Saint Anselm College announced that men’s and women’s track & field will become the latest varsity sports offered on the Hilltop, beginning with the 2023-2024 academic year.
“Track & field will enhance the overall student-athlete experience and provide new opportunities for recruits to compete at the NCAA Division II level while immersed in a transformative educational experience,” said President Joseph A. Favazza, Ph.D. “The addition of track & field at Saint Anselm is a key strategic initiative that will also drive ongoing athletics recruitment.”
An on-campus track & field complex will include an eight-lane track, synthetic turf field, lighting, spectator seating, and an amenities building with locker rooms. Design and planning for the facility, which may be completed in phases, is underway. The complex is also expected to be home to the Hawks men’s and women’s soccer teams, as well as a wide array of other college programming.
The new track & field programs will participate in both the indoor and outdoor seasons within the Northeast-10 Conference.
Starting with the 2023-24 academic year, Saint Anselm will offer 23 NCAA Division II sports in total, an all-time high.
“Athletic teams on the Hilltop have achieved unmatched levels of competitive success during recent years,” remarked Director of Athletics Daron Montgomery. “We are confident that the college’s track & field programs will strengthen our success in many ways and further elevate the brand and profile of Saint Anselm athletics.”
Since 2018, Saint Anselm teams have reached the Elite Eight, Final Four, and played for two NCAA Division II national championships – earning a total of 23 NCAA post-season appearances.
A national search has been launched for a Director of Track & Field/Head Coach, with the first track & field student-athletes enrolling at Saint Anselm in fall 2023.
News of the track & field program is the latest development on the Hilltop this year. Earlier, it was announced that a School of Nursing and Health Professions would be created, along with the construction of a new facility and the development of graduate programs. In addition, Saint Anselm College and Catholic Medical Center announced a partnership to create a nursing simulation lab on the hospital’s Manchester campus, a project that received a $2 million federal award to support the initiative.
At the same time, the college has broken ground on the Gregory J. Grappone ’04 Humanities Institute, which will be a home for the humanities in the same manner the New Hampshire Institute of Politics is the hub of political and civic life. The National Endowment for the Humanities awarded the college $500,000 for the project.