ITHACA, N.Y. – The Ithaca college men's and women's track & field teams will get their indoor seasons underway this weekend as the Bombers remain close to home and will travel to Cornell University for a two-day meet at the Greg Page Relays on December 6-7.

MEN'S PREVIEW

It's a new look for the men's program this season as first-year head coach Stargell Williams takes over following the retirement of Jim Nichols. Last season, Ithaca finished sixth at the indoor and outdoor Liberty League Championships.

The Bombers welcome back a solid core of competitors who were either all-league, all-region or finished within the top eight at the indoor and outdoor conference championships.

James Hughes was an all-region runner in the indoor 5,000-meter run and placed fifth in the outdoor 10K last season. Matt Lokshin placed third in the Liberty League pentathlon, took sixth in the 110-meter hurdles and was a member of the sixth place 4x400-meter outdoor relay.

Noah McKibben is another solid returner in multi events as he finished fourth in the Liberty League pentathlon and eighth in the decathlon. Joseph Napolitano took fifth in the 400-meter hurdles and was also a member of the 4x4 as well a contributor to the seventh place DMR, along with George Nilson, Adam Mocho and Ben Buffone. Mocho and Nilson were also members of the 4x4.


WOMEN'S PREVIEW

The women's program will look to return to their past dominance as the Bombers finished second in both the indoor and outdoor Liberty League Championships last year. Prior to the pair of runner-up showings, IC had won every indoor and outdoor conference meet from 2007 to 2021.

Ithaca is set up for the resurgence with the return of USTFCCCA All-American Laura Suppa, who finished 14th in the 60-meter hurdles and 13th in the 100-meter hurdles. Suppa also won the 60 hurdles during the indoor season, was the 60-meter dash and 100 hurdles runner-up at the Liberty League meet.

IC also welcomes back Liberty League champions Kyla Eisman (5K), Cecelia LaBonte (pentathlon) and Lydia Barber (outdoor high jump). Eisman was also an honorable mention runner in the 10K.

Lily Seyfert will anchor throwing events for IC as she returns as the Liberty League champion in hammer throw, was honorable mention in the shot put and javelin as well as all-region in both events. Madeleine Wright was an NCAA competitor in the outdoor high jump last season and was named all-region during the indoor and outdoor seasons.

Luca Pecora is back for her senior season as she was a runner-up in the indoor triple jump and 400 hurdles last season, along with an honorable mention placement in the outdoor triple jump.

Talia Hutchinson, Erin Eastwood and Bree Boyle will look to continue their success in the pole vault as Hutchinson and Eastwood were honorable mention performers and Boyle was named all-region during the indoor season.

Natalie MacArthur, Joy Petersen and Ava Butler were members of the honorable mention 4x4 relay last season. Peterson also brings a mid-distance and distance strength to the program as she is coming off a trip to the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships.

RESTRUCTURE OF THE COACHING STAFF

The coaching staffs will work together this season in a newly restructured initiative. Williams and Jennifer Potter - now in her 22nd season - will serve as the head coaches, while Williams will work with throws and Potter will oversee sprints, hurdles and relays.

Erin Dinan will work with distance runners, while Mary Wallenbeck is in charge of jumps and Dom Mikula will oversee pole vault. The staff also brought in a pair of graduate assistants this season – Christian Noa and Matthew Stasiw.

INDOOR SCHEDULE

Following the opening meet of the season, IC will be off until January 4 when the Bombers host their annual alumni celebration at 3:30 p.m.

IC will then gear up for the Southern Tier Invitational on Cornell on January 11, followed by a home quad meet with Brockport, Oneonta and TCNJ on January 18.

The Nazareth Challenge Cup is next on the slate on January 25 and then IC hosts the Bomber Invitational on February 1-2 for the first of three huge home meets. Those other big meets are the Liberty League Championships on February 28-March 1 and the AARTFC Regional Championships on March 7-8.

Between those meets will be the Utica Multi on February 8, the Boston Valentine Invitational on February 14-15 along with the Cornell Kane Invite on the 15th, and the Cornell Deneault Invite on February 22.

National qualifiers will travel to Rochester for the NCAA Division III Championships hosted by Nazareth on March 14-15.

All home meets will be webcast on the Bomber Sports YouTube channel and live results links will be added to the teams' schedule once they are made available by the timing companies.