ECC Division I

East Lyme

Coach: Carl Reichard (45th season)

Key returnees: Sr. Lauren Hinckley (sprint, jumps), Sr. Sydney Arustei (sprints), Sr. Ava Pitruzzello (sprints), Sr. Riddhi Venkatesh (sprints), Sr. Hannah Bergeron (distance), Sr. Kayleigh Jensen (distance), Jr. Aranza Torres (distance), Sr. Kennedy Holsapple (distance), Jr. Isabelle Paggioli (distance) Sr. Sophia Seguin (hurdles, jumps), Jr. Lacey-Lee Keramidas (pole vault, hurdles), Sr. Annice Proud (hurdles), Sr. Sandra Kirvelevicius (throws), Sr. Grace Blackwood (jumps), Jr. Jayla Washington (sprints, jumps).

Outlook: The Vikings return three individual champions – Paggioli (3,200), Blackwood (high jump) and Washington (long jump) – from last year’s ECC Division I title team, as well as number of key place-winners that should give them a great shot of repeating, as well as making some noise in the Class M state meet.

Fitch

Coach: Walt Blanker (1st season)

Key returnees: Sr. Amelia Lovering (sprints), Sr. Chole Gehrlein (hurdles, sprints), Sr. Saffron Pentell (sprints), Hannah Hurley (jumps, sprints), So. Alaina Campbell (sprints), So. Emma Forde (middle distance), So. Sydney Post (jumps), Jr. Hannah Warner (sprints), Sr. Sierra Bryte (jumps, throws, sprints).

Top newcomers: So. CeCe Zimbelmann (sprints), Fr. Bethany Lovering (shot put), So. Sophia Galouzis (hurdles, jumps), Sr. Anajhia Powers (jumps).

Outlook: Blanker, whose previous experience is with boys’ programs, has used the preseason to get familiar with his new athletes. “We have some talented athletes who over time, will develop and improve,” he said. “Our goal is to get better with each performance and lay a solid foundation for the spring season.”

NFA

Coach: Ted Koziol (1st season)

Key returnees: So. Elya Anor (pole vault), Sr. Alexis Boyer (distance, pole vault), So. Leah Burchman (distance), So. Karina Chan (sprints), Sr. Eliana Duclos (distance), Jr. Caroline Holmberg (sprints), Sr. Tatiana Jones (sprints), Sr. Emma McAvoy (sprints), Sr. Alyssa Newson (sprints), Sr. Delaney Phelps (pole vault), Sr. Juliette Savignac (jumps), Jr. Samantha Schies (pole vault), Sr. Anna Ricketts (distance).

Top newcomers: Jr. Sofia Ayer (distance), So. Riley Davis (sprints, jumps), Jr. Hannah Graham (shot put), Sr. Emily Grimaldi (sprints), Sr. Avery Koziol (sprints), Sr. Rachel Orcutt (shot put).

Outlook: The Wildcats must replace Jasmyn Bransford, the ECC champ in the 55 and 300-meter dashes last season, but numbers are solid again (over 70 athletes) and Koziol hopes to challenge East Lyme for the division title and make some noise at the state level, too. Boyer is the reigning ECC pole vault champion and NFA has experience in virtually every event. Koziol thinks some of his new athletes will surprise, too.

Waterford

Coach: Jay Criscuolo (31st season)

Key returnees: Sr. Gabby Brennan (sprints, jumps), Jr. Lexi Collins (sprints), Sr. Bella Kimball (sprints), So. Avery Maiese (distance), Jr. Amelia Podeszwa (hurdles, sprints, jumps).

Top newcomers: Fr. Chloe Butler (sprints), Fr. Elle Dibuono (jumps), Fr. Charlotte Jessuck (sprints), Fr. Paige Jessuck (sprints).

Outlook: The Lancers return some veteran sprinters in Brennan, Collins, Kimball and Podeszwa and have one of the ECC’s top distance runners in Maiese, the reigning Division I champ in the 1,000, but Criscuolo is excited by a large freshman class that will provide some depth.

ECC Division II

Ledyard

Coach: Dave Tetlow (50th season)

Key returnees: Sr. Caylee Cliett (shot put), Sr. Jessica English (long jump, sprints, hurdles), Sr. Kathryn Gieleghem (pole vaul), Sr. Arwen Jones (sprints), Sr. Madelyn Poulton (shot put, hurdles), Jr. Sarah Banach (jumps), Jr. Samantha Doran (long jump, middle distance), Jr. Madisen McLeod (hurdles, long jump, shot put), Jr. Madison Miller (shot put, hurdles), Jr. Keara Opalenik (jumps), Jr. Ella Stephenson (middle distance, sprints); Jr. Olivia Storz (sprints), Jr. Avery Widlicka (distance), So. Megan Armstrong (sprints), So. Kate Littler (middle distance), So. Sarah Vincent (sprints), So. Josie Withbroe (distance).

Top newcomers: Sr. Aniya Pearson (long jump, sprints), Jr. Catherine McKenzie (sprints), Jr. Emily Peckham (distance), So. Adelaide Culligan (hurdles), So. Emma Golembeski (hurdles), So. Lia Day (sprints), So. Bella Schweitzer (jumps).

Outlook: The Colonels have 58 athletes in the program and strong senior leadership, a recipe that will make Ledyard a threat in the division and in the Class M state meet. Tetlow expects to have a number of athletes to qualify for the state meet, State Open and possibly New England meet.

Lyman Memorial

Coach: Chantal Fields (3rd season)

Key returnees: So. Laurelin Boyer (pole vault, hurdles), Sr. Garbriela Dinisoe (pole vault, hurdles), Sr. Leah Comeroski (sprints), Jr. Ella Caplet (sprints), Sr. Magdalana Carpenter (middle distance, distance), So. Haley Cardinali (middle distance).

Top newcomers: Jr. Genevieve Gardella (distance), Fr. Hazel DeLucia (distance), Fr. Sylvie Hiltz (middle distance).

Outlook: The Bulldogs suffered key graduation losses, but return some versatile athletes with the ability to chase school records and perform well at the state level. Comeroski will lead the sprints and DeLucia, coming off an all-state cross country season as a freshman, who lead the distance crew. Lyman should also be able to put together some solid relay teams.

Montville

Coach: Kiah Strickland (1st season)

Key returnees: Sr Maya Suarez (distance), Sr. Kate Bowman (middle distance), Sr. Jaisey Galvin (middle distance), Sr. Lily Tomczik (middle distance), So. Isabel Northrop (hurdles).

Top newcomers: Fr. Kamryn Plikus (pole vault, high jump), Fr. Sienna Gressly (distance), So. Katherine Myjak (hurdles, sprints), So. MacKenzie O'Donnell (middle distance).

Outlook: Strickland, a 2015 graduate and school record holder in the hepathlon, returns to her alma mater. Montville returns Suarez, the reigning ECC indoor 3,200 champ and school record holder, along with veterans Bowman and Galvin. Strick expects Plikus to be competitive at the state level in the high jump and pole vault as a freshman.

Stonington

Coach: Ben Bowne (11th season)

Key returnees: Sr. Hannah Andersen (sprints), So. Madeline DeLaura (distance), Jr. Olivia Duhig (sprints), Sr. Helena Hoinsky (sprints), So. Mia Pisani (distance), So. Illiana Rashleigh (middle distance), Sr. Marin Singletary (sprints), So. Maya Terwilliger (sprints), Jr. Alexa Williams (middle distance).

Top newcomers: So. Haily Allard (shot put), So. Morgan Anderson (shot put), Fr. Mackenzie Griffith (shot put), Jr. Addison Labbe (distance), So. Emma Logel (sprints), So. Peyton Vanderstreet (distance), Fr. Mason Zagol (sprints).

Outlook: The Bears return most of the same cast that won the ECC Division II title a year ago and have added some new faces from the outdoor program, too. Anderson, Hoinsky and Rashleigh were members of the sprint medley relay team last season that captured the Class S state title.

Others

Grasso Tech

Coaches: Matthew Zagura, Thomas Allen

Key returnee: Kylee Morrison.

Top newcomers: Danielle Sands, Jada Muirhead

Outlook: The Eagles must develop depth around a talented group of underclassmen and will use early-season meets to gain experience in time for the Connecticut Technical Conference and state meets.

Old Lyme

Coach: From: Alyssa Mercaldi (3rd season)

Key returnees: Sr. Maddyh Morgado (distance), So. Bronwyn Kyle (sprints), Jr. Aggie Hunt (distance), Sr. Lyla Powers (middle distance), Sr. Gesa Vazquez (distance).

Top newcomers: Fr. Chase Gilbert (distance), Jr. Emma Bayor (shot put), Jr. Alexis Antonellis (distance), So. Grace Ferman (distance), Sr. Alexis Fenton (sprints), So. Zoe Eastman-Grossel (55 hurdles).

Outlook: The Wildcats are coming off a tremendous cross country season (Gilbert was the Shoreline Conference and Class S state champion), so scoring points in the distance events is a given. Newcomers will play key roles in the sprints and shot put as Old Lyme looks to challenge for a conference title and make some noise at the state level, too.