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Magic happens when kids and adults learn to swim. Tragedy can strike if they don't.

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Magic happens when kids and adults learn to swim. Tragedy can strike if they don't.

At a swim meet just outside St. Louis, heads turned when a team of young swimmers walked through the rec center with their parents in tow.

A supportive mom kept her eye on the clock while the Makos Swim Team athletes tucked their natural curls, braids, and locs into yellow swimming caps. In the bleachers, spectators whispered about the team’s presence at the pool in Centralia, Illinois — as they do at almost every competition.

“They don’t know that we’re listening,” Randella Randell, a swimmer’s mom, later said. “But we’re here to stay. We’re here to represent. We’re going to show you that Black kids know how to swim. We swim, too.”

Randell’s son, Elijah Gilliam, 14, is a member of the Makos’ competitive YMCA and USA Swimming program based in North St. Louis. Almost 40 athletes, ages 4 to 19, swim on the squad, which encourages Black and multiracial kids to participate in the sport. Coached by Terea Goodwin and Torrie Preciado, the team also spreads the word about water safety in their community.

“If we can get everybody to learn how to swim, just that little bit, it would save so many lives,” said Goodwin, a kitchen and bathroom designer by day who is known as Coach T at the pool. “Swimming is life.”

But just like mako sharks, such teams of Black swimmers are rare. Detroit has the Razor Aquatics, Howard University in Washington, D.C., has a team that’s made headlines for winning championships, and some alums from North Carolina A&T’s former swim team created a group to offer water safety classes.

In the past, Black Americans were barred from many public swimming pools. When racial segregation was officially banned, white Americans established private swim clubs that required members to pay a fee that wasn’t always affordable. As a result, swimming remained effectively segregated, and many Black Americans stayed away from pools.

The impact is still felt. More than a third of Black adults report they do not know how to swim, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics, more than twice the rate for adults overall.

Seeing a need in their community, the parents of the Makos swimmers formed the Black Swimmers Alliance at the end of 2023 with a goal of “bridging the gap in aquatic skills,” according to its website. But the group, which offers swim lessons to families of color, is concerned about the flow of grant money dwindling because of the recent federal backlash against diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. Even so, they are fundraising directly on their own, because lives are being lost.

In late January, a 6-year-old died at a hotel pool in St. Louis. A boy the same age drowned while taking swim lessons at a St. Louis County pool in 2022. And across the river in Hamel, Illinois, a 3-year-old boy drowned in a backyard pool last summer.

Drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages 1 through 4, according to the CDC. Black children and Black adults drown far more often than their white peers.

Members of the Black Swimmers Alliance discussed those statistics before their advocacy work began. They also had to address another issue — many of the adult volunteers and parents with children on the Makos team didn’t know how to swim. Even though their children were swimming competitively, the fear of drowning and the repercussions of history had kept the parents out of the pool.

The Makos athletes also noticed that their parents were timid around water. That’s when their roles reversed. The children started to look out for the grown-ups.

Joseph Johnson, now 14, called out his mom, Connie Johnson, when she tried to give him a few tips about how to improve his performance.

“He was like, ‘Mom, you have no idea,'” the now-55-year-old recalled. “At first, I was offended, but he was absolutely right. I didn’t know how to swim.”

She signed up for lessons with Coach T.

Najma Nasiruddin-Crump and her husband, Joshua Crump, signed up, too. His daughter Kaia Collins-Crump, now 14, had told them she wanted to join the Makos team the first time she saw it. But among the three of them, no one knew how to swim.

Joshua Crump, 38, said he initially felt silly at the lessons, then started to get the hang of it.

“I don’t swim well enough to beat any of the children in a race,” he said with a chuckle.

Nasiruddin-Crump, 33, said she was terrified the first time she jumped in the deep end. “It is the only moment in my life outside of birthing my children that I’ve been afraid of something,” she said. “But once you do it, it’s freedom. It’s pure freedom.”

Mahoganny Richardson, whose daughter Ava is on the team, volunteered to teach more Makos parents how to swim.

She said the work starts outside the pool with a conversation about a person’s experiences with water. She has heard stories about adults who were pushed into pools, then told to sink or swim. Black women were often told to stay out of the water to maintain hairstyles that would swell if their hair got wet.

Bradlin Jacob-Simms, 47, decided to learn how to swim almost 20 years after her family survived Hurricane Katrina. She evacuated the day before the storm hit but said one of her friends survived only because that woman’s brother was able to swim to find help.

“If it wasn’t for him, they would have died,” she said, noting that hundreds did drown.

“That’s the reason why swimming is important to me,” she said. “A lot of times, us as African Americans, we shy away from it. It’s not really in our schools. It’s not really pushed.”

Makos swimmer Rocket McDonald, 13, encouraged his mom, Jamie McDonald, to get back into the water and stick with it. When she was a child, her parents had signed her up for swim lessons, but she never got the hang of it. Her dad was always leery of the water. McDonald didn’t understand why until she read about a race riot at a pool not far from where her dad grew up that happened after St. Louis desegregated public pools in 1949.

“It was a full-circle moment,” McDonald said. “It all makes sense now.”

Now, at 42, McDonald is learning to swim again.

Safety is always a priority for the Makos team. Coach T makes the athletes practice swimming in full clothing as a survival skill.

Years ago, as a lifeguard in Kansas City, Missouri, Coach T pulled dozens of children out of recreational swimming pools who were drowning. Most of them, she said, were Black children who came to cool off but didn’t know how to swim.

“I was literally jumping in daily, probably hourly, getting kids out of every section,” Goodwin said. After repeated rescues, too many to count, she decided to offer lessons.

Swim lessons can be costly. The Black Swimmers Alliance aimed to fund 1,000 free swim lessons by the end of 2025. It had already funded 150 lessons in St. Louis. But when the group looked for grants, the alliance scaled back its goal to 500 lessons, out of caution about what funding would be available.

It’s still committed to helping Black athletes swim competitively throughout their school years and in college.

Most of the time, the Makos swimmers practice in a YMCA pool that doesn’t have starting blocks. Backstroke flags are held in place with fishing wire, and the assistant coach’s husband, José Preciado, used his 3-D printer to make red, regulation 15-meter markers for the team. Once a week, parents drive the team to a different YMCA pool that has starting blocks. That pool is about 5 degrees warmer for its senior patrons’ comfort. Sometimes the young swimmers fuss about the heat, but practicing there helps them prepare for meets.

Parents said white officials have frequently disqualified Makos swimmers. So some of the team parents studied the rules of the sport, and eventually four became officials to diversify the ranks and ensure all swimmers are treated fairly. Still, parents said, that hasn’t stopped occasional racist comments from bystanders and other swimmers at meets.

“Some didn’t think we’d make it this far, not because of who we are but where we’re from,” Goodwin has taught the Makos swimmers to recite. “So we have to show them.”

And this spring, Richardson is offering lessons for Makos parents while their children practice.

“It’s not just about swimming,” Richardson said. “It’s about overcoming something that once felt impossible.”

Kaiser Health NewsThis article was reprinted from khn.org, a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF – the independent source for health policy research, polling, and journalism.

KFF Health News

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Hartford Women’s Track and Field Shine at Yale University Season Opener

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NEW HAVEN, Conn. – On Saturday, the University of Hartford women’s indoor track & field team kicked off the season competing at the Yale Season Opener in New Haven, delivering standout performances setting new all-time school records.

Rapid Recap:

  • Senior Madison DiPasquale (Wallingford, Conn.) was busy today filling up the stat sheet and breaking all-time records at Hartford. She placed third in the weight throw event tossing a distance of 15.98 meters. Madison has set a new record for furthest weight throw distance in Hartford history, outbeating the previous holder by 0.66 meters. In the shot put event she finished in fifth place launching the shot put a good distance of 12.45 meters. DiPasquale beat her own record set last year at 11.82 to strengthen her position at second-best all-time at Hartford.
  • Junior Jordan Murphy (East Hampton, Conn.) as she earned third place overall in the high jump event clearing a height of 1.65m. With this jump she is now added to the top ten list in Hartford’s record books tying for seventh place.
  • Sophomore Ella Stephenson (Ledyard, Conn.) had a strong showing in the women’s 800m race earning second place overall with a final time of 2:26.74. Just behind Stephenson was freshman Leah Valentino (Beacon Falls, Conn.) finishing in third place just a few seconds after at 2:28.32.
  • Just behind DiPasquale in the shot put event was senior Tommie Barker (Canton, Conn.) finishing in eighth place with a distance of 11.73m. Barker is now tied for third best of all-time.
  • Junior Caroline Crocker (Bernardston, Mass.) took eighth place in the women’s 60m hurdles with a time of 9.24 seconds. This time puts her tied for fourth best of all-time in Hartford’s record books.


Post Game Press:

“My intentions coming into this meet were to just go out there, hit the technical cues, and just throw,” said senior Madison DiPasquale (Wallingford, Conn.). “On the throw I just did what I needed to do and it just clicked! I am going to use this as a confidence boost for the remainder of the season and hopefully continue to climb.”

“We had an incredible season opener,” said head coach Connor Green. “Now while school records and and top 10 marks are a goal and excellent when they happen, what we really loved with seeing all of our new athletes was to  get a chance to showcase all of the hard work they’ve been putting in. As well as all of our returners really stepping up and putting themselves in a great position for the rest of the season. Across the board it was a stellar day and we are thrilled with how our athletes performed. We can’t wait to see what’s next.”

 

Up Next: 

The Hawks will compete next Saturday, December 13th at the SCSU Art Kadish Invitational.

For the latest information on Hartford Athletics follow the Hawks on Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube.





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Men’s Track and Field Finishes Second in Season Opener

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CHICAGO — The University of Chicago men’s track and field team took to the track on Friday afternoon at the Cougar Alumni Invite hosted by Chicago State. The Maroons finished second in a strong field of teams to open up the 2025-26 campaign with a strong start.

Quint Stein and Simon Dixon led the Maroons as the lone two individuals with first-place finishes. Dixon took home the wins in both the Shot Put and the Weight Throw, and Stein added the lone running event victory in the 800m Run. UChicago took the top three finishes in the 800m Run as Abraham Went and Tristan Louvard took second and third with a pair of finishes within two seconds of Stein. 

Nathaniel Stuit earned a personal best in the men’s 400m Run with a time of 49.04 en route to second-place finish.

Oluwaseyi Kadiri added a second-place finish in the Triple Jump, and Imran Serifovic added a third-place finish in the High Jump for the top two jumping performances on the day.

With the first meet of the season now complete, the Maroons will break for the holidays before returning to the Henry Crown Fieldhouse for the Phoenix Invite on January 10.

TOP-5 FINISHERS:

1) Quint Stein – 800m Run – 1:57.32
1) Simon Dixon – Weight Throw – 16.49m
1) Simon Dixon – Shot Put – 15.53m
2) Nathaniel Stuit – 400m Run – 49.04 (Collegiate Best)
2) Oluwaseyi Kadiri – Triple Jump – 13.75m
2) Abraham Went – 800m – 1:58.56
3) Tristan Louvard – 800m – 1:59.22
3) Paul Sackman – 200m Dash – 22.16
3) Imran Serifovic – High Jump – 1.95m
3) Ethan Hoffman – Shot Put – 14.36m
4) Karsten Kropp – High Jump – 1.95m
5) Daniel Hernandez – Triple Jump – 13.22m
5) Paul Sackman – 60m Dash – 6.95

COLLEGIATE BESTS:

* Jackson Giampa – 200m Dash – 22.43
* Nathaniel Stuit – 400m Run – 49.04

TEAM SCORES:

1) Chicago State – 127.5
2) UChicago – 98
3) Madonna – 97.5
4) Bradley – 58
5) UIC – 54
6) Wisconsin – 49
7) Olivet Nazarene – 32
8) Bradley – 14
9) Loyola-Chicago – 13
10) Judson – 12
11) St. Xavier – 10
12) Benedictine (IL) – 6
13) Olive Harvey – 1



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Women’s Track and Field Kicks Off 2026 Season With Impressive Performances at Springfield Season Opener Meet

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Springfield, Mass. – December 6, 2025 – The Springfield College women’s track and field team had a number of strong performances as it hosted the Springfield College Season Opener for the first meet of the season on Saturday afternoon.

Katherine DeFosse (Worcester, Mass.) picked up right where she left off last indoor season as she took first in the 60-meter hurdles at 8.74 which is the third fastest time in NCAA Division III to date this season. DeFosse also picked up a second-place finish in both the 60-meter dash with a time of 7.84, which ranks eighth nationally and the 200-meter dash at 26.62 while Ella Couchon (Windsor Locks, Conn.) took the win in the 200-meter dash at 26.55, which ranks 16th nationally.

Kristina Kyle (Watertown, Conn.) won the one mile run, crossing the finish line at 5:19.76, ranking her fourth in the country early on, and Kami Wlodyka (Three Rivers, Mass.) finished third with a time of 5:29.72.

Natalia Marchand (Hubbardston, Mass.) took first place in the 400-meter dash in 58.51, ranking her fourth in Division III thus far, while first-year Sydney Meeks (Wynantskill, N.Y.) took second place with times of 58.51 and 1:02.80, respectively. Peyton Knott (Leicester, Mass.) won the 600-meter run with a time of 1:43.40. 

Springfield’s relay teams swept the top three spots in the 4×400-meter relay with the relay team of Knott, Meeks, Marchand, and Madison Mulas (Wilmington, Mass.) finishing at 4:14.77.

In the field events, Hannah Debian (West Springfield, Mass.) won both the weight throw and shot put with marks of 15.48-meters (50 feet, 9.00 inches) and 11.87-meters (38 feet, 11.25 inches), respectively. Debian’s weight throw toss ranks fourth in the country as of today.

Grace Flattery (Swansea, Mass.) and Autumn Bacik (Watertown, Conn.) tied for second place in the high jump with a 1.58-meter (5 feet, 2.25 inches) jump. The duo is tied for ninth in Division III with this mark so far this season. Flattery also finished second in the triple jump with a mark of 10.42-meters (34 feet, 2.25 inches) in her debut for the Pride. 

Springfield will await the new year and travel to Tufts on Saturday, January 17 for the Branwen Smith-King Invitational. 

Sign up for free today to receive the latest news about your favorite Springfield College Athletics program directly to your email here. 

For the latest on Springfield College Athletics, follow the Pride on social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Be sure to tune into all Springfield College Athletic events by subscribing to FloSports.





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FLEMMER POSTS PROGRAM RECORD AT HOLIDAY OPEN

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BROOKINGS, S.D. — South Dakota State opens its season with a 300-meter program record performance and over 20 podium finishes at the SDSU Holiday Open Friday evening. 

HEAD COACH ROD DEHAVEN

“It was a great opening meet for the Jackrabbits. We ahd a lot of very positive things like the 300-meter school record from Lucas Flemmer. Great finish. The men’s 4×400-meter relay. We saw a lot of great stuff across the board. There is some things we can build upon, but the coaching staff I think was pleased with our overall effort today.”

TRACK EVENTS

The highlight of the meet occurred during the 300-meter race as sophomore Lucas Flemmer bested fellow teammate James Pierce’s program record of 33.65 by nearly a tenth of a second at 33.54 to win the race. Carter Toews, Griffin Fischer, Gunnar Gunderson and Cael Woods competed alongside Flemmer. Toews finished runner-up with a time of 34.42. Fischer claimed bronzed in his collegiate debut, crossing the line at 34.45. Gunnar Gunderson placed in the top-five with a time of 34.89, and Woods took seventh at 35.38. 

Chloe Raw was a sight to see on the women’s side. Raw won the 60-meter dash in her collegiate debut, posting a time of 7.47. Later in the meet, Raw claimed bronze in the 200-meter with a time of 24.16. On the men’s side, Landen Matkins clutched runner-up in the 200-meter with a time of 22.22.

Freshman Story Rasby also won her first collegiate race during the night’s competition. Rasby won the 300-meter dash with a time of 39.52. Several Jackrabbits raced alongside Rasby, such as Erika Kuntz, who took bronze at 40.19. Jenna Johnson posted a top-five placement with a time of 40.36. Kyra Weiss clocked a time of 41.07 for sixth, while Vivian Dalton placed seventh with a time of 41.33. Alynna Henderson rounded out the Jackrabbit lineup in with a time of 43.84 to finish eighth overall. 

Kuntz and Johnson also competed together in the 4×400-meter relay race. The two seniors, alongside Ellie Harris and Maggie Madsen, posted a time of 3:50.15 to win the event. Another SDSU relay team, comprised of Rasby, Reese Luze, Dalton and Weiss, challenged the winning senior squad during the race as the two teams vied for primary position. Ultimately, Weiss crossed the line a second after Kuntz to claim silver for her squad. Flemmer led the team for the men’s 4×400-meter relay. Freshmen Tate Songstad and Griffin Fischer made up the middle legs of the race with Gunnar Gunderson as the anchor. The squad clocked a time of 3:16.01 to win the event. 

In distance events, Hannah Spoden won the 800-meter with a time of 2:13.30, while Lindsey Rotz crossed the line hot on Spoden’s tail in second at 2:13.50. Anna Sheriff and Marissa Garcia raced as well, finishing 11th and 12th, respectively. Sheriff posted a time of 2:21.58, while Garcia crossed at 2:23.42. On the men’s side, Joe Dustin finished fourth with a time of 1:53.79. 

Sean Murphy took gold in the mile with a time of 4:16.34. Ty Brouwer raced as well, finishing fourth at 4:19.30. In the 3000-meter race, Tyler O’Neill finished runner-up at 8:45.48 behind Jackrabbit alum, Daniel Burkhalter, who clocked a time of 8:43.51. On the women’s side, Nicole Swanson took third at 10:08.31. 

FIELD EVENTS

Ethan Fischer opened his senior season with a personal record in weight throw. Fischer hit a mark of 63-06.75 (19.37m) to win the event, while fellow Jackrabbit Ryan Hackbart took third with a throw of 58-01.25 (17.71m). 

Ty Nelson opened his collegiate career with a first-place finish in triple jump. Nelson landed a mark of 47-08.50 (14.54m) to become the seventh-best performer in program history. Fellow freshman Kincade Lehman competed as well, placing in the top-five with a mark of 45-05.00 (13.84m). While Lehman didn’t make podium in triple jump, the freshman posted an impressive performance in long jump as he won the event with a leap of 23-06.00 (7.16m). Long jump was a packed event for SDSU as six other Jackrabbits competed alongside Lehman. Rylan McDonnell took fourth with a mark of 21-10.75 (6.67m). Brett Fraker finished in the top-five after landing 21-10.00 (6.65m). Wyatt Melcher took seventh with a jump of 21-05.25 (6.53m). Ryan Benson claimed ninth with a leap of 21-03.50 (6.49m). Hudson Schroeder finished 11th at 21-02.50 (6.46m), and Ty Nelson rounded out the Jackrabbit lineup with a 12th-place finish and a leap of 20-10.50 (6.36m). 

Taylor Jochum had a solid showing in her season debut. Jochum cleared 5-04.25 (1.63m) in the high jump competition to take second. Hadley Carlson and Logan Bly competed as well, placing fourth and eighth, respectively. Carlson cleared 5-04.25 (1.63m) to receive her placement, while Bly jumped 5-00.25 (1.53m). 



UP NEXT

The Jackrabbits disperse for winter break before heading to Vermillion for the USD Alumni Meet on Jan. 17. 


-GoJacks.com-



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Sara Schermerhorn Tops Former Teammate to Win 400 Meters at GVSU Track and Field Holiday Open

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Hope College sprinter Sara Schermerhorn raced past a former teammate to win the 400-meter run at the indoor season–opening Grand Valley State University Holiday Open on Friday in Allendale.

The senior from Traverse City, Michigan (Traverse City West), posted a first-place time of 55.45 seconds to race past a field of 58 on GVSU’s 300-meter track. The run also was the fastest in NCAA Division III so far this season.

Schermerhorn crossed the finish line ahead of runner-up Catherine Leahy ’25. Leahy, who now competes for NCAA Division I Oakland University as a graduate student, finished in 57.43.

The meet, which featured NCAA Division I, II, III and NAIA competitors, was the first for head coach Jordan Bartolazzi coaching Schermerhorn, a four-time All-American over the past two indoor seasons.

“Sara is an exceptional worker, and she has all the intangibles,” Bartolazzi said. “She knows how to race and how to run with exceptional form.

“It was neat to see Catherine running. I would have loved to get her last year of eligibility this year, but I’m happy for her. She’s at a great school and will continue to do great things.”

The Flying Dutch delivered several more strong performances.

In the 1-mile run invite division, senior Molly Durow picked up where she left off after an All-American cross country season this fall.

Durow (Glenview, Illinois / Glenbrook South) clocked Division III’s top time with a runner-up effort of 4:58.97. Only Gabby Phelan of NCAA Division I Toledo University was faster, at 4:57.3.

Freshman Miranda Sawvel (Laramie, Colorado / Centennial) placed eighth in the event in 5:14.47.

The Flying Dutch posted Division III’s fifth-fastest 4×400 relay, with freshman Jaidyn Klimp (Galesburg, Michigan / Galesburg Augusta), senior Frances Cozzens (Lyman, New Hampshire / St. Johnsbury Academy), freshman Savana Monville (Auburn, Michigan / Bay City Western) and freshman Eliana Kotsonis (Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin / Hamilton) going 4:03.50. The relay finished seventh in the race.

Junior Mary England (Kalamazoo, Michigan / Kalamazoo Central) outraced the field in Heat 2 of the 3,000-meter run, recording a time of 10:20.07 that was sixth-fastest in Division III. England finished ahead of runner-up Jadie Chavez of the Division I University of Illinois at Chicago, who ran 10:32.51.

Freshman Taylor Mitchell (Otsego, Michigan / Otsego) took fourth in the heat at 10:38.00.

In Heat 2 of the 5,000-meter run, freshman Dylan Ballin (Brookville, Ohio / Brookville) led the Flying Dutch with a third-place time of 18:08.83. Ballin ranked 17th in the nation after Friday.

“I was really pleased,” Bartolazzi said. “We had great energy, as the men did. It was a good day for Hope track and field.”

Hope next competes Saturday, Jan. 24, at the Aurora University (Illinois) Grand Prix near Chicago.



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Women’s Indoor Track and Field Starts Action at BU Sharon Colyear-Danvile Season Opener

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BOSTON, MA (December 6, 2025) — The Tufts University women’s track and field team sent a small contingent of distance runners to the opening indoor track and field meet of the 2025-26 season, competing at the 2025 Boston University Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener at the BU Track and Tennis Center. 

Sophomore Phoebe Bryar competed in the women’s 1500 meter run Saturday, and finished 31st overall in a very deep meet with many Division I and II schools competing. Bryar ran a 4:56.36 in the event, while the race continued for a mile time as she chalked up a 5:15.48 for a New England Regional qualifying time and 30th place.

Sonia Olson also ran in the same event, taking 37th in the in the 1500m en route with a 4:59.02. She would close with a time of 5:19.57 in the mile run. 

First-year Zui Chinchalkar ran her first collegiate track race in the 3000 meter run, crossing the line in 10:02.06 for a Division III New England Regional qualifying time. 

Senior Elizabeth Donahue ran a 16:54.83 in the women’s 5000m run, and junior Katya Henisz finished with a 17:13.13. Both times were regional qualifying times, as well as personal-best times in the event. 

Tufts will have a few days off before heading to the Dartmouth College December Invitational Friday, December 12 in Hanover, NH. 


–JUMBOS–

 



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