Around the Herd: Dec. 5 to Dec. 12 in Athletics

Women's hockey defeats Manhattanville 5-0 during their annual Pink in the Rink Game; men's hockey goes bests two NESCAC rivals; and women's basketball maintains their undefeated status.

Around the Herd: Nov. 28 to Dec. 5 in Athletics

Men's soccer ends their season with a loss in the national NCAA championship game; women's and men's basketball see exhilarating wins; and the women’s hockey team continues their strong start to the season.

Around the Herd: Oct. 11 to Oct. 17 in Amherst Athletics

In this week’s edition of Around the Herd: Men’s and women’s soccer secure out-of-conference wins, football narrowly falls to Colby, and cross country shows up at the Connecticut College Invitational.

Around the Herd: Oct. 4 to Oct. 11 in Amherst Athletics

This week in Amherst Athletics: Football returned to .500; volleyball and both soccer teams earned wins; field hockey split a pair of contests; women’s golf took second place; and a pair of Mammoths won the final tournament of the fall for women’s tennis.

Around the Herd: Sept. 26 to Oct. 3 in Athletics

In this week’s Around the Herd: Men’s and women’s soccer both fell for the first time this season; field hockey suffered a loss at the hands of the Ephs; women’s golf participated in the NCAA Fall Preview; football took on Trinity; and both volleyball and men’s tennis found success at Bowdoin.

Around the Herd: Opening Weekend in Amherst Athletics

Fall sports are in full swing as field hockey, volleyball, women’s and men’s soccer, cross country, and men’s golf all kicked off their campaigns in the past week. Here are the highlights.

The Duality of Spain: World Cup Winners and World-Class Mess

After the biggest tournament in Women’s World Cup history, Managing Sports Editor (and soccer player) Liza Katz ’25E looks back on how this tournament has exemplified the sport's conflicted moment: one of women's excellence being repeatedly overshadowed by sexist systems.

Around the Herd: Fall Season Previews

As the academic year kicks off for the Mammoths, the men’s and women’s soccer, field hockey, and volleyball teams will play their first games of the season. In this edition of Around the Herd, The Student previews how each team may fare over the course of the season.

Men’s Basketball Wins One, Loses Two, Falling to 3-5

The men’s basketball team lost an away game against Colby-Sawyer College on Thursday, Dec. 1, and blew a 15-point halftime lead at home against Springfield College on Tuesday, Dec. 8. Now eight games into the season, the Mammoths are 3-5.

Women’s Hockey Upsets No. 3 Middlebury — Twice

The No. 11-ranked women’s hockey team traveled to Middlebury for their second NESCAC series of the season this past weekend. The Mammoths returned from Vermont with two wins, having handed the No. 3 Panthers their first two losses of the 2022-23 season by identical 4-2 scorelines.

Swim and Dive Goes 3-0 to Open Season

Both the men’s and women’s swim and dive teams have opened their seasons with three straight wins. The two teams beat Colby, Wesleyan, and Middlebury to open their 2022-23 dual-meet schedule 3-0.

Men’s Squash Wins, Women Lose on Opening Weekend

With their hopes high after strong seasons that saw the men’s team take home a third-place finish at the CSA Summers Cup, and the women place fifth place at the CSA Kurtz Cup, both of Amherst’s squash teams opened their 2022-23 campaigns this past weekend.

Sport’s Obsession With Testosterone: A History

In a follow-up to an early 2021 article detailing state laws preventing transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports, Managing Sports Editor Liza Katz ’24 discusses the socio-political implications of those biases on sports through the lens of the recent Lia Thomas controversy.

Men’s Soccer Returns to Sweet 16 for 12th Straight Year

The No. 6 men’s soccer team advanced to the Sweet 16 for the 12th straight season this past weekend. After beating Husson University 2-0 on Saturday, the Mammoths secured their spot in the tournament’s second weekend with a 4-2 victory over No. 15 St. Lawrence University.

No. 9 Women’s Basketball Opens Season Strong, Goes 2-0

Coming off a Final Four appearance in the 2021-22 season, the Amherst women’s basketball team opened their season with two wins this past weekend. In their tip-off tournament, the Mammoths put on a clinic, first beating local rival Springfield College 54-50 before besting Rowan College 57-50.

Football Honors Seniors With Second Win of Year

The Amherst football team got their second win of the season on Saturday, Nov. 5, against the Bowdoin Polar Bears. On Senior Day, the team put together their most complete performance of the season on the way to a 17-14 victory.

Cross Country Competes, McGranahan Victorious at NESCACs

At this year’s NESCAC Championships, the men’s cross country team placed seventh, while the women, led by individual champion Mary Kate McGranahan ’23, placed second.

Building Bonds and a Coaching Career — Alumni Profile, Brooke Diamond O’Brien ’03

Brooke Diamond O’Brien ’03 has built her achievement-packed coaching career on both her love of sport and her desire to connect with people both on the field and off.

Volleyball Sweeps on Senior Day

Amherst volleyball got back on track this week, with a 3-0 sweep of Emerson on Senior Day giving the team momentum heading into their final two regular season games.

Golf Teams End Fall Seasons With Top-three Finishes

Both Amherst golf teams took to the course for the final time this fall at the NEIGA Championship. The men’s team ended their season with a third place finish, while the No. 14 women’s team took second.

No. 4 Field Hockey Wins Again, Clinches Little Three Title

The field hockey team picked up two important NESCAC wins over Wesleyan and Bowdoin this past weekend, securing the Little Three Championship for the first time since 2018 along the way.

Offense Improves But Football Falls Just Short

Though the offense put forth their best performance of the season, the football team lost in the dying embers of Saturday’s contest against Bates. They will look to get into the win column this weekend at Colby.

Volleyball Brings Out Brooms Against NESCAC Competition

Volleyball bounced back from a disappointing loss to Williams in a big way this weekend, cruising their way to back-to-back 3-0 wins against Bowdoin on Friday, Sept. 30, and Connecticut College on Saturday, Oct. 1.

Around the Herd: Sept. 28 to Oct. 4

Around the Herd provides quick updates on all the Amherst sports action you may have missed this past week. In this week’s installment: cross country’s accomplishments at the Purple Valley Invitational, both golf teams’ success, and the beginning of men’s tennis’ season.

Despite Defensive Effort, Football Drops to 0-2 On Season

Though they started out strong with big plays from both the offense and defense in the first quarter, the football team dropped their contest against NESCAC foe Hamilton on Saturday, Sept. 24, by a score of 24-10.

Field Hockey Crushes Keene, Loses OT Thriller to Jumbos

Amherst field hockey went 1-1 this week, thoroughly demolishing Keene State University before losing a close game to NESCAC foe Tufts 2-1 in overtime.

Why You Should Be Watching Professional Women’s Soccer

Managing Sports Editor and Amherst women's soccer forward Liza Katz '24 advocates for an increase in the viewership of professional and international women's soccer.

Around the Herd: Your Weekly Mammoth Sports Update

In the first installment of “Around the Herd,” the sportswriting staff provides some quick snapshots of all the Amherst sports action you may have missed this past week.

Field Hockey Looks to Build on Last Season's Successes

Returning the majority of their roster after their most successful season in the past five years, the field hockey team is loaded with talent and experience and looks prepared for an even more promising year.

Serena Williams Battles in Final Game of Historic Career

Earlier this year, Serena Williams announced that she would retire at the end of the U.S. Open. After a storied career, including 23 Major singles titles, 23 doubles titles, and an Olympic Gold Medal, the GOAT finished her career with a three-set loss in the U.S. Open’s Third Round.

Sage Innerarity: Creating Community and Championing Change

Throughout her time at Amherst, Sage Innerarity has made a name for herself through her ability to bring people together and raise the voices of others.

Softball Wins NESCACs, Earns NCAA Hosting Duties

Softball continued their dominant run this weekend, beating Bowdoin, Trinity, and top-seeded host Tufts in the NESCAC tournament to take home the 2022 NESCAC title, the program’s first. The team clinched an automatic bid to this year’s NCAA Tournament with the win.

80-1 Longshot Rich Strike Wins 148th Kentucky Derby

On Saturday, May 7, the world watched as the 148th Kentucky Derby was run. After the fastest two minutes in sports, Rich Strike, an 80-1 longshot, took this year’s race, becoming the horse with the second-longest odds to ever win the Derby.

Mammoths Find NESCAC Title Success on the Track

This past weekend, the track and field team took the trip to Hamilton for this year’s NESCAC Championships. Mammoth competitors won seven events and set two program records on the way to fourth and fifth place finishes for the men’s and women’s teams, respectively.

Softball Captures Little Three Title With Sweep of Cardinals

The softball team closed their regular season on a high note this past weekend, against Little Three rival Wesleyan. They clinched the Little Three Title in emphatic fashion, sweeping the Cardinals to clinch the top seed in the NESCAC West Division.

Softball Secures Series Win Over Williams in 3-1 Week

The softball team continued their run of good form this week, going 3-1 overall. They defeated Western New England University via the mercy run rule, and then took the first two games of their three-game series versus Williams before dropping a one-run thriller in their final contest of the week.

Dominant Wins Propel Tennis Teams to 2-0 Weekend

The men’s and women’s tennis teams took on NESCAC foes Trinity and Hamilton this past week, with both teams notching impressive wins over their two opponents. With two wins under their belt, the teams head into their decisive final slate of regular season matches.

Individual Success Highlights Golf Team’s Return to Play

Despite having a hard time finding team success, the men’s and women’s golf teams both saw standout individual play from their first-years in their first weekend of play in 2022 following the winter hiatus.

Women’s Lacrosse Keeps Rolling, Notching 2 NESCAC Wins

Coming off a huge overtime win against Tufts last weekend, women’s lacrosse returned to the field on Wednesday night, beating Connecticut College 12-7 before overtime heroics sealed a Mammoth win for the second straight weekend, this time over archrival Williams, 8-7.

Blue Devil, GOAT: A Duke Fan’s Ode to Coach K

Managing Sports Editor Liza Katz ’24 reflects on Coach K’s career, from the National Championships to the farewell tour this season, and discusses her experience as a Duke fan as the legendary coach heads into retirement.

Track and Field Starts Season Strong Against DI Schools

The men’s and women’s track and field teams took the 10-minute drive to cross-town foe UMass to open their outdoor season. The team built on their strong indoor season, accumulating amazing individual finishes, while being the only Division III school in attendance.

March Madness Update: The Final Countdown

After the stunning conclusions to both the 2022 Men's and Women's NCAA Tournaments this past weekend, the sports editors provide their final update on the Madness and The Student's bracket challenges.

Bracket Challenge Update: Standings Going Into Final Four

Upsets abounded in the most recent two rounds of March Madness. And with the Final Four imminent, the sports editors detail the latest resounding triumphs and catastrophic collapses of The Student’s bracket pool.

A Look Back on Women’s Basketball’s Wonder Season

Despite their season ending against the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater on Thursday, the Mammoths made the most of their first season back from the Covid hiatus and have much to look forward to in the next few years after their miraculous Final Four run.

Bennett’s Behind-the-back Goal Highlights Men’s Lacrosse Wins

Men’s lacrosse have gotten off to a fast start. They began spring break with a tough loss against Tufts, one of the top-ranked teams in the nation, before ripping off two wins against Bates and Gettysburg College.

Baseball Begins NESCAC Title Defense Over Spring Break

Coming off a NESCAC title victory in the 2021 Covid-shortened season, the baseball team opened their 2022 season with a spring break trip to Florida, where they went 4-2 in six games.

Softball Starts Strong, Looks Towards NESCACs

In their shortened 2021 season, Amherst softball had a great season to build on, including two separate five-game win streaks and encouraging seasons from a multitude of underclassmen. Here’s what their 2022 season has in store.

Bracket Challenge Update: How Students are Faring After Chaotic First Weekend

March Madness is back. After a wild first weekend of the men’s and women’s NCAA Tournaments, the sports editors provide an update on The Student’s bracket pools.

March Madness 2022: (Too) Early Predictions

The managing sports editors introduce a community-wide ESPN Bracket Challenge and present their contenders, pretenders, dark horses, and sleepers. The group name to join is Amherst Student 2022!

Despite Lawsuit Win, Equal Pay Fight Isn’t Over

After almost three years, the U.S. Women’s National Team settled their equal pay lawsuit with the governing body of American soccer. Managing Sports Editor Liza Katz ’24 explains the lawsuit and what it will mean for women’s soccer going forward.

Women’s Hockey Qualifies for Conference Semis

Women’s hockey took the ice at Orr Rink for their NESCAC Quarterfinal Matchup on Saturday, overcoming a slow start to roll over Bowdoin by a score of 5-0. With the win, the Mammoths advanced to the conference tournament’s semifinal round, which will be played this coming weekend.

Men’s Hockey Splits Pair of Crucial NESCAC Contests

Amherst men’s hockey took a two-game road trip this weekend, traveling first to New London, Conn., to take on the Camels and then to Medford, Mass., to face the Jumbos. The Mammoths returned to Amherst with one win and one loss.

Scoring Runs Define Men’s Basketball’s Two Close Losses

The men’s basketball team returned to action this past weekend, closing NESCAC regular-season play with a tough weekend in which they lost close games to Trinity and Connecticut College.

A Fond Farewell: Women's Lacrosse Coach To Retire at End of Season, Her 27th

Long-time women’s lacrosse coach Chris Paradis has announced that she will retire from coaching after the 2022 season, leaving behind a lasting legacy and big shoes to fill for whichever coach comes to the program next.

Ranked Number 11, Women's Basketball Keeps Rolling

The Mammoths have rolled through January, boasting a 16-2 record and No. 11 national ranking.

Athletic Teams Gear Up for Winter Break and J-term

Amherst’s winter athletes will be hard at work over J-term both preparing for games and representing the college in competition across the country, and in some cases, around the world. We recap what the Mammoths will be up to during this holiday season.

McGranahan, Daily Lead Way at NCAA Championships

Though the Mammoths did not finish as high as they might have hoped at the NCAA Championships in Louisville, Ky., impressive performances from young runners provide a strong base for future campaigns.

Women’s Basketball Starts 2021 Season with Three Big Wins

The 16th-ranked Amherst women’s basketball team returned to the court for the first time in two years this past week, going 3-0 in three opening weekend contests against Oglethorpe University, The United States Coast Guard Academy, and Rhode Island College.

A Hockey Journey: From Amherst to the NHL — Alumni Profile, Sean Ellis ’07

A true embodiment of the Amherst student-athlete experience, Sean Ellis '07 was never afraid to put his head down and work for everything. This dedication allowed him to reach great heights, from being voted captain of the hockey team to working for the NHL.

Multiple Amherst Sports Teams Capture Victories Over Fall Break

Amherst sports teams continued their seasons this weekend, with most teams competing during fall break. Men's soccer, women's soccer, field hockey and volleyball all went undefeated over the four-day break.

Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Race to Pennsylvania, Return With Top-Five Finishes

The Mammoths returned to the course this past weekend, with both the Men’s and Women’s cross country teams traveling to Lehigh University for the Paul Short Run. Both teams experienced great success, finishing in the top five, and individual runners logged impressive top-20 times.

Men’s Soccer Seeks National Championship Redemption

Almost two years removed from a National Championship Game loss, men’s soccer returned to play on Sept. 7 with a 2-1 win at Norwich University. Despite a new-look roster, the team hopes to compete for a NESCAC championship and an NCAA title.

Football Eyes Championship in Return to NESCAC Play

Returning to the field after nearly two years without in-game action, Amherst football players believe their efforts to improve team culture will aid their pursuit of a NESCAC championship.

Dylan Momplaisir: A Builder of Software, Stories and Community

Momplaisir used the experiences and independent thinking he developed growing up in New York City and applied them to all that he did during his time at Amherst. Photo courtesy of Dylan Momplaisir ’21.It was only fitting that my Zoom interview with Dylan Momplaisir ’21 started with technical issues. A double major in computer science and architectural studies who has served as digital director of The Student for the past three and a half years, Momplaisir is well-accustomed to jumping to the res

What’s Next for the USMNT After Their Olympic Qualifying Nightmare?

After their 2-1 loss to Honduras on March 28, the United States Men’s National Soccer team (USMNT) saw their Olympic hopes slip away. With the loss, the team was ousted in the semifinals of the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football’s (CONCACAF) elimination-style tournament, falling just one win short of clinching a spot on the Olympic field. At first glance, the team’s failure to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics (which were rescheduled to summer 2021 due to t

Mississippi Passes Ban On Transgender Athletes

On March 3, Mississippi state legislators voted to pass a bill to ban transgender athletes from participating in women’s elementary, high school and college sports in the state. The vote passed through the state house in a landslide, 81-28, and passed by a similarly large margin of 34-9 in the senate last month. This legislation follows a set of events that took place throughout 2020, when lawmakers introduced more than 20 bills that sought to ban transgender people from participating in athle

The Mixed Covid-19 Landscape of NCAA Women's Soccer

Even as the Covid-19 pandemic continues in the United States, the NCAA has strived to find innovative ways to move forward with college athletics. In many sports, stringent testing protocols for student-athletes and team “bubbles” are enabling this season to continue despite what is going on in the world. However, the response to the NCAA’s decision to allow teams to continue playing games  looked differently between divisions, conferences and on the school level, as is the case in women’s socce

USL Player Suspended for Homophobic Comment

Although often overlooked in the world of sports media, there is a second tier of professional soccer in the United States, The United Soccer League Championship (USL). Divulging itself out of the dark, the he USL has been thrust into the spotlight after Jamican international Junior Flemmings, a midfielder and forward for the Phoenix Rising and league’s leading scorer, was suspended six games for using a homophobic slur during a match on Sept. 30 against the San Diego Loyal. The USL investigatio

The NFL’s Injury Epidemic

Saquon Barkley, Nick Bosa, Jimmy Garoppolo, Christian McCaffery, Malik Hooker. Other than being big name stars on their respective teams, these players have another thing in common:  By the second week of the 2020 National Football League (NFL) season, they were all lost to injuries that will keep them off the field for multiple weeks. After only two weeks of regular season play in the 2020 season, 360 players have been put on their teams respective team’s injury report ahead of the slate of sch

Remembering Chadwick Boseman: A Sports Legend

Chadwick Boseman, famous for his role as King T’Challa in Marvel’s “Black Panther,” died on Friday, Aug. 28 of colon cancer at age 43. While his character in the Marvel Universe catapulted him to stardom, Boseman’s parts playing strong figures in the world of sports were some of his most prominent roles. No matter what part he played, Boseman’s unique acting style and dedication to grounding his roles in real experiences helped create some of the last decade’s most transformative films. Through