Track & Field Excels in Inaugural Varsity Campaign

By Nick Williams, Athletics Communication Director, Office of Athletics

When Sean Livingston – head coach for both track and field and cross country at Roger Williams – first started at the University five years ago, he knew some chance existed that track and field might jump from a club sport to varsity status.

“Every year since I was hired, I was hoping that we’d get that word that it was going to be elevated to a varsity sport,” Livingston says. On April 29, 2008, Livingston’s wish came true. With the WQRI microphone serving as his megaphone, RWU President Roy J. Nirschel announced that track and field would become a varsity sport.

Fast-forward to 2009: In its first season of varsity competition, the team enjoyed exceptional success, setting school records on a weekly basis. Case in point? In the team’s first meet of the season at Bryant University, both the men’s and women’s teams established five new Hawk records. When the men’s squad captured The Commonwealth Coast Conference Invitational later in the season, that served as capstone to a resoundingly successful inaugural campaign.

Perhaps the most impressive of the team’s accomplishments is the fact that the Hawks competed without a heavily recruited class – the primary recruiting season had already ended by the time the announcement was made concerning the team’s varsity status.

“We had a good turnout of mainly freshmen for this year’s program,” Livingston says. “So the interest I see for next year’s freshman class is really going to take off.”

One of those standout freshmen is Kristen Metcalf, a dual-athlete who is also a member of the women’s soccer team. Metcalf has already broken three school records, including setting a new mark in the 200-meter dash four times during the season and qualifying for the New England Regional Meet.

“The freshmen have exceeded what I thought we could do,” Livingston says. And with a slew of new recruits ready to run in the 2010 season, the future is looking bright for the fledgling program.