2024 Season Preview for Kenyon College Women’s Track and Field

GAMBIER, Ohio — The Kenyon College women’s track and field team heads into the thick of its 2024 schedule this weekend with 27 capable competitors ready to make their mark on this year’s campaign. Kenyon’s squad includes a dozen first-year student-athletes, but with one meet already in the rear-view mirror and NCAC Champion, All-NCAC, and record-setting pedigree on the roster, the Owls will look to continue to gain experience and momentum on their way to the final North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) standings.

2023 Review:

• Scored 56 team points and finished seventh at the NCAC Indoor Championship.
• Scored 54 team points and finished seventh at the NCAC Outdoor Championship.

NCAC Preseason Poll:

The NCAC coaches do not vote on projected standings during the preseason. Instead, coaches are balloted a week before each of the conference championships. Looking back at last season, Wittenberg claimed the program’s first conference crowns as the Tigers took both the NCAC Indoor Championship and the NCAC Outdoor Championship.

Key Returners:

• Paula Soric – Named NCAC Field Athlete of the Year after both the indoor and outdoor seasons. Holds the Kenyon triple jump record in both indoor and outdoor competitions and is a six-time All-NCAC honoree. Swept the long jump and triple jump titles in each season, accounting for 20 points at the NCAC Indoor Championship and 22 of the team’s 54 points at the NCAC Outdoor Championship.
• Anna Brown – Earned All-NCAC honors in two indoor events as a first-year. Finished second in the 800-meter race at the NCAC Indoor Championship and fifth in the outdoor finale. Contributed championship points as part of the 4×400-meter and distance medley relay teams.
• Lorien Kauffman – All-NCAC performer as a junior as a member of Kenyon’s third-place distance medley relay team in the NCAC Indoor Championship.
• Grace Neuger – Scored championship points in the 60- and 100-meter hurdles and as part of the 4×100-meter relay.
• Jada Swearingen – Anchored the scoring 4×100-meter relay at the NCAC Outdoor Championship.
• Logan Vidal – All-NCAC honors as a sophomore. Part of 13 points across three relay teams (4×200, 4×400, DMR) at the NCAC Indoor Championship. Contributed to six points in the NCAC Outdoor Championship with three in the 800-meter race and three in the 4×400-meter relay.
• Maya Virdell – Scored four points in the 400-meter hurdles at the NCAC Outdoor Championship while adding five points as part of the 4×100- and 4×400-meter relays. Assisted in scoring seven points at the NCAC Indoor Championship while running in the 4×200- and 4×400-meter relays.

Key Departures:

• Erika Conant – Represented the Owls in the pentathlon and heptathlon while also contributing points in multiple events across the indoor and outdoor campaigns. Tallied 13 points at the NCAC Indoor Championship and scored 10 at the NCAC Outdoor Championship.
• Denna Medrano – Contributed to seven points as part of Kenyon’s 4×200- and 4×400-meter relay teams at the NCAC Indoor Championship and three points in the 4×400 at the NCAC Outdoor Championship in 2023.
• Ella Wilson – An All-NCAC honoree who scored five points as part of the distance medley quartet at the NCAC Indoor Championship and added four points at the NCAC Outdoor Championship in the 10,000-meter race.
• Eras Yager – Tallied three points at the NCAC Indoor Championship and one at the NCAC Outdoor Championship in the shot put event.

Schedule Overview:

• Indoor home meet: Friday, February 16 (5 pm)
• Indoor NCAC Championship: Friday, February 23 (12 pm) and Saturday, February 24 (10 am) at Kenyon College.
• Outdoor home meet: Saturday, April 20 (11 am)
• Outdoor NCAC Championship: Friday, May 3 (12 pm) and Saturday, May 4 at Denison.

How to Follow: 

Fans can follow Kenyon track and field throughout the season via the following links:

• Live coverage (stats and video) – https://athletics.kenyon.edu/live 
• X (Twitter) and Instagram – @KenyonSports
• YouTube – @KenyonAthletics