In unprecedented times, Yale University Athletics is rallying together as One Bulldog Nation. While the health and safety of everyone must be at the forefront of every decision, Yale Athletics celebrates the outstanding accomplishments that our winter postseason-qualifying teams and spring programs have made this season. This week we continue honoring the outstanding senior classes of our teams that had their seasons cut short. Next up is men's track and field.
NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The first rule of track and field is that you always – always – finish the race. Though it feels as if the Class of 2020's time was cut short just as they were accelerating into the final straight, in reality, competing for the Yale men's track and field team is like competing in a relay. The Class of 2020 received the baton in eighth, with the competition far ahead. Through a combination of talent and sheer force of will, they pass it on in fourth to a team ready to lead the upper echelons of the Ivy League.
In 2017, the class' first year on the team, the Bulldogs finished fourth in the Ivy League Indoor Heptagonal Championships and sixth outdoors, racking up 78 and 63 points respectively. The next year, after losing several star seniors, the team fell back to seventh indoors and eighth outdoors, with 46 and 39 points. 2019 saw the Bulldogs finish eighth both indoors and outdoors, scoring 30 and 34 points respectively. In that time, the Class of 2020 recorded numerous school records: Vincent Vaughns set the school record in the 100m and 200m dashes, while he and Kyle Macauley were part of the 4x100m relay team whose time of 40.27, set in 2017, broke a 48-year old record and stands to this day.
The legacy the class leaves, however, is found not in the records they set but in the team and the culture they constructed -- a fact that became apparent as they led the Bulldogs back into the top half of the league in 2020 and set them on course to pursue the podium for years to come. The 67-point, fourth-place performance at the Ivy League Indoor Heptagonal Championships this past February was no fluke and would undoubtedly have been improved upon outdoors.
Underclassmen broke school records four times this spring and their performances counted for the majority of the team's total at Heps, and with a junior class comprising athletes such as Andrew Rochon, Ekrem Ayhan, Nick Dahl and Will Laird, the Class of 2020 can hang their jerseys up knowing that the baton is in safe hands.
As David Shoehalter, Yale's Mark T. Young '68 Director of Cross Country and Track and Field, put it:
"This class has been through so much together. Early in their first year on campus they had to deal with the loss of their teammate and the reverberations from that loss have never really subsided. I do think that they learned early on what is important and what is not. They have come away a stronger and more bonded group. They worked hard on team culture, and our results at this year's Indoor Heps were in large part due to the way the Class of 2020 put their stamp on the team. I am so proud to have coached such an incredible group. I feel terrible that they lost their final outdoor season and the chance to host the Ivy Heps when they were just beginning to establish how good we can be!
"The mark that the class of 2020 will leave on the program is indelible. Our remaining athletes have been given the road map by this group of seniors. Now it's on them to continue what was started."
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Kyle Macauley captained the team this year after shining on relay teams throughout his time at Yale. He scored in every Ivy League Championships he competed in during his time at Yale, a remarkable achievement of consistency in a sport in which athletes are so often sidelined by injury.
"The track team has always been my favorite part about Yale," said Macauley. "I looked forward to going to practice everyday and working out with the boys. Our coaches always kept it loose and made everyday enjoyable. My teammates are some of my best friends and I can't thank them enough for everything they've done to make my experience so incredible. I've loved every minute of being a Yale Track and Field athlete and I will always be proud to be a Bulldog.
"Our team has progressed immensely since my first day on campus. The energy and competitiveness of the squad has grown and will continue to grow. Although we were unable to finish this year how we wanted to, I know our team will return with a greater appreciation for the process and the results will prove it. This team is extremely talented and dedicated to each other. They will continue to push each other and get better. I can't wait to watch this group succeed on the track and in life."
Vincent Vaughns, hailing from Florida, will be irreplaceable. Entering into Yale with a level of raw speed rarely seen in the Ivy League, Vaughns shattered school records almost immediately, setting a new 100m dash record of 10.55s in his very first outdoor race. Like Macauley, he scored almost every time he stepped onto the track. His immense confidence in his ability was a key component in the construction of the culture of belief that powered the team's success this season.
"My time as a Yale track and field athlete was truly a formative experience," said Vaughns. "It was a time where I learned to struggle with, learn from, and encourage my teammates, while balancing a rigorous course load. Overall, I'm truly blessed that I had the opportunity to come to Yale as a first-generation student and take advantage of all the opportunities on and off the track that were available to me. I have no doubt that the team will continue to embrace the expectation of excellence we strive everyday to achieve, and I look forward to the various school records that will be broken."
Alex Young, from Irvine, Calif., joined the team in his sophomore year and immediately began leaving his mark. A consistent competitor in the 60m, 100m and 200m dashes, with college PRs of 6.97s, 10.97s and 21.95s respectively, his work ethic inspired the whole squad and will be sorely missed.
"The men and women of Yale Track & Field showed me that when you work in a team, you grow as an individual," said Young. "My time as an athlete at Yale was riddled with wins and losses, but the friendships that were made will undoubtedly impact me for the rest of my life.
"I hope that the standards of excellence and dedication, perpetuated by the men and women of the class of 2020, will be continued for years to come. If this team has taught me anything, it's that you may stand alone on the starting line, but you will never run alone."
Fergal Burnett Small traveled all the way from London to join the Bulldogs, and his departure leaves an Atlantic-sized hole in the sprint squad. Like others in the class, he battled injury throughout his time at Yale and refused to give up. He returned to form with trademark style in his junior year, running PRs in the 200m and 400m and finishing second in the latter distance at the Yale Springtime Invitational.
"In high school, A friend once told me, 'your sport is my sport's punishment'," said Burnett-Small. "Arriving at college, track became a completely different experience. In the blink of an eye, I was surrounded by an immense network of fellow runners, each open to friendship and excited for the journey to come. I met older peers that I could look up to and they welcomed me into their community with open arms. I also had an entire team of training partners to share the experience with, from the joys of training and competing, to everything in-between.
"In the three years that have passed since then, I have seen the team's culture go from strength-to-strength. I think it is now even more welcoming, inclusive and hard-working than when I first arrived and I think that is testament to every member on the team, past and present; whether they were a school record setter, a warm-up comedian, or an exemplar of any one of the team's values -- accountability, inclusivity, and dedication, to name a few -- each person has helped the culture grow to where it is today. We depend on one another, we enjoy the small moments, and we take great motivation in the belief that our process will ultimately deliver one of the best team performances in the program's history. I am truly excited to see what lies ahead."
Austin Stoner, the proud New Jersey native and 2019 cross country captain, was fundamental to the team's success this spring as it built upon the resurgence of the cross country team that he orchestrated. On the track and the country, he saw a similar return to form: he set a new PR in the mile, his first since high school, and raced in the Ivy League Heptagonal Cross Country Championships for the first time since his sophomore year. The fruits of his leadership and the memory of his total dedication will undoubtedly be enjoyed by Bulldogs for years to come.
"My ride through tYf has been a rollercoaster of emotions; however, I would have it no other way," said Stoner. "Had everything gone according to plan in my years here, I would not be the man I am today. I think my other fellow seniors could say the same. There is something special about crawling your way out of last in the league to be back amongst the best again. We have been tested and tried in so many ways here, and there were a lot of points where we could have keeled over and given up; but, we didn't. We didn't listen to the doubts, the predictions, the logic.
"We found a way to stop being sorry for ourselves and to work for everything we wanted, to sacrifice for everything we thought we could achieve. Nothing comes easy, but it will be worth it. I am so thankful for the lessons that this journey has taught me. I hope that tYf in the future sees the adversity and the struggles this group went through and can know that despite it all, we came out on the other side. No matter what is thrown your way, no matter how hard it seems, you guys can get through it together. Continue to lean on each other, dream big, trust the process, and push to find your limits. Often, they are a whole lot further than you think."
Though he narrowly missed the school record in the 1000m this spring, Allen Siegler – for his passion and his talent – will be remembered long into the future of Yale track and field. After suffering a near career-ending injury in his first year, Siegler tenaciously worked his way first back to the front of the middle-distance squad, then to the front of the league, and finally to the front of the region. The points that he consistently scored in championship meets will be replaced; his love for running and the team could never.
"The team has been my most rewarding Yale experience," said Siegler. "Working with my teammates towards a collaborative goal made me feel like I was a part of something much more important than myself. Aside from the athletic component, I think the team has made me a better person. Before joining the squad in 2016, I didn't really feel comfortable/know how to open up to people about struggles I was dealing with. The team not only created a comfortable environment for me to express my feelings but also taught me how to help others express their own. I am forever grateful for that lesson and others; now, they're sewn into the stitching of my identity.
"As for the future, I have complete faith in the underclassmen to guide the program in a good direction. Every single member of our team has shown that they're willing to make sacrifices for each other, and that collective momentum is so powerful. I firmly believe that tYf will remain loving and hardworking."
Trevor Reinhart was once described by the current school 1500m and mile record holder, James Randon, as "the most talented athlete this program has ever seen". Given that the program is the oldest in the country, that is no small statement. And yet, given context, Reinhart's career as a Bulldog makes a resounding case. Despite dealing with frequent injuries, Reinhart produced some of the best performances the Y has seen in recent times. In cross country his best performance was his sixth-place finish in the 2017 Ivy League Heptagonal Cross Country Championships, his first outing of that season, leading for the majority of the race. But – armed with a devastating kick finish and a rarely seen will to win – it was on the track that his talent really shone. In his sophomore year he made it all the way to the NCAA Outdoor Championships, finishing 18th in the 1500m; a year later he produced a performance for the ages in the Ivy League 3000m Championships, outkicking the favorite over the final lap to win the race. That year he also ran 4:02.78 for the mile, the fourth-fastest time in Yale history. Returning to the team to finish his time at Yale this spring, his leadership and experience were undeniably crucial to the stand-out success of the milers.
Armstrong Noonan also suffered more than his fair share of injuries during his time as a Bulldog. The fact that he never gave up is testament to his drive and commitment to the team. His best season on the track came in his sophomore year, when he ran impressive times of 8:26.86 for the 3000m and 3:54.39 in the 1500m.
"It's absolutely heart-wrenching to think that our season was cut short at the time that we were preparing to build on the success that we had indoors," said Noonan. "Not only will we not get the chance to showcase all of our progress made over the course of the year, but we're also missing out on the chance to connect and form the bonds with each other as friends and teammates that makes this group so special. After having spent nearly four years on the team, it's been an incredible experience getting to watch my teammates train and compete at the highest level on a daily basis. The growth that we have made over this same span of time has been immense and I am extremely honored to have been a witness to such a transformation. Even in the face of uncertain times and unprecedented events, one thing I can say for certain is that this team is a resilient bunch and that we will surely exit this situation much stronger than before.
"I look forward to continuing to support Yale from the sidelines as I leave college in the upcoming weeks, and am confident that the team is in a unique position to build on the success of this past year going forward."
Kohleman Swift, the neuroscience major from Dallas, Texas, walked onto the team in his first year at Yale and his performances and unwavering work-ethic over the four years consistently demonstrated the fact that he ought to have been recruited. A middle-distance specialist, Swift got better with each year, closing his career with an impressive race in the 800m at the Ivy League Indoor Championships.
"When I graduated high school I knew I still wanted running to be a part of my life and reached out to Coach [Paul] Harkins," said Swift. "It's weird thinking about a reality where I didn't do that because the team has been such a defining part of my life at Yale. More than anything else it became like a family on campus. Coming from a smaller high school I found it strange how a seemingly esoteric desire to run far and fast was understood by so many others. I really appreciate the opportunity I had to be a part of this team for four years and will definitely miss the people who made it such a special experience for both coaches and teammates. Moving forward I'm not sure what I'll do. I'll definitely keep running and might try to train for a marathon or run an ultra."
Spencer O'Neill, the sole representative of the field events in the Class of 2020, has inspired the entire squad this year. Stepping into the school record-holding shoes of CJ McCord II, O'Neill's quiet confidence and consistent improvement through the season were vital in the Bulldogs' success. He signed-off his career in the best way possible, finishing a fantastic third at the Ivy League Indoor Heptagonal Championships this spring with the best jump of his life, 2.05m (6' 8.75").
Jonathan Ascher was cruelly denied the opportunity to sign-off on his career as a 400m hurdler, for the event is only raced outdoors. Nonetheless, the New York native's work ethic and determination to return from a serious injury during his junior year left a clear mark on the sprint squad, especially the talented first-year class who have developed under his tutelage this spring.
Greg Moschella was also denied what would surely have been a comeback for the ages. Having finished an incredibly impressive third in the 500m at the Ivy League Heptagonal Championships in his first year, he was sidelined by injury for the next two and had been preparing relentlessly to make his return outdoors. Like many others in the Class of 2020, his effect on the team is found in the immense inspiration he provided to others.
"Being a part of Yale Track & Field has meant so much to me over the past 4 years. I knew Coxe Cage was my home from the first time I visited Yale in high school. Having the opportunity to share my afternoons with such dedicated and like-minded teammates has always inspired and motivated me. Away from the busy and sometimes stressful life on campus, there was no place I'd rather be than spiked up in the middle of practice with my teammates at the track.
"It's been amazing to watch the growth of the athletes and the program since I came to Yale in 2016. This growth is a testament to our discipline as athletes, our team dynamic, and great coaching. I'm looking forward to watching what the group will achieve in the coming years and am excited to see my teammates and friends continue to break records and dominate the Ivy League."
