MEDFORD, MA (May 1, 2026) – Junior sprinter
Simi Lawal and the coaching staff of the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) champion Tufts University women's track & field team have earned major conference awards as NESCAC announced its All-Conference Teams on Friday.
Lawal was voted by the conference's coaches as the Sabasteanski Award recipient as the Most Outstanding Performer at the NESCAC meet, held April 25-26 at Williams College. She won the 100 meters with a time of 11.79 seconds, which was 0.03 off the meet record. Lawal also finished second in the 200 meters, improving her school-record mark in the event with a 24.27. She also ran the anchor leg of Tufts' winning 4x100-meter relay that broke the meet record (46.51). She is Tufts' first Sabasteanski Award winner since Danielle Page in 2021.
The Tufts coaching staff was recognized after the Jumbos won the NESCAC title for the first time since 2013. Led by Track & Field Head Coach
Kristen Morwick and Director of Track & Field/Cross Country
Jamie Norton, the staff includes Associate Head Coach
Ben Colello and assistant coaches
Kat Rafuse,
Ingrid Gustafson,
Elise Molinaro,
Sophie Long,
Noah Gauthier and
Dave Filias. They guided a Jumbo team that won six individual and relay titles at the meet, the most for the Tufts program since 2015. Tufts scored 152.5 points to dethrone defending champion Williams College, which scored 135. The Jumbos are NESCAC's Women's Coaching Staff of the Year for the first time since 2021, and for the fourth time overall.
Lawal was also one of nine individuals who earned All-Conference awards announced today. The top three individuals in each event and the top three relay teams earn All-NESCAC awards. Joining Lawal as All-Conference honorees are sophomore
Arielle Chechile, senior
Liz Donahue, junior
Emma Gall, junior
Ceci LaBarge, sophomore
Zoe Margolies, sophomore
Makayla Moriarty, junior
Jackie Wells and sophomore
Lauren Zipoli.
Seven Jumbos earned All-Conference awards for winning events. Chechile was first in the 400-meter hurdles, Lawal won the 100-meter dash, and both were part of the 4x100-meter relay champions. Moriarty and Zipoli were also on the winning 4x1, while LaBarge won the hammer throw, Gall was first in the pole vault and Donahue took the 10,000 meters title.
The 4x1 time of 46.51 seconds, Chechile's 1:00.04 in the 400 hurdles and Gall's 3.87m (12'8 ¼") pole vault all broke NESCAC Championship meet records.
Chechile, Lawal and Zipoli each earned All-Conference recognition in three events. In addition to their victories, Chechile was third in the 100 meters, Lawal was second in the 200 meters and Zipoli placed third in both the 100-meter hurdles and the long jump. Moriarty was All-NESCAC in two events, including her third in the 400 meters. Margolies (second in 10,000m) and Wells (third in javelin throw) both achieved the honor in one event.
Earning the recognition for the second straight year, Chechile has now achieved conference honors in six events overall and Moriarty in five events overall. Wells is All-Conference for the second consecutive year (two events). Each of the others earned All-Conference recognition for the first time.
See the full 2026 NESCAC All-Conference Team
HERE.
--JUMBOS--
