ALFRED, NY – The Alfred University men's and women's track & field teams are set to return for a new 2023-24 season that brings plenty of hope. The Saxons will welcome several returning student-athletes, as well as some first-year talents.
Both rosters are led by Head Coach
Matt Phillips, who has been involved with the program dating back to 2010. Phillips was named as the full-time head coach after serving as the interim during the 2022-23 season.
"The transition to being the full-time head coach has been a smooth process," Phillips said. "I'm excited to have this opportunity with Alfred University and to be with our student-athletes."
Last season, the Saxons completed both their indoor and outdoor seasons while appearing at the All-Atlantic Regional Track & Field Conference Championships. The indoor season was highlighted by meets at Houghton and RIT, while the outdoor season included meets at Susquehanna and SUNY Geneseo.
"Both teams have bought into our culture and are working together to be successful," Phillips said. "The team aspect is important, as that helped us particularly in the outdoor championships. Having a structure and consistent training has been essential to our success."
The men's roster will welcome back multiple returners, including
John Wendt (Lewiston, NY/Lewiston-Porter). He has been named as one of five team captains ahead of the 2023-24 season and will be a staple of the sprint squad and 4x100-meter relay team.
Finnegan Dean (Potsdam, NY/Potsdam Central) returns to the roster following a successful first-year season with AU. Last season at the Empire 8 Outdoor Championships, Dean finished fifth with a personal-best 10:14.07 in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.
Kenneth Berlin (Erie, PA/Harbor Creek) will be the among the returners to compete in the throwing events for the Saxons, claiming multiple personal records with Alfred University, including a second-place finish in the javelin throw with a distance of 49.03m in the Empire 8 Outdoor Championships. Berlin was additionally named as a team captain for the 2023-24 season.
On the women's side,
Olivia Gilbert (Ontario, NY/Wayne Central) is among the standout returners for AU. Last season, Gilbert broke the program's indoor record in the 400-meter dash at the Empire 8 Indoor Championships with a time of 1:01.37, and then later broke the outdoor 800-meter run record at the Empire 8 Outdoor Championships winning the event with a time of 2:18.24. Gilbert was additionally part of the 4x800-meter relay team that finished in fourth place at the All-Atlantic Regional Track & Field Championships (AARTFC) last spring.
Both
Anne Spila (Mechanicsburg, PA/Trinity) and
Bianca Durso (Utica, NY/New Hartford Senior) will look to build upon their respective success in the multi events with the Saxons. Durso initially broke the program record in the indoor pentathlon with 2,749 points last season before Spila re-broke the record with 2,803 points at the AARTFC. Spila additionally holds the record in the outdoor heptathlon following a finish of 4,071 points. Durso, who broke the program's outdoor high jump record with a jump of 1.59m this past spring, was previously named to the All-Empire 8 Third Team last season for her efforts as part of the outdoor 4x100-meter relay team, while Spila was recognized as a member of the Third Team for her performance in the javelin throw.
The women will also welcome back
Nyah Solly (Colden, NY/Springville-Griffith Institute) and
Mackenzie Hall (Hornell, NY/Hornell) to the 2023-24 roster. Both hold program records with Alfred University, as Hall took second place at the Empire 8 Outdoor Championships, breaking the program record in the 1500-meter with a time of 4:55.68. Solly placed tenth in the triple jump at the outdoor AARTFC meet, breaking the program's outdoor record with a jump of 11.08m.
"It's early in the season, but we are looking forward to seeing both our men and women progress," Phillips said. "A lot of the key student-athletes have been with us for a few years and have grown and matured. It has been a process for them to get where they are today, but that speaks to their dedication to the program and each other."
Alfred University will begin their season on the road at Houghton on December 1. The Empire 8 Indoor Track & Field Championships are scheduled to run from February 23-24 at Houghton. In the spring, the Empire 8 Outdoor Track & Field Championships will be hosted by St. John Fisher University from May 3-4.
"We're looking to perform well and bring a number of student-athletes to qualify for indoor and outdoor regionals this season," Phillips said. "We also want to channel the team support we saw at the outdoor championships last spring. We will continue to build that support as part of our structure."
