly heads, Conn students also begin looking to the start of the winter sports season. Athletes from around the globe, dressed in white and blue, get the chance to prove themselves across the DIII sports scene and build a name for themselves and the college. Basketball, ice hockey, squash, swimming, and track begin their seasons, and the 10 Camel teams are looking to leave their mark on the NESCAC in 2024. Last season saw some incredible performances. From Justin Finkel ‘25, setting a national Division III record for 200 fly, to the two basketball teams draining shots from beyond the arc at a NESCAC leading pace. Conn Coll winter sports are about to be in full swing, and The College Voice is ready to break down the 2023 season and prepare you for this season with this year’s Connecticut College winter sports preview.
Men’s Basketball:
Head Coach Tim Sweeny has a streak of consistent improvement that he is looking to carry into this coming season. Last season, the team ended the season with an 18-7 record with their best win percentage since 2000. The team showed true prowess in all phases of the game; offensively leading the NESCAC in 3-point percentage and top three finishes in field goal percentage and free throw percentage. On the defensive side of the ball, the team finished in the top three in points allowed per game, steals, and blocked shots. However, four major minute-getters from last year’s team graduated, including NESCAC Player of the Year David Murray ‘24. (Quote possibly here). Expectations still remain sky-high for this year’s team, with returning All-NESCAC Second Team guard Cam Schainfeld ‘25 and forward Elias Espinosa ‘26 leading the charge. The 23-year NESCAC championship win drought is begging to come to an end for the Camels.
Women’s Basketball:
Last season was not the year Women’s basketball had hoped for. The season began on very streaky ground, trading multiple loss streaks with win streaks before an unfortunate mid-season collapse that saw the Camels drop 10 straight losses. However, last season was not a total disaster. The team led the NESCAC in 3-pointers made per game, a clear building block for a retooling team of the future. In catching up with guard Catie Donadio ‘25, she commented, “If I had to describe the point of emphasis in one word, it would be grit. Don’t give up when you’re down, and if you’re winning, keep holding yourself and your teammates to a high standard.” The team has been preparing to enter a new era for the past few years, as the locker room has been flooded with young talent that has now had the time to build chemistry and develop. Despite the loss of leading scorer Rebecca Oberman-Levine ‘24, the Camels returned the majority of their team with the graduation of only three seniors last season.
Men’s Ice Hockey:
The 2023 season was a step in the right direction for Men’s hockey as their 9-14-2 record almost doubled their win percentage from the season before. The team found themselves around the middle of the pack in most major statistics in the NESCAC and hopes to build upon that success in the coming season. With over 20% of the team graduating and being replaced with first-years, there is reason for more optimism (Maybe Quote). All seven of last season’s top point scorers return including leading points scorer Quinn Kennedy ‘27. The team has struggled historically, and after a decade without a winning season, this year’s roster is ready to prove they are a force to be reckoned with.
Women’s Ice Hockey:
Women’s Ice Hockey has historically been one of Conn’s stronger teams, but last season, the team struggled to find their footing. The team took a step back from the previous season, primarily in NESCAC games, where the team posted its worst conference win percentage since the 2006-2007 season. With that being said, the team has been retooling since the pandemic and may be in a position to scrap with the rest of the conference. Goalie Devon Galizio ‘26 posted a top-10 save percentage in Conn history and looks to be a cornerstone to the team’s defensive unit this season. Captain Claire Sammons ‘25 remarked, “We’re always finding ways to love and support each other, through both the good times and bad. Every day, we show up ready to push one another to be better—whether it’s a small win or a big moment, we’re in it together to have fun and win as one.” While four massive contributors graduated last year, the influx of seven first-year skaters and the return of leading point scorers Casey Chesner ‘26 and Claire Sammons leave plenty of room for optimism.
Men’s Squash:
This offseason has seen an entire revitalization of the Conn Coll Men’s squash program. Firstly, a quarter of last year’s roster graduated while the introduction of eight first-year players expanded the team’s firepower significantly. A major task for the roster is to improve their standing in the NESCAC as at the time of writing, the team is 1-27 in NESCAC games over the past five seasons and is currently on a 22-game losing streak. With a strong returning roster, including All-NESCAC second-team player, Alex Moncada ‘25, Conn Men’s squash team looks to be a scrappy team that opponents should have circled as a trap matchup all season long. The addition of a new head coach makes the team an even more difficult gameplan with Moncada commenting, “[Coach] Tim [Lasusa] has great aspirations for the program, and with his leadership, we hope to elevate it to a level Conn has never seen in its history.”
Women’s Squash:
Last season showed major flashes for Women’s squash going forward. Posting a 10-13 record, their best since the foregone Covid season, saw streaks where the team looked absolutely dominant. However, the team is looking to build upon that success, and that starts with coaching.
Over the summer, the question looming over the team’s head was who would be coaching them through the season until September 6, saw the announcement of Coach Tim Laususa’s hiring. Laususa is coming in with the departure of three strong senior members and coaching up three new first-years to fill their shoes. With some significant experience already present on the roster, the team is only looking to build upon last season and hopefully win their first NESCAC Championship game in program history.
Men’s Swimming:
Men’s swimming has placed itself as one of the college’s strongest sports with an impressive 8-2 record last season. Led by CSCAA Division III Swimmer of the Year, Justin Finkel ‘25, the team racked up win after win, culminating in a 17th out of 44 placement in the NCAA DIII championship, the program’s highest placement since 2014. The team saw three of their largest contributors graduate this spring while Assistant Coach, Matthew Schaeffer, Diving Coach, Kenny Pancoast, and Assistant Swimming Coach, Emma Rotner, all moved on from the team’s coaching staff during the offseason. To remedy these losses, the team brought in eight first-year swimmers to help Conn compete for years to come as well as replacing their coaching losses with Assistant Men’s Swimming Coach, Finn Conaway, and Diving Coach, Scott Pierson. With a revamped roster and coaching staff, the team is in a fantastic position to push for further success in the DIII scene.
Women’s Swimming:
The team made some impressive headway from years past with their 4-5 record. The team recorded their best win percentage since the canceled COVID season, showing strong development for a team that has been overhauled by young talent. With 70% of the current roster made up of sophomores and first-years and with only two seniors graduating, the team is on track to take an ever greater leap in year three under Head Coach Mindy Williams. Joining Williams on the coaching staff for this year is Assistant Women’s Swimming Coach, Lily Watson, whose experience swimming at Wheaton College should transfer to Conn’s roster almost immediately. There were sparks of greatness in the 2023 season, and now in 2024, the team should be ready for the major leap they have been due for years.
Men’s Track:
The Men’s track performance in the NESCAC championship showed a beacon of hope going into this season. Their eighth-place finish was the team’s highest placement since 1999, and they look to build on that success this season. While the NESCAC championship was a success for the history books, the program unfortunately missed the NCAA DIII championship with no individuals qualifying for the first time since the 2018-2019 season. The offseason was no less polarizing as the team lost seven seniors to graduation including All-New England runners Brendan Mellitt ‘24 and Ethan Bush ‘24 as well as half of their coaching staff. The team returns USTFCCCA All-Region jumper Jayson Firmin ‘25, decathlete Graham Josephson ‘25, and pole vaulter Chris Koskinen ‘25. Even with the new assistant coach, Andrew Rose, coming into the fray on such short notice, Firmin commented, “The team is really excited about the new training plan from Coach Rose. I personally think he has the ability to get the best out of my teammates and I on the track. Our team is relatively young which is perfect for the development of my teammates with a new coach.” This version of the track team is a total question mark for opposing programs with the potential to make some serious noise across the DIII scene.
Women’s Track:
2024 was a feel-good comeback story for the Women’s track team as they placed in the NCAA DIII Championship after not scoring in the 2023 meet. Led by record-breaking middle distance runners Alexa Estes ‘26 and Grace McDonough ‘26, the team had the fourth-highest score in the NESCAC and was a storybook send-off for nine senior track stars who graduated this past May including USTFCCCA All-Region heptathlete Emma Wheeler ‘24. While the addition of new assistant coach Kiah Strickland should be a major boost to the team’s performance, this is the smallest the staff has been in years. This may seem like a setback, but sprinter/jumper and captain Abby Ilusorio ‘25 commented, “Having a small coaching staff has certainly been a challenge, but it’s also brought us closer together as a team. It’s encouraged us to step up, support one another, and take more ownership of our progress.” It appears the team is in great shape and allowing adversity to mold them into a truly unstoppable unit as they look forward to this year’s championship in Ohio.
