Williams Ephs
The Williams Ephs are the varsity intercollegiate athletic programs of Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts.
The school sponsors 32 varsity sports, most of which compete in the Division III New England Small College Athletic Conference. The school's men's and women's ski teams and men's and women's squash teams compete in Division I. The Ephs' nickname is a shortened form of the name of Ephraim Williams, the college's founder. The Ephs' mascot is a purple cow, and their colors are purple and gold. The school's athletic director is Lisa Melendy.
Williams, along with fellow NESCAC members Amherst and Wesleyan, is part of the Little Three rivalry, one of the oldest continually contested rivalries in college athletics. It dates to 1899, when the three schools formed the Triangular League for athletic competitions. Today, the majority of the three schools' sports contest the Little Three championship, in which the school with the best record in games among the three is awarded the Little Three title for its sport. Williams's rivalry with Amherst is particularly heated, dating back to 1821, when then-Williams president Zephaniah Swift Moore abandoned Williams to found Amherst College. The football game played between the two is known as the "Biggest Little Game in America" and hosted College GameDay in 2007.
Williams frequently won the NACDA Directors' Cup, an annual award for the most successful athletic program in each NCAA division. Since 1996, the year of the award's inception, Williams has won the Division III Directors' Cup 21 out of 23 years. For fourteen of the past fifteen years, the college has held a dual #1 ranking in both athletics and academics by winning the Directors' Cup and placing first in the U.S. News and World Report liberal arts college rankings. Alumni of the athletic program include two Nobel Prize winners, 33 Olympians, 19 Rhodes Scholars, four Marshall Scholars, and 44 Fulbright Scholars.
History
Varsity intercollegiate sports began at the school on July 1, 1859, when Williams was defeated by Amherst 73-32 in the first-ever college baseball game. On May 3, 2009, Williams's baseball team played Amherst at Wahconah Park in Pittsfield, Massachusetts to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the 1859 game. Williams won the game, 8-5, which was televised live on ESPN 360 and on tape delay on ESPNU.Williams was one of the 39 institutions that founded the National Collegiate Athletic Association in 1905. Three other NESCAC schools, Amherst, Tufts, and Wesleyan, were also part of the founding group.
Women's varsity athletics began at Williams after the college became coeducational in the 1970–1971 school year. As a result, most of the college's 16 women's sports programs began varsity play during the 1970s, with three exceptions.
National championships
From the formation of the NCAA through 1961, Williams allowed its teams to compete in the NCAA postseason. In 1961, the men's basketball program qualified for the College Division tournament. After defeating Rochester in the first round and Bates in the regional championship, the team advanced to the national quarterfinals against Wittenberg. Williams lost the game, 64-51, and the unruly celebrations of Wittenberg students led Williams administrators to decide the school should no longer compete in national tournaments. When the NESCAC formed in 1971, the league's other ten members adopted Williams's policy. Despite this ban, the women's swimming & diving team won the 1982 and 1983 national championships by qualifying enough individuals to outscore all other teams. The ban was lifted for the 1993–1994 academic year for all sports except football.The following is a list of Williams's 37 national championships. Williams's total is tied for the most in the NESCAC with Middlebury.
Teams
Men's
Baseball
The baseball team is coached by Bill Barrale, who has held the position since the start of the 2007 season. The team plays at Bobby Coombs Field on campus. The program has had four players selected to the Division III All-America Team since 1971. In rivalry play against Amherst, the team holds a 139–217–2 record, as of the end of the 2018 season. In games against Wesleyan, the team holds a 158–134–1 record, as of the end of the 2018 season.On July 1, 1859, the team played in the first-ever college baseball game, losing to Amherst 73–32 in a game that lasted 25 innings. The two teams played a game on May 3, 2009, to celebrate the first game's 150th anniversary. Williams won the game 8-5.
Six Williams alumni who played baseball for the program went on to play in the major leagues: Artie Clarke, Edward M. Lewis, Jack Mills, Bill Otis, Iron Davis, and Mark Filley. Three others who played for the program but did not graduate from Williams also played in the major leagues: Henry Clarke, Alex Burr, and Charlie Perkins.
The team has won the following honors:
- Little Three Titles : 1997, 1998, 2001, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2010
- NESCAC Championships: 2001, 2007
- NCAA Tournament Appearances: 1999, 2001, 2007
Basketball
Basketball was first recognized as a varsity sport in the 1900–01 season. Williams was retroactively recognized as the pre-NCAA Tournament national champion for the 1906–07 and 1909–10 seasons by the Premo-Porretta Power Poll. In rivalry play against Amherst, the team holds a 120–102 record, as of the end of the 2017–18 season. In games against Wesleyan, the team holds a 141–86 record, as of the end of the 2017–18 season. In 2003, the team won the Division III National Championship.
The team reached the quarterfinals of the 1961 College Division Tournament, where it lost to Wittenberg 64-51. As a result of Wittenberg students' unruly celebrations after the game, Williams administrators decided to ban teams from participating in national tournaments. The ban was lifted for the 1993–94 academic year.
For the 2012–13 season, the team ranked 26th in Division III in average game attendance, averaging 825 spectators per home game.
The team has won the following honors:
- Little Three Titles : 1990, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 2009, 2010 ; 1994, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2002–2004, 2011
- NESCAC Championships: 2003, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2018
- NCAA Tournament Appearances: 1994–1998, 2000, 2002–2004, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019
- Final Fours: 1997, 1998, 2003, 2004, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2017
- National Runners-up: 2004, 2010, 2014
- National Championships: 2003
Crew
The team has won the following honors:
- Little Three Titles : 1992, 1994–1998, 2000–2006, 2008–2016, 2018
- NESCAC Championships: 2004, 2009–2014, 2016
- ECAC National Invitational Championships: 2010, 2012–2014
- Head of the Charles Collegiate Eights Championships: 1997, 2008, 2009, 2011
- New England Championships: 1994–1996, 2009–2012, 2014
Cross country
The team has won the following honors:
- Little Three Titles : 1988–2016
- NESCAC Championships: 1992, 1994–2000, 2006–2009, 2011, 2013–2016
- NCAA Tournament Appearances: 1975, 1977, 1993–2004, 2006–2018
- NCAA Tournament 5th Place: 1996, 2000, 2013
- NCAA Tournament 4th Place: 1993
- NCAA Tournament 3rd Place: 1998, 2008
- National Runners-up: 2009, 2015
- National Champions: 1994, 1995
Football
The team's annual rivalry game against Amherst is known as the Biggest Little Game In America. It is traditionally the final game of each season. The 2007 game between Williams and Amherst, won by Williams 20–0, hosted College GameDay at Weston Field. As of the end of the 2013 season, Williams leads the all-time series 71–52–5.
The team has won the following honors:
- Little Three Titles : 1990–1994, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2005–2008, 2010 ; 1995, 1997, 1999
- NESCAC Championships : 2001, 2006, 2010 ; 2002
- Perfect seasons : 1989, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2001, 2006, 2010
Golf
The team has won the following honors:
- Little Three Titles : 1992, 1993, 1995, 1998–2011, 2013–2016
- NESCAC Championships: 1984, 1986, 1994, 1996, 2000–2002, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2013–2016
- NCAA Tournament appearances: 1996–2003, 2005, 2008, 2013, 2017
- NCAA Tournament individual champion: Sam Goldenring
Ice hockey
The program has won the following honors:
- Little Three Titles : 1990–1994, 1996–1999, 2001–2005, 2013 ; 1989, 2006
Indoor track & field
The team has won the following honors:
- NCAA Championships 3rd Place: 1996
Lacrosse
The program has won the following honors:
- Little Three Titles : 1990–1996, 1999, 2009 ; 2000, 2002, 2006, 2008, 2010
Outdoor track & field
The team has won the following honors:
- Little Three Titles : 1989–2014
- NESCAC Championships: 1995–1999, 2001–2011
- National Runners-up: 1995, 1996
Skiing
The team has won the following honors:
- NCAA Tournament Appearances: 1990–2016
Soccer
The team has had 13 players go on to play professional and international soccer, including Mike Masters, Stephen Danbusky, Dan Calichman, Josh Bolton, Charlie Romero, and Khari Stephenson.
The team has won the following honors:
- Little Three Titles : 1993, 1994, 1996, 1998–2001, 2003–2005, 2009 ; 1990, 1995, 1997, 2002, 2010, 2012
- NESCAC Championships: 2001–2004, 2006, 2009
- NCAA Tournament Appearances: 1993–1996, 1998–2007, 2009, 2010, 2012–13
- NCAA Third Place: 1998, 2009, 2012, 2013
- National Runners-up: 1993
- National Championships: 1995
Squash
The team has won the following honors:
- Little Three Titles : 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 2000–2014
- Appearances in Potter Division at National Championships: 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2008
Swimming & diving
The team has won the following honors:
- Little Three Titles : 1990–1993, 1995–2002, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2013
- NESCAC Championships: 2001, 2003–2014
- NCAA Tournament Appearances: 1982–2014
- National Runners-up: 1982
Tennis
The team has won the following honors:
- Little Three Titles : 1995–2008
- NESCAC Championships: 1983, 1985, 1987, 1993–2003, 2013
- NCAA Tournament Appearances: 1995–2014
- NCAA Third Place: 2012
- National Runners-up: 1998, 2003, 2004
- National Championships: 1999, 2001, 2002, 2013
Wrestling
The team has won the following honors:
- Little Three Championships : 1990
- NECCWA Co-Championships: 1995
- NEWA Championships: 2009, 2010
- NCAA Tournament Appearances: 2000, 2003–2009, 2013–2014
Women's
Basketball
The women's basketball team is coached by Pat Manning, who has held the position since the start of the 1989–1990 season and is the winningest coach in program history. The team plays at Chandler Gymnasium on campus. It has had three players named to the Division III All-America Team since 1974. The team began varsity play in the 1973–1974 school year. In rivalry play against Amherst, the team holds a 44–35 record, as of the end of the 2013–2014 season. In games against Wesleyan, the team holds a 54–26 record, as of the end of the 2013–2014 season.The team has won the following honors:
- Little Three Titles : 1991, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2002, 2007 ; 1994, 1995, 1998, 2003–2006, 2013
- NCAA Tournament Appearances: 1997, 1999, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014
- NCAA Tournament Third Place: 2013
Crew
The team has won the following honors:
- Little Three Titles : 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2000–2014
- NESCAC Championships: 2002, 2006–2013
- ECAC National Invitational Championships: 2002, 2006–2013
- Head of the Charles Collegiate Eights Championships: 2008, 2010, 2011
- New England Championships: 2000, 2001, 2006–2013
- NCAA Tournament Appearances: 1998–2014
- National Championships: 2002, 2006–2013
Cross country
The team has won the following honors:
- Little Three Titles : 1990–1998, 2000–2002, 2004–2006, 2008–2013
- NESCAC Championships: 1988–1991, 1996, 1997, 2002, 2005, 2011, 2012 ; 2004, 2008
- NCAA Tournament Appearances: 1990, 1993–2013
- NCAA Tournament 5th Place: 1993, 1996, 2010
- NCAA Tournament 4th Place: 1994, 2003, 2012
- NCAA Tournament 3rd Place: 1990, 1998, 2008, 2011
- National Runners-up: 2000, 2001, 2005, 2013
- National Champions: 2002, 2004, 2015
Field hockey
The team has won the following honors:
- Little Three Titles : 1991, 1992, 1994–1996, 2001, 2004, 2006, 2009 ; 1990, 1993, 1997, 1999, 2002
- NESCAC Championships: 2001, 2002, 2004
- NCAA Tournament Appearances: 1994–1997, 2000–2006
Golf
The team has won the following honors:
- NESCAC Championships: 2007, 2008, 2011–2019
- NCAA Tournament appearances: 2007, 2008, 2010–2019
- National Champions: 2015
- NCAA Tournament individual champion: Cordelia Chan
Ice hockey
The team has won the following honors:
- Little Three Titles : 1995, 1997, 2000–2006, 2017 ; 1994, 1996
- NESCAC Championships: 2014
- NCAA Tournament Appearances: 2003, 2014
Indoor track & field
The team has won the following honors:
- National Runners-up: 2006
- National Championships: 2007, 2019
Lacrosse
The team has won the following honors:
- Little Three Titles : 1990–1997, 2000, 2010 ; 1999, 2009
- NCAA Tournament Appearances: 1998, 2000, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2014
- National Runners-up: 1998, 2000
Outdoor track & field
The team has won the following honors:
- Little Three Titles : 1986–2013
- NESCAC Championships: 1990, 1991, 1994–1999, 2001–2012
Skiing
The team has won the following honors:
- NCAA Tournament Appearances: 1990–2014
Soccer
The team has won the following honors:
- Little Three Titles : 1991, 1993, 1998, 2001, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2013 ; 1990, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2002, 2008
- NESCAC Championships: 2004, 2007–2010, 2012
- NCAA Tournament Appearances: 1993–1996, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2004, 2007–2015
- National Champions: 2015
- National Runners-up: 2014
- Final Four Appearances: 1999, 2008
Softball
The team has won the following honors:
- Little Three Titles : 1995–1997, 1999–2007, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014
- NESCAC Championships: 2004–2006
- NCAA Tournament Appearances: 2004–2006, 2014
- Division III World Series Appearances: 2005, 2006
Squash
The team has won the following honors:
- Little Three Titles : 1991, 1993–1995, 2000–2014
- Howe Cup Appearances: 1998, 2002–2007, 2009
Swimming & diving
The team has won the following honors:
- Little Three Titles : 1990–2003, 2005, 2006, 2009–2013
- NESCAC Championships: 2001–2012
- NCAA Tournament Appearances: 1982–2013
- National Runners-up: 1995, 1997, 2003, 2012
- National Championships: 1982, 1983
Tennis
The team has won the following honors:
- Little Three Titles : 1992–1995, 2000, 2002, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012
- NESCAC Championships: 2001, 2002, 2003, 2011, 2013 ; 2004
- NCAA Tournament Appearances: 1994–2014
- NCAA Tournament 3rd Place: 2003, 2004, 2014
- National Runners-up: 1994, 1999
- National Championships: 2001, 2002, 2008–2013
Volleyball
The team has won the following honors:
- Little Three Titles : 1990, 1995–1998, 2001–2004, 2006, 2013 ; 2009
- NESCAC Championships: 1994, 1995, 2001–2004, 2007–2009, 2013
- NCAA Tournament Appearances: 1994, 1995, 1998, 2001–2004, 2007–2009, 2013
Facilities
Weston Field
Weston Field is the home of Williams's football team. The field hosted its first football game in November 1883. It has a seated capacity of 10,000 spectators, with additional standing room. In November 1989, the Division III New England football single-game attendance record was set at Weston, when 13,671 spectators attended Williams's 17–14 victory over Amherst. In 2007, the field hosted College GameDay.The field has undergone several renovations since its opening. In 1953, a press box was added and later upgraded in 1984. The field's bleacher seating areas have been renovated in 1972, 1984, and 1995. An electronic scoreboard was added in 1969. A play clock was installed in 1998. In 2008, the field was scheduled to undergo $17.6 million renovations, in which the playing surface would be reoriented and the locker rooms, training areas, seating areas, and parking lots improved, but those renovations were indefinitely postponed due to the onset of the financial crisis. In October 2012, however, a new, $22 million renovation plan for the field was announced, and was completed in time for the 2014 season. The completed Weston Field Athletic Complex allows year round athletic activity for several sports
Chandler Gymnasium
Chandler Gymnasium, a part of the larger Chandler Athletic Center, is the home of Williams's men's and women's basketball teams and women's volleyball team. The gym opened in 1987 and is named for Williams's 12th president, John Wesley Chandler. Prior to Chandler's opening, the basketball and volleyball programs played in Lasell Gymnasium. The gym has a capacity of 1,561 spectators. For the 2010–2011 season, the team ranked 20th in Division III in average game attendance, averaging 876 spectators per home game.In home games between January 16, 2001, and January 4, 2005, Williams's men's basketball team had a 64-game home unbeaten streak, the current NCAA Division III record.
Lansing Chapman Rink
Lansing Chapman Rink is the home of Williams's men's and women's ice hockey teams and can also be configured for indoor men's and women's tennis. The Williams men's ice hockey team has used the rink since its construction in 1953. Prior to that, the team played on a pond near Cole Field. Despite Lansing Chapman's construction, hockey continued to be an outdoor sport until a canopy was added in 1962. The rink's dimensions are 200 ft. x 85 ft. It has a capacity of 2,500 spectators.A sound system was added to the rink in 1973. The locker rooms were renovated in 1993, 1995, and 2005.
In addition to Williams athletics, the rink has hosted the figure skating competition of the Winter Bay State Games.
Cole Field
Cole Field, a part of the larger Cole Field athletic complex, is the home of Williams's men's and women's soccer programs. The field includes two regulations soccer pitches to allow the men's and women's teams to play simultaneously. It hosted the 1993 and 1995 Division III men's soccer finals, along with the 1996 Division III women's soccer finals.Since its opening, the field has received several improvements. An electronic scoreboard was installed for the men's field in 1969 and upgraded in 1993. The women's field received an electronic scoreboard in 1999. In 2005, the men's field had drainage systems installed and was resodded.
Bobby Coombs Field
Prior to the 2005 season, $500,000 Bobby Coombs Field was built as part of the Cole Field Athletic Complex. The field features a permanent outfield fence, dugouts, bullpens, and a drainage system. Its dimensions are 330 ft. down the foul lines, 375 ft. in the gaps, and 400 ft. in center field.In addition to regular season competition, the field hosts high school baseball showcases.
Renzie Lamb Field
Renzie Lamb Field, the home of the men's and women's lacrosse and women's field hockey programs, is located next to Weston Field. The field, which cost approximately $2 million, was dedicated on October 16, 2004. The field is also used occasionally by the men's and women's soccer programs if Cole Field is unplayable.Williams Softball Complex
The Williams Softball Complex, part of the larger Cole Field Athletic Complex, features dugouts, bleacher seating, and a permanent fence. In 1998, a new backstop was installed. The playing surface was renovated in 2000 and 2006. Also in 2006, a new outfield fence was installed.Taconic Golf Club
Taconic Golf Club, the home of the men's and women's golf teams, is located next to campus. The college owns the 18-hole, par 71, 6,808-yard course, which was built in 1927. It has been ranked by Golfweek the 2nd best collegiate course and 83rd best classic course in the world.It has hosted several major tournaments, including the 1956 U.S. Junior Amateur and the 1963 U.S. Women's Amateur. A marker on the 14th hole commemorates Jack Nicklaus's famous hole-in-one there during the 1956 tournament. It has also hosted the 1958 NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships, the 1972 NCAA Division II Men's Golf Championships, and the 1999 NCAA Division III Men's Golf Championships.
Torrence M. Hunt Tennis Center
The Torrence M. Hunt Tennis Center, the home of Williams's men's and women's tennis teams, features six tournament courts. Twelve additional courts are also used during practices and large tournaments. The Chaffee Tennis House stands at one end of the complex and features a viewing deck for spectators. The venue hosted the 1998 Division III Men's Tennis Championships.Samuelson-Muir Pool
Samuelson-Muir Pool, part of the Chandler Athletic Complex, is the home of the men's and women's swimming & diving programs. Opened in 1988, it was dedicated in 2000 to Robert B. Muir and Carl R. Samuelson, both former head coaches of the swimming & diving programs. It has a capacity of 400 spectators.Simon Squash Center
The Simon Squash Center, a part of the Chandler Athletic Complex, features 12 glass-backed squash courts. The center was dedicated in 1998 to the family of William E. Simon, Jr., a Williams alumnus who captained the squash team in his time at the school.Lasell Gymnasium
Lasell Gymnasium, part of the Chandler Athletic Complex, is the home of the college's men's wrestling program. It was built in 1886 and was the home of the men's and women's basketball teams prior to the 1987 opening of Chandler Gymnasium.The gymnasium also includes a practice area for the golf team.
Tony Plansky Track
The Tony Plansky Track, used by the men's and women's outdoor track & field programs, rings Weston Field. The 400-meter track was installed in 1987.Towne Field House
The Towne Field House is the home of the men's and women's indoor track & field programs and also has indoor practice facilities for a number of outdoor sports. It opened in September 1970.Traditions
Mascot
The origin of the college's mascot, the Purple Cow, is believed to be the following 1895 poem by Frank Gelett Burgess:In 1907, Williams students began publishing a humor magazine named the Purple Cow, which credited its name to Burgess' poem. Over the following decades, the mascot gained widespread acceptance.
"Yard by Yard"
The following traditional song was once often sung at Williams sporting events, but its current use is limited.The Walk
The Walk, which began in 1971, is a post-game tradition of the Williams football team. If Williams wins its homecoming football game, played against either Amherst or Wesleyan, the team walks up Spring Street to St. Pierre's Barber Shop. There, they enjoy cold beverages and cigars and subject underclassmen players to embarrassing haircuts. The Walk was named the best post-game tradition in America by Sports Illustrated in 1992.Notable alumni
- Josh Bolton, class of 2006, men's soccer; professional soccer player
- John Bray, class of 1900, men's track & field; bronze medalist in the men's 1500 meters at the 1900 Summer Olympics
- Ethan Brooks, class of 1996, football; National Football League player
- Horace Brown, class of 1919, men's track & field; gold medalist in the men's 3000 meters team and individual races at the 1920 Summer Olympics
- Erin Burnett, class of 1998, field hockey and women's lacrosse; CNN journalist and news anchor
- Dan Calichman, class of 1990, men's soccer; United States men's national soccer team player
- Artie Clarke, class of 1889, baseball; Major League Baseball player for the New York Giants
- Dave Clawson, class of 1989, football and men's basketball; Bowling Green State University football coach
- Stephen Danbusky, class of 1999, men's soccer; professional soccer player
- Iron Davis, class of 1912, baseball; Major League Baseball player
- Jim Duquette, class of 1988, baseball; Major League Baseball general manager and broadcaster
- Pat Duquette, class of 1993, basketball; head coach, UMass Lowell.
- Robert F. Engle, class of 1964, men's lacrosse; 2003 laureate of the Nobel Prize in Economics
- Alexander Fetter, class of 1958, men's soccer and men's skiing; Rhodes Scholar and physicist
- Mark Filley, class of 1933, baseball and men's basketball; Major League Baseball player for the Washington Senators
- Robert Leavitt, class of 1907, men's track & field; gold medalist in the men's 110 meter hurdles at the 1906 Summer Olympics
- Edward M. Lewis, class of 1896, baseball; Major League Baseball player and university president
- James Ross MacDonald, class of 1944, men's swimming & diving; Rhodes Scholar and physicist
- Mike Masters, class of 1989, soccer; United States men's national soccer team player
- Jack Mills, class of 1911, baseball; Major League Baseball player
- Kevin Morris, class of 1986, football and baseball; college football coach, currently the offensive coordinator at Yale
- Bill Otis, class of 1912, baseball; Major League Baseball player for the New York Highlanders
- Dave Paulsen, class of 1987, men's basketball; Bucknell University basketball coach
- Barbara Prey, class of 1979, women's tennis and women's squash; Fulbright Scholar and artist
- Charlie Romero, class of 2011, men's soccer; professional soccer player
- Bill Simon, class of 1973, men's squash; businessman and politician, whose family is the namesake of Williams's Simon Squash Center
- George Steinbrenner, class of 1952, football and men's track & field; owner of the New York Yankees
- Hal Steinbrenner, class of 1991, men's track & field; part-owner of the New York Yankees
- Khari Stephenson, class of 2004, men's soccer; professional soccer player, currently with Real Salt Lake
- Faye Sultan, class of 2016, women's swimming & diving; Kuwaiti Olympic swimmer
- Fay Vincent, class of 1960, football and men's track & field; commissioner of Major League Baseball, 1989–1992