Cumberland, Coach Rafuse Win Women's Track & Field Regional Awards

MEDFORD, MA (May 28, 2026) – The United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced its 2026 Division III Outdoor Regional Award winners today, and Tufts University sophomore Elysse Cumberland and assistant coach Kat Rafuse were honored.

For the Northeast Region, Cumberland was recognized as the Women's Field Athlete of the Year, and Rafuse was named as Women's Assistant Coach of the Year.

At the 2026 NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships in La Crosse, Wisconsin May 21-23, Cumberland earned two first-team All-American Awards. She was the runner-up in the long jump with a school-record mark of 6.21m (20'4 ½"). Later in the meet, she took fourth place in the triple jump with a 12.33m (40'5 ½") mark that was her second-best ever in the event outdoors.

During the season, Cumberland won the long jump at the New England Division III Championship meet (5.94m – 19'6"). The mark ranked fourth nationally for the NCAA meet. Her qualifying mark in the triple, a 12.14m (39'10") from the Tufts Spring Stampede, ranked seventh.

This is the eight-time All-American Cumberland's first Regional Athlete of the Year award. She's the first Jumbo to receive the honor since Lia Rotti in 2023.

Rafuse earns the Northeast Region Women's Assistant Coach of the Year Award for her work with the Jumbo sprinters. Under her guidance, junior Simi Lawal, sophomore Arielle Chechile and the 4x100-meters relay all broke school records and qualified nationally outdoors in 2026.

Lawal broke the school record twice in the 100 meters, qualifying fifth for NCAA's in the event with her 11.66 time. She also had a pair of times lower than the previous school record in the 200 meters, where her 24.27 qualified nationally. Lawal earned NESCAC's Sabasteanski Award as the Most Outstanding Performer at the conference championship,  where she won the 100, was second in the 200 and was part of the first-place 4x1.

Chechile broke the 400 meters record at the Bryan Clay Invitational in California with a 54.30 mark. She also ran a lower 200 time (24.42) than the previous school record.

Tufts' 4x1 of Cumberland, sophomore Makayla Moriarty, Checile and Lawal broke the school record with a time of 46.37 seconds at the Amherst Spring Fling. A foursome with sophomore Lauren Zipoli replacing Cumberland in the lead-off role won the NESCAC Championship with a 46.51 mark.

This is the second straight year that Tufts has earned the Northeast Region Outdoor Assistant Coach of the Year Award, as jumps / multis / javelin coach Ben Colello was the 2025 recipient.

See the full list of USTFCCCA Regional Award Winners HERE.