A look at spring 2014 athletics.
Men’s track and field
Sophomore standout Travon Godette became the 41st All-American in the storied history of the men’s track and field program by placing third in the javelin at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III men’s track and field outdoor national championships. Godette whipped the javelin 213-1 at the national championships, three inches shy of his school record throw at the New England Division III championships. In addition to capturing New England and conference crowns in the javelin, the versatile sophomore also earned All-New England honors in the high jump during his sensational 2014 outdoor season.
Led by Godette and senior captains Zack Madera and Mike Kelleher, the underclassmen-laden Owls reclaimed conference team titles by stunning rival Bridgewater State in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) indoor championships, followed by an easier victory in the outdoor finals. There were many outstanding performances for the Owls of veteran coach Sean O’Brien, who won the MASCAC outdoor championship for the first time since 2011 and the 34th time in 41 years. The Owls captured eight first places and nine second places in the 21-event championship.
Westfield State’s individual MASCAC champions were Godette (javelin, high jump), freshman Steve Sam (discus), freshman Tevin Cintron (600 meter run), sophomore Matt Moussamih (800), sophomore Mike Skelly (1,500), sophomore Tim Shea (10,000) and Mike Kelleher (steeplechase).
Women’s outdoor track and field
The women’s outdoor track and field team captured its 14th championship in the past 17 years, led by senior sprinter Targie Gervais and sophomore shot putter/discus thrower Naloti Palma. Palma was a three-time national qualifier during the 2014 spring semester and shattered her own school record in the discus with a first-place throw of 145-2 at the All-New England championships hosted by Westfield State.
Gervais, a record-setting sprinter who qualified for the indoor national championships in 2014, was selected the Westfield State Senior Female Athlete of the Year. She was an 18-time champion during her collegiate career, including nine MASCAC crowns. A two-time All-American and a three-time national qualifier, she established five school records in the following sprinting events: 55 meters, 60 meters, 100 meters, 200 meters, and 200 meters indoors.
Gervais (100/200 meters) and Palma
(shot put/discus) claimed conference individual crowns, along with senior Amy Auclair (pole vault), freshman Ashley Monahan (400/600 meter runs), senior Alex Livingston (hammer throw) and junior Olivia Marshall (steeplechase).
Women’s basketball
The women’s basketball team of veteran head coach Andrea Bertini ’96 bounced back after leading scorer and rebounder Gabby Felix sustained a season-ending injury in early January, as the Owls clinched a share of the MASCAC regular season championship. Junior guard Jen Ashton, an all-conference first-team selection, ranked 16th nationally in steals and 19th nationally in assists per game.
Men’s basketball
The men’s basketball team tied for second place in the MASCAC and was led by electric junior forward Grant Cooper, a first-team all-conference selection and five-time MASCAC player of the week. The talented duo of Ashton and Cooper scored their 1,000th career points in their third year of collegiate basketball.
Women’s swimming and diving
Another junior who excelled was Katie Sterpka of the women’s swimming and diving team. Sterpka placed seventh in the three-meter diving at the NCAA Division III regional championships, one spot
shy of qualifying for the national championships. Sterpka made it a clean sweep for the second straight season, capturing conference and New England championships in the one- and three-meter diving events. Senior Kirsten LaMotte stood out as an All-New England performer in three breaststroke events for the Owls, who posted their 21st straight winning season under the guidance of veteran coach Dave Laing.
Men’s ice hockey
The men’s ice hockey team finished third in the highly competitive MASCAC, led by conference player of the year Vince Perreault and senior defenseman Billy Miller, a second-team all-conference selection. Perreault, who was named Westfield State’s Senior Male Athlete of the Year, scored a team-high 26 points and a conference-high three game-winning goals. (See related story, Page 26.)
Men’s golf
The senior-dominated men’s golf team finished second in the MASCAC championships, losing by a stroke to perennial conference power Salem State in a rain-shortened nine-hole championship match. The Owls’ MVP was senior Scott Walters.
Baseball
The young baseball squad had an exciting season under first-year head coach Nathan Bashaw. The Owls won three of four regular season games against the top teams in the MASCAC—Salem and Worcester—and defeated Fitchburg twice on the final day of the regular season to earn the number four seed in the MASCAC tournament, where they advanced to the semifinals. Junior center fielder Dan McCormack and sophomore catcher E. G. McMillan were first-team all-conference selections, and junior designated hitter Tim Santilli was a second-team pick.
Softball
The softball team that featured five freshmen starters had two second-team all-conference honorees—junior second baseman Breanne Bisceglia and freshman designated hitter Julia Sullivan.
Women’s lacrosse
Six members of the lacrosse team were all-conference selections, led by junior Stephanie Lenhardt, who set school records for assists in a game (10) and season (52) and ranked 12th nationally in assists per game. Westfield State’s other first-team all-conference picks were team MVP and sophomore midfielder Blair Smith, sophomore goalie Mimi Khampaeng and senior defender Jen Carew, who set a career school record for ground balls. Second-team selections were senior Lee Meskevich and freshman Caroline Smart.
