LEWISTON, Maine -- The Bates women's track and field team got to have a short outdoor season last spring but the Bobcats haven't competed in an indoor meet since March 7 of 2020. That changes this Saturday when the Bobcats travel to MIT to take on the Engineers and the University of Southern Maine at 12pm.

Bates originally was supposed to compete at Brandeis but that meet got canceled due the ongoing pandemic.  

"It's a weird year," Bates head coach Jennifer "Jay" Hartshorn said. "It's really exciting too, but you have to plan events differently this year. The athletes have to go for it when they have their opportunities and then we'll have to see what happens from there."

The Bobcats boast five team captains for the nearly 60-person roster.

Senior captain Elise Lambert (Amherst, N.H.) took full advantage of the shortened outdoor season last year, taking fifth place in the women's 800-meter final at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships, officially winning her third career All-America honors. 

Lambert ranks second in program history in the indoor 600 meters (1:37.32), fourth in the indoor 800 meters (2:13.69), fifth in the indoor high jump (5'5''), and Lambert was part of a record-breaking distance medley relay team in 2019 (11:43.51) that finished second in the country at NCAAs. Lambert was also part of the fourth and fifth fastest 4x800 meter relays in Bates indoor history. She qualified for the indoor NCAA championships in 2020 in the 800 meters and earned All-America honors when the event was canceled due to the pandemic. 

Senior captain Amanda Kaufman (Somers, Conn.) took a leave of absence last year in order to return this season for her final year as a Bobcat. She was part of a Bates record-breaking 4x400 relay team in 2020 (3:51.94) and she joined Lambert on the record-breaking DMR team in 2019. Kaufman ranks third in Bates history in the 55 meter hurdles (8.68), second in the 60 meter hurdles (8.99), ninth in the indoor 200 meters (26.19), and fifth in the pentathlon (2982). 

Like Lambert, Kaufman is a three-time All-American, having placed second nationally with the DMR team in 2019 and having qualified for NCAAs in both the 60-meter hurdles and the 4x400 relay in 2020.

Senior captain Rebecca Willis (West Newbury, Mass.) is another returning All-American for the Bobcats. She was part of the same record-breaking 4x400 relay as Kaufman in 2020. Willis ranks sixth all time at Bates in the 60 meter hurdles (9.40). 

Seniors Emily-Claire Duffy (Belmont, Mass.) and Mary Richardson (Blue Hill, Maine) round out the captains for Bates this year. Richardson was teammates with Lambert on the women's cross country team in the fall, which had one of its best seasons ever, finishing 16th in the country.

"Mary is one of those people who, captain or not, she's going to be a leader," Hartshorn said. "I think she might know every person at Bates College. She definitely knows every one on our team."

The Bobcats are particularly deep when it comes to middle distance runners, as the cross country team moves to indoor track and field season. Cross country All-Americans junior Jillian Richardson (Auburn, Maine) and senior Tara Ellard (Brewster, Mass.) lead a very strong group. Hartshorn is also expecting big things from juniors Jordan Wilson (Medfield, Mass.) and Beth Annese (Needham, Mass.) but a number of people could end up scoring points for the Bobcats.

"We did a workout yesterday with the women who are basically 3K runners and I had like 11 women do the exact same workout, and they all ran the exact same time," Hartshorn said. "They're kind of all the same, in a good way."

The Bobcats have a pair of new coaches this year. Danny Colina will coach the throwers and for the first time ever, Bates has a dedicated vault coach in Dean Dumas. Sophomore Alma Mackic (Lake Forest, Ill.) is the top thrower for the women's team, having gotten a chance to get her feet wet in collegiate competition last spring.

Senior Lily Simmons (Harpers Ferry, W.Va.) is one of the best pole vaulters in program history, essentially tied for first in the indoor pole vault at 11.01.75 feet.

"The pole vault is so specific and it takes up so much time at meets, so it's a really good situation to have a dedicated coach in the event," Hartshorn said. "We're really excited that it worked out and Dean was in the close enough area to us and had some good coaching experience. So we got really lucky with our hires this summer. It's exciting." 

Junior Megan Lacey (Braxton, Miss.) set a personal record in the long jump in outdoor track and field to wrap up last spring (16' 7.75"), finishing in third place at the Tufts Invitational. She returns along with fellow jumpers sophomores Enisa Shoshi (Coraopolis, Pa.) and Livia Kozick (Portsmouth, N.H.), both of whom impressed in their abbreviated rookie seasons. Shoshi is also a hurdler for the Bobcats.

Like most Bates teams, Hartshorn and the women's track and field team doesn't know what to expect from the sophomores and first-years in their first full seasons. But perhaps that's just more of the fun when it comes to the return to competition.

"Our sport is in a very interesting time right now, across the board." Hartshorn said. "We're just thrilled to get out there and compete this weekend."