NESCAC Champs

Runners Alexa Estes ’26 and Grace McDonough ’26 set records with race wins

Alexa Estes ’26 won the 800 Meters and Grace McDonough ’26 won the 1500 Meters at the 2024 New England Small College Athletic Conference Women’s Track and Field Championships at Tufts University April 27. Both runners set school records with their performances. 

Estes claimed victory with a time of 2:11.66. She says she’s had her eye on the Conn record for about a year now. “Being able to finally break it was really fulfilling and exciting for me. Being able to share a win and a school record with my teammate Grace just made the win that much sweeter, and it will definitely be a moment that I will cherish and remember forever,” she said.

An art history major and scholar in the Museum Studies Program from Virginia Beach, Virginia, Estes said she had the opportunity to race the open 400 Meters this season, which added variety to her training and allowed her to develop her speed. But she also credits the support of her teammates for her success.

“None of my accomplishments this year would have been possible without my teammates. Not only have they been incredible supporters, but they have also made me a better athlete and a better person,” she said.

McDonough was the first to cross the 1500 Meter finish line with a school-record time of 4:31.62. She says she was excited to “toe the line” with great competition who pushed her to a personal best.

“Running a strong race is a testament to the hard work our whole team has put into a long year of training that started in the summer and has continued through the winter and spring. Although track and field may look like an individual sport, the team is integral to finding and achieving success. I am so lucky to be a teammate to so many dedicated, powerful and supportive women,” McDonough said.

In the classroom, McDonough, who hails from Londonderry, New Hampshire, is a human development and psychology double major, education minor and scholar in the Public Health Pathway. On the track, she says she has “been motivated by the record number of newcomers who have joined our team and brought refreshing energy,” as well as by the unwavering support of her family.

“From my dad’s regular reminders to ‘have fun’ on race day, to my parents traveling hours to watch a race that only lasts a couple of minutes, I consider myself incredibly lucky to be surrounded by so much support and love,” she said.

Estes and McDonough led the Women’s Track and Field team to an eighth-place overall finish with 46 points. The team will next compete in the New England Division III Championships in South Hadley, Massachusetts. The meet, hosted by Mount Holyoke College, begins Friday.