Women's Basketball Ends Run in NESCAC Championship
After entering the NESCAC tournament as the seventh seed a season ago, Colby's Women's Basketball team flipped the standings this season to hold the No. 2 seed and advance all the way to the conference championship game. After taking care of Trinity with ease in the semifinals (90-69), the Mules fell to undefeated Bowdoin in the final seconds to end their run as NESCAC Runners-Up.
The Mules offensive efficiency was evident against the Bantams Saturday leading the way from start to finish. Colby shot 54.5% from the field and 60% from three-point range, including going six of six from deep in the second quarter. With 7:44 left in the final frame, the Mules held a colossal 30-pointlead. In the end, Colby's offensive depth and defense, totaling 19 points off Bantam turnovers, were too much to overcome. The standout player for the Mules was Kate Olenik, who scored 31 points on 11-13 shooting to go with four steals, five rebounds and three assists. Amelia Hanscom added 16 points and Chelsea Ibenegbu (12) and Lydia Mordarski (11) rounded out the double-digit scoring.
In Sunday's NESCAC Championship game against the top-seeded Polar Bears, Colby gave fans their monies worth. The first half of play remained close with the biggest lead being eight in the Mules favor. Bowdoin pushed back in the third quarter taking a one point lead of their own at the seven minute mark before Colby went on a run to stretch out to a 10-point lead late in the frame. Scrapping to stay in the game paid off for Bowdoin as they took the lead with under a minute to go. The Polar Bears thwarted Colby's last second efforts, and Bowdoin held on to repeat as conference champions.
Mordarski led the charge for the Mules, finishing with 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting. The junior guard also contributed two rebounds, two assists, and two steals in 39 minutes of action. Olenik and Von Rumohr also had solid performances, combining for 22 points. Olenik was a perfect 5-of-5 from the free-throw line and added seven rebounds while playing all 40 minutes.
Narrowly missing out on an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, Colby ends their season with a 15-11 record. Without a senior on the roster, the Mules will look to reload for another thrilling season next year.
Men's Ice Hockey Moves Past Amherst in Double Overtime
Despite sweeping the season series against the Mammoths with 3-2 and 4-2 victories, Saturday's showdown with Amherst was as leveled as it gets. Moving past regulation and even a full 20-minute overtime period, a second overtime is what it took to declare a winner as Colby prevailed 3-2.
After a scoreless first period, Matthew MacDonald put Colby ahead 1-0 in the second. Amherst responded with two goals in the third period giving them a 2-1 lead. Massimo Gentile tallied the equalizer with seven minutes to play to tie the game at two goals apiece to send the game into overtime.
With shootouts a thing of the past in postseason play, teams that reach extra time prepare for full 20-minute periods. After a scoreless first overtime, Max Abene became the hero of the game two minutes into the second when he pushed a rebound past the Mammoth netminder to secure the victory. Abene’s goal was assisted by Nick Stapleton and Reese Farrell.
In net, Cooper Rautenstrauch had an outstanding game with a career-high 53 saves in the contest, earning him NESCAC Player of the Week.
The 14-5-6 Mules will head to Hamilton next weekend for the final rounds of the conference tournament. Colby faces off with 5th-seeded Tufts in the semifinal round Saturday with the winner advancing to Sunday's Championship. The Mules won both matchups with the Jumbos 6-4 and 3-2 (OT) in the regular season.
Women's Ice Hockey Holds Off Trinity for Fifth Straight NESCAC Semifinal Appearance
With the Mules owning the season series against the Bantams three wins to none (3-2, 4-1, 3-0), Saturday's quarterfinal matchup may have appeared to be a lock. Playoff hockey is different, and a scrappy Trinity squad gave 7th-ranked Colby a true test, unleashing 43 shots on goal across the three frames. Behind timely scoring, stellar defense, and a career-high 42 stops by three-time NESCAC Player of the Week Mandy Busky, the Mules pushed past the Bantams into the NESCAC semifinals for their fifth straight appearance.
Lizzy Hamel opened the scoring for Colby in the first period at 4:27, followed by Courtney Schumacher's goal at 15:13, assisted by Beth Sinson. The two goal cushion was interrupted in the third period as Trinity responded with a short-handed goal, but it was not enough as Colby held on to the one goal lead the rest of the way. Late pressure by the Mules even prevented the Bantams from pulling their goalie, as Colby kept the puck in Trinity's end for the final few minutes.
In a physical game with both teams having several power play opportunities, neither was able to capitalize going a combined 0 for 10. Trinity held the shot advantage 43-21, putting a remarkable 18 shots on net in the final frame. In a game full of highlights, none screamed louder than when Busky turned away seven consecutive Trinity shots in the span of less than a minute late in the game.
The 17-5-2 Mules will head to Amherst next weekend for the remainder of the conference playoffs. Colby will battle Middlebury Saturday with the winner advancing to Sunday's championship game. The Mules swept the Panthers last weekend in a pair of shutouts to conclude the regular season.
Young 18th at World Championships in Norway, Seven Skiers to Compete at NCAAs
Selected as the youngest member of the US Nordic team competing at the World Championships in Trondheim, Norway, Colby senior Jack Young finished 18th Thursday as the third American finisher in the Skate Sprint event.
Young returned home just in time to join teammates Andrew Defor and Maddie Hooker from the Nordic Ski team and Carissa Cassidy, Harrison Digangi, Lydia Riddell, and Hannah Soria to represent Colby Skiing this week at NCAA Championships. With Dartmouth set to host, races with run Wednesday through Saturday.
Relay Breaks National Record at Division III New England Championship
Competing against the top performers across 21 schools in the region, Colby had impressive showings at The Track at New Balance in Boston this weekend. As a team, the Mules totaled seven new school records highlighted by a national record in the 4x200 women’s relay. The combination of Tally Zeller, Charlotte Brake-Hoffman, Simone Waheed and Fiona Mejico (headline photo) totaled a time of 1:40.07 setting a new track record, school record and division III national record.
Women’s Top-Five Results:
- 4x200m Relay, 1st - Zeller, Brake-Hoffman, Waheed and Mejico (DIII record)
- 600m - Kirstina Pizzi 3rd (Colby record), Michelle Barnes 5th
- 60m - Waheed, 3rd (Colby record)
- 200m - Mejico, 3rd (Colby record)
- 400m - Kaitlyn Ewald, 3rd
Men’s Top-Five Results:
- 4x400m Relay, 1st - Peter Martel, Samuel Graubart, Levi Biery, Ren Zanze (Colby record)
- 200m - Ian Irwin 2nd (Colby record), Martel 5th
- 400m - Ren Zanze, 2nd
- Pole Vault - Logan Lehnert, 5th
- 1000m - Henry Reichle, 4th
The Mules will look to continue their outstanding performances on March 7th at the AARTFC Championships in Ithaca, N.Y and March 8th at the NCAA FInal Qualifier in Medford, Mass.
NCAA Field Set After Diving Regionals, Nine Mules to Compete
Colby divers Avery Rappaport (top-15 in both events) and Ivan Knoepflmacher (top-10 in both events) stepped toe to toe with the region's top Division III divers this weekend in Springfield, Mass. for the final cut before swimmers and divers were announced for the NCAA Championships. After the dust settled, Colby qualified nine athletes to the national event, and will also compete in five relays.
The championship meet is set for March 19-22 in Indianapolis. Fans can follow along via the links on the schedule page.
Squash Concludes Season at CSA Team Championships
The Mules headed to the Arlen Specter US Squash Center in Philadelphia over the weekend for the 2025 CSA Team Championships. With a 16th national ranking the men's team competed for the Hoehn Cup while the 19th-ranked women's team battled for the Kurtz Cup.
On day one for the quarterfinal round, the men picked up a close 5-4 victory over MIT to send them to the semifinals. Inwoo Lee grabbed the only 3-0 sweep for the Mules dominating his opponent in the one spot. The next day Colby fell to Western 7-2 with lone victories coming from Lee and Carlos Zenedjas. On day three, the men faced Middlebury once again (who they have already beaten twice this season). This matchup was no different as the Mules won 5-4 to earn third place in the Hoehn Cup bracket.
As for the women, they grabbed a nail biting 5-4 victory over Dickinson in the Kurtz Cup consolation bracket after falling to Williams in the quarterfinals 6-3. On day three playing in the consolation finals, the Mules came up short to Bowdoin 6-3. Over the course of the three games Nathalie Sim went undefeated in the three spot 3-0.
The Colby Men's and Women's Squash team will be back in action next Winter.
SPRING TEAMS GET IN ON THE ACTION
Women's Lacrosse Opens With Victory Over #8 Wesleyan
With the feeling that every conference match this season will feel like a ranked matchup, the opener for Colby's Women's Lacrosse team was in fact that. As #7 Colby faced off against #8 Wesleyan, much was on the line Saturday on Mayflower Hill.
Wesleyan took a 3-1 lead to end the first quarter, but Colby responded with a strong second period. Highlighted by Julia Jardina’s second and third goals of the contest and contributions from Kins Helmer and Gennie Littlejohn, the Mules were able to tie the game 5-5 before the halftime break.After trading goals in the third quarter, the game remained knotted entering the final frame 8-8.
In the fourth quarter a man up goal from Helmer (her third score of the game) proved to be all Colby needed as Mules goaltender Jillian Kane turned away the only Cardinal shot in the final seven minutes of play.
Colby's offense was led by Jardina, who scored four goals. Kat Munter finished with eight ground balls in the contest while Gisele Uva added four caused turnovers on the defensive end.
Colby will host Saint Joseph's Tuesday night before hitting the road for a Saturday-Sunday double header against Conn. College and Roger Williams.
Despite the Cold, Baseball Heats Up Against UMF
Sandwiched between snowstorms, the weather cleared long enough for Colby's Baseball team to open their season with a pair of games on Saturday afternoon. The Mules sent six different pitchers to the mound and tallied 30 hits across the twin bill to sweep the Beavers of UMaine Farmington in the two-game set.
In the first matchup of the doubleheader, the game was tightly contested early, with both teams scoring in the first inning. Ryan Grace broke the tie with a two-run homer for a 3-1 advantage before UMF took the lead with a four-run fourth inning. Colby jumped back in front in the fifth with a three-run homerun by Tony Silva, an the Mules extended their lead with three more runs in the sixth. Matt Higgins closed the game with two strong innings of relief to secure his first collegiate victory 9-6.
In game two, Colby routed the Beavers 26-4. The Mules came out strong with a 3-run first inning, led by a triple from Grace and continued their offensive onslaught with six more runs in the second inning. The offense kept rolling, with four runs in the third and seven in the fourth, including a two-RBI triple by Myles Zirpolo pushing the lead to 20-1. The final innings gave the Mules six more runs, and UMF could only muster only a handful. On the mound, Thomas Rioux was superb, earning the win with four strong innings, allowing just one run on two hits while striking out eight.
Colby will host USM Tuesday afternoon before hitting the road to face regional power Endicott College for a double header this coming Saturday.
Women's Tennis Opens Spring Season with Victory Over Conn. College
On Saturday the Mules defeated the Camels in their season opener in New London. To earn the lone doubles point, the pairings of Waka Aida/Jade Finestone (7-5) and Ella Novion/Amelie Gal (6-3) claimed victories against their opponents. In singles, Colby dominated the lower half, with Novion, Aida, and Amelie Gal winning their matches in straight sets to secure the 4-3 win.
The Mules will look to build on their 1-0 conference record as they head back to the Constitution State to face NESCAC foes Trinity and Wesleyan this upcoming weekend.
Men's Lacrosse Battles #7 Wesleyan
The Colby Men's Lacrosse team opened their 2025 campaign Saturday with one of the nation's top teams, as the Wesleyan Cardinals came into the year with the 7th-ranked tag. Colby managed the final two scores of the first half and traded goals to open the second, but the Cardinals rode an early lead to a 14-7 win.
Colby showed resilience and strong individual performances throughout the game. After a challenging opening quarter, the Mules made a notable comeback, scoring three goals in the second with contributions from Gavin Rothenberg, Will Steele, and Cormac Wright. In the second half, Cormac O’Neill found the back of the net, and Colby strung together three unanswered goals to enter the fourth (Steele, Carter Smith, and Rothenberg) to bring the deficit down to five. Wesleyan tacked on a pair of late scores and maintained possession to lock up the win. On top of Steels two goals he led the team with eight ground balls.
The Mules will play a home and away double header next weekend, hosting Conn. College on Saturday before taking to the road to face Endicott on Sunday.
Men's Tennis Faces Conn. and Skidmore to Begin the Spring Season
On the road Saturday the Mules fell to the Camels 5-2. Colby's two points came on wins in the one and two singles spots from Jake Cohen (6-2, 6-4) and Jason Daly (6-0, 6-1). Cohen paired with Marco Ziets-Segura won their doubles matchup despite the Camels taking wins in the second and third doubles.
On Sunday in Manchester, Conn. the Mules had a close finish but were unable to sneak past the Thoroughbreds in a 4-3 final. All three victories for Colby came in singles play from Daly, Diego Sosa, and Ziets-Segura.
Men's Tennis will look to bounce back next week on the road against the Bantams and Cardinals.
Special thank you to the photographers who helped make this production possible: Bonnie Baker Photography, Steve Cheney P'25, Stephen R. Clouthier, Traigh DeMasi '28, Jamie Fiedorek '25, Steve Fuller @flyingpoint, Peter Li '26, Michael Maher, Reese Robinson '27, Junan Shimizu '25, Daryn Slover P'28, Marty Thornton Photos, Ansley White '26, and the Colby Communications team.