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Swimming and diving gets hot this winter

Although the chilly Vermont winter freezes water into lifeless ice, such rules don’t apply to the Middlebury Natatorium; the swimming pool, rather, teems with heated competition. The natatorium was especially reinvigorated when the University of Vermont, St. Michael’s and Williams gathered on campus for the Middlebury Invitational on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1.  Individual performances comprised the invitational and no points were awarded to teams. Audrey Kelly ’21 earned first place in the women’s 50-yard freestyle, while Corey Jalbert ’21 won first in the same event on the men’s side. Audrey Hsi ’22 also took first place  in the women’s 200-yard backstroke. The natatorium will reawaken one last time for the women’s NESCAC championships from Feb. 13 to 16. The men’s squad, meanwhile, will journey south down Route 7 to Williams for their conference championship starting Feb. 20.

Arthur Furniss: February 13, 2020

Pia Contreras: February 13, 2020

Experiences from the coronavirus outbreak in China's capital

I expected to write this column under vastly different circumstances. Today, Thursday, February 13, should have marked the start of Middlebury’s semester-long study abroad programs in the bustling Chinese metropolises of Beijing, Hangzhou and Kunming. Over two weeks ago, I finished a month-long intensive language program and was looking forward to traveling with my classmates on our new year holiday break and visiting the Snow and Ice Festival of Harbin and the ancient Mogao Grottoes of Dunhuang.  Instead, I sit writing this piece at home, having repatriated back to the U.S. and a week into self-quarantine. The new year travel period, known as chunyun, is usually the largest annual human migration in the world. Normally, close to 3 billion trips are made over the 40-day period as workers across the country return to their families to celebrate the new year. And yet my new year holiday, like many others’, ended only two days after it started, train tickets refunded and plans upended.  Beyond holiday cancellations, the spread of the coronavirus has invoked a sense of fear and xenophobia towards Chinese around the world, causing division and provoking often discriminatory attitudes in shops, restaurants and college campuses. As countries have closed their borders to those from China in an attempt to halt the spread of the virus, disinformation spread through the media has resulted in a perceived global crisis.  So how did we get here?  On Jan. 16, Middlebury students studying abroad in China received an email from Global Rescue, indicating that the “U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ha[d] issued a Watch Level 1 Alert.” We were advised to “be aware and practice usual precautions” for an “outbreak of pneumonia in Wuhan, China, preliminarily identified to be caused by a novel (new) coronavirus.” It was not until the following week, however, on Jan. 21, when I began to focus on the coronavirus outbreak shaking China to its core. The virus was and is believed to have originated in Wuhan, the sprawling capital of central China’s Hubei Province and home to 11 million residents. I visited Wuhan in the summer of 2017 and had fond memories of my time there. Under the blazing heat, I enjoyed dishes of reganmian — hot dry noodles — as I climbed the Yellow Crane Tower for a view of a city larger than New York or London. More than 500 Americans have been evacuated from that same city since the beginning of the outbreak. From our position in Beijing — over 600 miles away — our group initially felt a sort of immunity to this new disease that few could confirm exact details as to its source and spread. And yet as cases began to pop up in Beijing and throughout the country (as of now, the virus has spread to every region in China), we began to echo the sense of fear and paranoia felt by our Chinese counterparts.  During the final week of our J-term program, residents of Beijing donned masks and started to cancel new year plans. We watched as a typically joyous time transformed into a grim one. Wuhan and the surrounding area went into lockdown and quarantine. Residents in Beijing rushed to the supermarkets and pharmacies, buying every face mask and hand sanitizer in sight. The Chinese government China made an impressive response to the coronavirus’ spread, shutting down tourist attractions nationwide and attempting to limit travel on the country’s extremely popular rail network. The effects of the virus were felt on a person-to-person level as well. On the eve of Chinese New Year, I had the privilege to be invited to a local friend’s celebration banquet. A depressing undertone filled the air of a usually lively restaurant, as the family next to us removed their masks only to eat. The following day, I made the decision to continue with our small group’s trip up north to Harbin. After analyzing the situation as it stood at the time, I believed that the risk of anyone in our student group contracting the virus was still quite low. However, the country remained on high alert. China’s supply of thermometers seemed to quadruple as in every public place, temperature checks became ubiquitous. Even outside walking around Harbin’s Snow and Ice Festival, tourists wore masks as security guards pointed thermometers at every entrance.  Still, a day into our trip we received an email from Middlebury’s study abroad office, instructing us to return to Beijing and gather in our dorm hotel to await further instructions. The rapidly changing situation meant that each day brought new restrictions nationwide — intercity bus services suspended, the official new year holiday extended, schools and universities cancelled until further notice. Many of our Chinese counterparts spent upwards of a week at home, with friends in Harbin cancelling dinner plans in fear of spreading the virus. Upon arriving back in Beijing, myself and my classmates were all placed in separate single rooms to undergo 14 days of health screening, since we came from outside Beijing. This consisted of three temperature checks throughout the day: one in the morning, one at noon and one at night.  On the few occasions I ventured out during those days, I saw a city unlike the Beijing I had seen before. China’s capital had begun to show early signs of a “ghost town.” Many gated neighborhood communities in Beijing sealed themselves off from the outside. Taxis and cars sped along Beijing’s usually congested streets, with most people inside in fear of spreading the virus. Restaurants closed and dozens queued outside one of the only open eating establishments, hoping for a supply of fresh vegetables to bring home.  On Jan. 29, we woke up to notice from Middlebury that the college had made the decision to suspend all programs in China for the spring semester. The days that ensued consisted of trips to the bank and cell phone store, closing accounts and refunding phone plans. Our group of 24 dwindled as students left on flights operated by airlines that were constantly announcing cancellations. On campus, movement became more restricted as security guards required us to register and inform them of our whereabouts whenever entering or leaving campus. Fast food and takeout became the norm for meals, as they were the only establishments open and involved minimal amounts of close contact. Takeout drivers crisscrossed the city as bags of food piled up in restaurants, waiting to be delivered.  After 37 days in China, I was among the last Middlebury students to leave. On the final night before my repatriation, I walked around an eerily quiet dorm building. I mentally prepared to cut my semester abroad short by more than three months and wondered when I would return. Leaving China is a privilege. I know that for many in the country, leaving is not an option. Many of my local counterparts have friends and family affected by the coronavirus epidemic. People who have visited mainland China in the past 14 days are currently unable to travel to the U.S. Fear around the global spread of the coronavirus has fueled racism and xenophobia around the world. These thoughts are misinformed and those who believe them fail to understand the vibrancy and diversity of China, its culture and its people. After completing my 19th trip to the Middle Kingdom since 2006, I have every motivation to return. Why? Because this country has given me hope, opportunity and energy, and we should give it the same. Benjy Renton ’21 was The Campus’ senior local editor this fall.

Lucia Evans ’05 on Midd, #MeToo

Lucia Evans ’05 applied early decision to Middlebury. When she was a student here, she lived in Hepburn, Stew and Voter. She acted in plays, ate in the dining halls and took literature classes.  She is also one of more than 100 women who have accused famed Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault, for an alleged incident that occured the summer before her senior year at Middlebury. She was part of some of the first criminal charges brought against Weinstein and an integral part of the dissemination of the #MeToo movement. Evans, then Lucia Stoller, now runs a marketing consulting company, but was an aspiring actress in the summer of 2004 when she met Weinstein at a club in SoHo, New York. She agreed to a meeting at his office at a later date to talk about two scripts, where she alleges he assaulted her, forcing her to perform oral sex.  In 2017, Evans opened up about her experience to Ronan Farrow for his groundbreaking story in The New Yorker about allegations against Weinstein. The article prompted the New York police to contact Evans about pressing charges against Weinstein — they said she was “a highly credible witness” and repeatedly told her that she was “the only one who could put him in jail.” After months of deliberation, she agreed to join the criminal case.  Despite insistence from NYPD detectives about the viability of her case, Evans’ suit was dropped the following year when it was discovered that the lead detective on the case had failed to inform prosecutors about a witness with a conflicting testimony. Still, her decision to press charges helped jumpstart the legal process against Weinstein. Now, Weinstein is on trial for five felony counts, including rape and predatory sexual assault, and six women are expected to testify against him. Weinstein and his lawyers maintain that all encounters were consensual.  The Campus spoke with Evans about her time at Middlebury, the process of prosecuting Harvey Weinstein and how the events of the summer before her senior year affected the rest of her life.  Editor’s note: This conversation contains references to sexual assault, rape and suicide. It has been lightly edited for clarity and length. RILEY BOARD: When we first contacted you, you said that you’d be happy to speak with us because Middlebury had a special place in your heart. Can you talk about that? What did you do and study at Middlebury? LUCIA EVANS: I was a Literary Studies and Theater double major. It was just a really special place for me. All of my best friends, my close friends now, are my friends from my junior and senior years there. Something about the place is so special. I think the only thing that kind of soured it for me was, obviously, my sexual assault, which occurred the summer after junior year — so my senior year was a bit of a nightmare. But I think the people who go there just really want to make a difference in whatever field they’re in or whatever they’re doing, they always have multifaceted interests outside of class and really are the smartest people I’ve ever met. They continue to be the people that challenge me to this day.  RB: You mentioned in your most recent interview with Ronan Farrow that you had had a “magically good” life before [the alleged] assault happened, and that you had to reconcile how this affected and changed you, the before and after. It happened before your last year at Middlebury — then you came back to campus for another year. What was that like? What was it like in the immediate aftermath, the return to school?  LE: It’s so crazy, because that year was such a happy year for me a lot of the time. It was honestly the year where I had my closest friends and kind of my best group and took fantastic classes and had a really great social life. I was really active and — and yet at the same time, I felt like I was living this other life. After I came back to school, I told my close group of friends, my roommates. We lived in Voter at the time, it was awesome. Voter was always a place I wanted to live, and I just never thought I would and I was so happy with this group of girls, with our space and our life that we shared. I really felt like I needed to tell them the honest truth. I didn’t tell anyone else the scope of what happened. Emotionally, it was a period of very high highs and very low lows.  I had the opportunity to play this role in the play “Necessary Targets,” which is a play by Eve Ensler [’75]. My character was on stage the entire play but she doesn’t speak except for one long monologue kind of toward the end where it is revealed — and she’s been holding a baby the whole time — and it’s revealed that the baby has passed away, and in her hands are just a bunch of rags, and she has been raped. And so she tells her whole story. And it’s heart wrenching. And I remember the director, when I was auditioning, saying, “You can just channel this character so well, it’s amazing.” And I remember thinking, “If only you knew why I could do this so easily.” And it was because it had literally just happened to me. I kind of felt that in playing that role, that I had told my parents, which is ridiculous, but it actually really calmed me down and helped me deal with it for a few years, because I felt like in my own way that I had told them what happened to me. And then I could be at peace, which was, of course, not true. But it did give me some semblance of normalcy.  RB: Did you seek out help at Middlebury after that summer? From where did you draw support? LE: When the cops came to my house two years ago and told me I could put him in jail, they were like, “Why didn’t you come to us right away?” And I said, “Why would I have come to you?” I mean, he was so powerful at that time — and he was the biggest producer in Hollywood. I couldn’t watch the Oscars or anything after it happened to me because I would see him everywhere. Every film, I still see his name everywhere.  I try to not beat myself up for what I didn’t do but obviously do wish I had gotten help. And I would advise anyone going through something similar to absolutely seek help, because it just compounds over the years and it becomes worse and worse and you’ll end up hurting yourself like I did for many years. And I don’t wish that on anybody else.  RB: We’re obviously in a very specific cultural moment, that of the #MeToo movement, in which survivors are coming forward in unprecedented numbers and college campuses are offering more institutional support for victims than ever before. What was the culture around consent and sexual assault when you were a student here? Was it possible to talk to your friends and peers about what you’d endured?  LE: If the #MeToo movement had happened then, there’s no question I would have said something right away. There was such a stigma around it then, and little did I know that 100 plus women were going through the same thing as me at the same exact time. And then obviously, women all over the world are dealing with much, much worse, and they have zero support.  It was hard for me to even say what happened to me and identify myself as a victim — or as a survivor, because now we’re meant to use the word survivor. Sometimes you feel like a victim, sometimes you feel like a survivor. You can be both, right? But I do remember at Middlebury, when I was feeling suicidal, my boyfriend at the time reached out to campus security — they were really fantastic. They were very supportive, even then. But the [#MeToo] movement didn’t exist. And there wasn’t yet that tipping point of cultural change where it became OK to talk about this, where people want you to tell the truth. Everyone I had met at Midd was great, I just was not ready. And the world probably wasn’t ready either. RB: In the episode of “The Catch and Kill Podcast” on which you appeared, you spoke about how [the alleged] assault affected your confidence with acting and your career. Can you talk about that? How did that ordeal change your plans for the future? LE: It completely changed it, for two reasons. One of them was that in my entire time as an actor, I’d always been of the school of thought that acting should come from a place of real emotion and raw energy — and you translate that into the character. Acting post-college was a struggle, because I was at a Meisner acting school that was all about coming from that place of real truth. So first of all, I couldn’t find my real truth because I was absolutely not ready to talk about anything.  Whenever I tried to tap into any real emotion, I would just shut down. There was only one time when I was able to kind of let loose and then I knew after that I couldn’t do it anymore, it was just too painful. Even though everyone said, “Wow, that was amazing.” I was like, I can’t do it. I couldn’t act when I was hiding something that big.  The other reason was just because I had seen the worst of the industry, very quickly, and I thought that was what the industry was like. And I thought, I don’t want to do that. I have no interest. Now the whole narrative that they’re spinning is that people did it for roles. But I never got a role. And I never wanted a role after that, because I didn’t want to get a role like that. I just was not interested in being part of a system that just chewed up and spat out woman and didn’t respect them and forced them to perform sexual acts against their will.   RB: Now that your case has been dropped, what has it been like for you to experience Weinstein’s trial?  LE: I would have a lot more trouble experiencing it if it hadn’t been for this photo shoot [“100 Women vs. Harvey Weinstein”] that me and my fellow Silence Breakers participated in for New York Mag. It was so amazing meeting these people — we have an email chain that we’ve been on for years, but it was just me and a  bunch of actresses. It’s so surreal for me. I’m the only non-actress on this email chain. It was like Rose McGowan and the other Silence Breakers, and I’m one of them, but I’d never met them. And meeting them was so meaningful and wonderful — and I just felt like I had all these sisters. And so thank God that happened before the trial, because now I have this amazing network of women who’ve been through some of the same things that I have and have been hurt by this horrible person but now we’re empowered and we’re a collective.  [pullquote speaker="Lucia Evans ’05" photo="" align="center" background="on" border="all" shadow="on"] Now the whole narrative that they’re spinning is that people did it for roles. But I never got a role. And I never wanted a role after that, because I didn’t want to get a role like that.[/pullquote] RB: I wanted to talk a bit about an interview with Donna Rotunno, Harvey Weinstein’s lawyer, that was aired in an episode of “The Daily” last Friday. Have you listened to the interview?  LE: No, I couldn’t listen to it. And I think that’s also an important point. Just because I think it’s important to realize that you do not have to do everything, because media consumption is so damaging sometimes. And I would just encourage people to take a step back and just not feel like they have to consume everything. Because your health is more important than browsing Instagram, you know what I mean? Or reading or listening to the podcast that you think might be triggering for you. Tell me what I missed.  RB: Do you mind if I read you a quote from Rotunno from the interview?  LE: OK, sure.  RB: “So when I make comments and say ‘if you go to the hotel room,’ doesn’t mean you deserve to have something bad happen to you. But if you go to the hotel room, you continue to perpetrate a culture that allows that to be acceptable. And so if women take the power and women say, none of us are going to a hotel room, then that culture must change.” This was in reference to the circumstances under which many of the alleged assaults by Weinstein occured. How would you respond to that quote?  LE: I knew that he was a really dangerous person, and that put me on extra guard — I wasn’t going to go and meet with him late at night because I was nervous about him. I wasn’t as nervous as I should have been. But I went to his office in the middle of the day, when there would be people, because how could something bad happen to me, surrounded by people?  Also, why would somebody want to put themselves through this hell? I mean, it’s not like we’re getting anything out of this. None of us have gotten a thing out of this. This is not a fame-seeking thing. In fact, we’ve only lost jobs, we’ve only lost like careers and opportunities because of this.  We just really want to help and that’s the only reason why we’re doing it. I hope people continue to want to help because it’s the only way that any changes are ever going to happen.  RB: What advice would you give to someone who has just graduated and is beginning to navigate industries, like the movie industry, that can be fraught with certain injustices and circumstances like the ones that you have experienced?  LE: I would just encourage people to talk to someone as quickly as you can, because I wasted far too much time not being open and honest. Even though you can have some great times — it wasn’t like I just wiped 13 years off of my life. I got married, I have a wonderful career, I’ve had great things happen to me. But there’s still something in the back of my mind that wouldn’t leave me alone. And this thing that I hadn’t told anyone was like eating me up. So I would encourage people to talk about it with someone they trust and trust that person that they’re talking to.  I remember thinking in college, during my senior year, I just wish that my parents would tell me that I was still a good person, that it was okay that this happened to me. I just needed some type of validation, that I was okay and that I was still a good person, because I still thought it was my fault, which obviously it was not. Also, I would not be afraid of the criminal justice system, even though I’ve had a really horrible experience with it. Because honestly, if you don’t try to make a difference and change the law, there’s no way that anything is ever going to change around here. And we all know that things have to change. So I would just say if there is ever an opportunity that anyone has to try to make a difference in that way, don’t be afraid of it. I’ve had the experience I’ve had and I would do it again, even though it was painful. The more you revisit these horrible things actually really helps you heal, even though you don’t want to go back to these places. And I hope no one ever has to go through what I did. And some have gone through far worse than I have. But it really is amazing how much it can help you heal by talking about it.

Letter to the editor: Feb. 13, 2020

To the editor: The Middlebury College Handbook bans bigotry and intolerance from the campus: “Middlebury College is committed to maintaining a diverse and inclusive campus environment where bigotry and intolerance are unacceptable.” As appearance on campus by avowed racial bigot Charles Murray is, therefore, “unacceptable,” who will enforce the college handbook rule now? In 2017, the administration left it to students to create an event enforcing this college handbook rule. Then, the administration punished 70 of the students for doing so. The administration continues to pretend that the handbook provision does not exist. But its inclusion in the college handbook means the question of bigotry on campus is beyond debate: the question was answered and settled long ago. Bigotry is not a free speech matter at Middlebury. Bigotry is “unacceptable” at Middlebury. That means Charles Murray and his ilk are unacceptable on campus. If the administration fails to enforce its own handbook, it is the administration, not the students, who must be punished.   James Marc Leas is a Vermont patent attorney who writes about constitutional, civil, and human rights matters for local and national publications. 

School in China suspended amidst coronavirus outbreak

UPDATE — Tuesday, Feb. 4 Students returning from China will not be allowed to return to the Middlebury campus until 14 days after their departure to prevent any possible spread of coronavirus. Following the suspension of Middlebury School in China, 11 students who had already arrived in China had to evacuate the country. The last program students evacuated China on Saturday and thus will not be allowed to return to campus until Feb. 15, five days after the start of classes on Feb. 10. Middlebury made this decision in line with Center for Disease Control guidelines, which ask that travelers coming from China limit contact with others and submit to monitoring by health officials during the two-week period after their departure. “You won’t be penalized for missing classes, since this isn’t your choice, but rather is something that the college is asking of you,” wrote Assistant Director of International Programs Bill Mayers in an email to returning students. Sabian Edouard ’21 and Edgar León ’21 had already returned to campus when Middlebury made the decision to quarantine returning students. Two days after their arrival on campus, the two received an email requesting that they report to Parton Health Center immediately.  Director of Health Services Dr. Mark Peluso informed the students that their risk of infection was low because they had left China quickly and because their study abroad location was not near the epicenter of the outbreak.  Edouard and León elected to remain on campus for this period and will be quarantined in a house on campus. They chose not to return home due to concerns about potentially contaminating their loved ones. “Back in Beijing, my study abroad site, my friends and I were heavily encouraged to stay indoors as much as possible during the outbreak, so this is nothing new,” Edouard said. While he is disappointed that he is unable to continue his study abroad experience in China, Edouard feels lucky.  He acknowledges the many who are suffering from the novel coronavirus and those in the immediate outbreak zone in Hubei Province. “We are privileged to be back home safe and sound,” he said. Edouard and León are good friends, so he predicts that the two weeks in quarantine will not be too unpleasant.  “Besides, now I can start watching that Game of Thrones series everyone was raving about,” Edouard said. __ Friday, Jan. 31 The three Middlebury C.V. Starr Schools Abroad in China will not run this spring due to concerns over the coronavirus, the college announced in a campus-wide email this Tuesday. The college advised students who were planning to study in Hangzhou, Kunming and Beijing beginning this February to re-enroll in their home universities this spring. Non-Middlebury students whose home institutions have begun spring classes have been offered the chance to attend Middlebury for the semester — an estimated seven or eight out of the 37. The World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a “public health emergency of international concern” on Jan 30. As of this morning, the World Health Organization confirmed 9,720 cases and 213 deaths in China, and that the disease had spread to 19 other countries. Today, the US State Department raised the China travel advisory to “Level 4 - Do Not Travel”, their highest rating. Only 13 other countries share this classification. “There is too much at stake to risk any course of action other than suspending the program,” wrote Bill Mayers, assistant director of international programs, in an email to students enrolled in the Middlebury School in China for the spring semester and their parents. “We are considering both the potential health and safety risks, as well as the consequences for your academic progress,”  Program participants, hailing from 15 different universities, were set to arrive in China on Feb. 12. Eleven students, however, had already arrived when news of the cancellation hit — two of whom were planning to study there for the entire year and eight of whom arrived on Dec. 27 for a winter term course with CET Academic programs in Beijing. Students began evacuating on Jan. 28, and the last student is scheduled to leave China at 6:30 p.m. local time on Feb. 1, according to Benjy Renton ’21, a Campus editor and one of the Middlebury students evacuating the country.  Capital Normal University, the location of the Winter Term class, is closed to all non-university personnel, including CET Beijing's resident director. In the interim, Renton is helping coordinate student departures and repatriation efforts. Middlebury will screen students upon their arrival on campus.  With several major airlines suspending or considering suspending flights to and from China, as well as President Trump’s administration instituting a partial travel ban, the Office of International Programs was worried that students might become stranded in the country.  “We don’t want them to be getting stuck there. We don’t know how Chinese authorities are going to react, if they are going to be clamping down more. We have no control over that, and that’s the part where we are a little more concerned,” Mayers told The Campus. “When to make a decision and what we should decide to do are unbelievably challenging, given that the whole situation was changing so quickly,” said Zhang Kai, director of the Middlebury school in China in Beijing. In addition to health and safety concerns, logistical challenges played a large part in informing the Office of International Programs’s decision, according to Mayers.  “We do this program hoping that students are going to have an immersive experience, but, frankly, they’re restricting gatherings of any size,” Mayers said. “You can’t go out and gather with other Chinese students. You can’t go to the movie theater, you can’t go to the club, you can’t do anything that Chinese people do in China. What are you going to do? Just stay in your dorm room the whole time? It’s not an immersive experience.”[pullquote speaker="Bill Mayers" photo="" align="center" background="on" border="all" shadow="on"]You can’t go out and gather with other Chinese students. You can’t go to the movie theater, you can’t go to the club, you can’t do anything that Chinese people do in China. What are you going to do? Just stay in your dorm room the whole time? It’s not an immersive experience.[/pullquote] Schools and universities are indefinitely suspended across the country, with municipalities deciding when to reopen campuses. The Chinese government has imposed wide-scale travel restrictions — and many train lines have closed across the country and many of the top tourist attractions have closed indefinitely, according to Renton. “At Capital Normal University, security guards are becoming increasingly more strict with entering and exiting. Each exit requires the guard to call our Resident Director to seek her approval,” he wrote in a post on his blog. The cancelation poses academic concerns to many students. Some majors require a semester abroad. The Office of International Programs plans to run the program in China next fall, and will offer spots to the students who were unable to study abroad this spring. Students who have fulfilled the relevant language and course requirements were also offered the opportunity to study at other Middlebury schools abroad, such as those in Latin America.  “We feel horrible about [canceling the semester]. We know a lot of students come to Middlebury because they’re planning on studying abroad and we’ve got good programs,” Mayers said. “They’ve been waiting for two and a half years and we pulled the rug out from under them .... We feel that it’s the right decision, but it’s not a good one.” The Office of International Programs sent an email to the faculty encouraging professors to be understanding and flexible in their class sizes to aid registration for incoming students. Mayers confirmed that the college has found housing for all 37 students, should they choose to come to Middlebury. Non-Middlebury students must make the decision to enroll in the spring by Feb. 3. “We do hope that you will help us in every way you can to make them feel welcome,” wrote Vélez in his initial campus-wide email, “Whether they are Middlebury students to begin with or if they come to us from other institutions, they will be Middlebury students for the time they are here.” Editor’s note: Middlebury Campus editor Benjy Renton ’21 has been independently reporting from China on his blog, “Off the Silk Road.” Read his posts here.

Men’s basketball splits home weekend, including loss to NESCAC leader Colby

The Panthers took on Albertus Magnus, a team in the midst of an 11-game winning streak at the time, on Tuesday, January 14th. This series of victories ended as Midd landed an 84–76 victory over the Falcons. The Panthers trailed by six early, but turned the game around to own an eight-point lead at the end of the half. Middlebury led by as many as 21 points in the second half, which would be cut down to seven late in the game but the Panthers held on for the eight-point victory. Max Bosco ‘21 led Middlebury’s offense, putting up 23 points. Matt Folger ‘20, Tommy Eastman ‘21, Jack Farrell ‘21, and Ryan Cahill ‘21 also turned in double digit point performances. Middlebury suffered their second loss with an 89–82 loss to an undefeated Colby on Friday, January 17th. The contest began in back and forth fashion with Colby taking a 9–2 lead. Middlebury would comeback to within a point before Colby soared to a ten point advantage fueled by an 8–0 stretch. The Panthers closed out the half on a 7–2 run to cut the deficit to five. This pattern extended into the second half as Colby got back out a double digit lead, which the Panthers cut to four, only to have the Mules stretch the lead out to eleven. In a furious comeback bid, the Panthers sailed into the lead thanks to a 15–2 run. This didn’t last long as Colby turned the game around again to take a ten point lead that they didn’t surrender this time, and Midd lost by seven. In the defeat, Farrell led the squad with a 20 point performance Eastman followed with 14 points, and Folger added 12 rebounds. The Panthers were quick to make up with an offensive onslaught on Saturday, January 18th against Bowdoin. The game remained tight throughout the first half, going into the break with Middlebury on top 40–34. The Panthers hit the ground running in the second half going on a 31–12 run fueled by three three-pointers by Cahill and two each from Folger and Kornaker. Bowdoin went on a 14–4 run but Midd’s lead only grew from there and they soared to a 93–71 victory. It was the fifth time Midd surpassed the 90-point mark this season and it was led by a 19 point effort from Bosco, 17 points from Eastman, and 16 points and six rebounds from Farrell. Cahill delivered 13 points off the bench. Folger led the team with seven rebounds and Kornaker had eight assists to lead the squad. Middlebury returns to action on Saturday against Williams at 3 p.m. at Midd. 

Alpine and Nordic Skiing snag second at Harvard

The alpine and nordic teams fared well at the Harvard Carnival as they both finished in second place. “The Carnival loss has definitely left the team hungry and ready to go for next weekend. We’re all very excited for what we can do in the rest of the season.” said Nina Reichhelm ‘23. The growing excitement is evident as racers from both the men’s and women’s squads are putting in some high finishes and fast times. For the women’s 5k skate, Alexandra Lawson ’21 earned the fastest time amongst all skiers, clocking in a time of 13:44:1. In the men’s 20k Classic Mass Start, Peter Wolter ’21 landed in third place at 54:23.5 on Friday, Feb. 2020. Looking toward their home Carnival at the Middlebury Snowbowl, the team hopes to repeat their success after winning it all last year. The future looks bright for these racers, especially first-year Ali Nullmeyer ’23, who raced in the World Cup in Flachau, placing in a career-best 16th.

Climbing the ladder: Nick Bermingham ’20 goes from walk-on to top spot

Few people play squash in Nick Bermingham’s ’20 hometown of Denver, Colorado. Until his freshman year of boarding school in Connecticut, when he needed a winter sport that would supplement his lacrosse-playing in the spring, the future Middlebury men’s squash captain had not even heard of the game.  “I remember seeing the courts at Hotchkiss and being like, ‘Oh, this is a cool racquet sport I haven’t played before,’” said Bermingham, also a former tennis player. “I kind of fell in love with [squash] right away. I was always trying to play as much as I could.” On summer vacations, Bermingham would sneak into an old court 15 minutes away from his house and practice by himself. Many of Bermingham’s prep school opponents, meanwhile, would receive instruction from private coaches and compete in tournaments throughout the northeast. Today, Bermingham holds the top spot on the ladder for men’s squash and plans to play professionally after graduation. Bermingham’s ascendancy demanded that he climb a steep slope within a relatively short period of time, especially when considering his late entry into the sport and walk-on status. His professional aspirations suggest that he believes more has yet to be conquered.  But every journey must start somewhere.   In high school, Bermingham relied upon his height and athleticism to carry his success.  “I [had] a good first step and was able to retrieve [the ball] a lot when I was just picking up the game,” he said. “It allowed me to stay within points with people that were better than me. In doing so, I was able to keep up, have more court time, and therefore have the opportunity to improve more as opposed to when having shorter rallies.” By junior year of high school, Bermingham wanted to continue his squash career into college, but the recruiting process seemed tilted against him.  “I played in no tournaments and most people my age had already built a resume that they were boasting,” he said. “Coaches certainly weren’t reaching out to me. I was reaching out to a couple of NESCAC and Ivy League coaches, kind of pleading that I’d be really good despite not having that resume.”  Bermingham later developed a correspondence with Middlebury’s men’s squash coach, Mark Lewis. “I said I was interested in going to school at Middlebury, first and foremost,” Bermingham said. “I explained my experience with squash, such as picking it up late, being a former tennis player and anticipating that I’d improve as I progressed in college. I also told him that I was someone who was looking for specific pointers and tips because I was really just learning [squash] all on my own.” Bermingham was admitted to Middlebury and earned a spot on the team as a walk-on. He posted an 11–8 overall record his freshman year, going 9–3 at the ninth spot, 1–5 at the eighth position and 1–0 at the seventh. The men’s squad went 11–8 during its 2016–2017 campaign. Bermingham’s raw athleticism, however, still dictated his game.  “When Nick came here, he was a very physical, fit and defensive player,” said squash co-captain, Will Cembalest ’20. “Essentially, he’d work around the other person’s game and chase balls around as opposed to applying a lot of pressure and playing an attacking game. Especially because he’s tall, he was able to reach for a lot of balls and stay at the point for a lot longer.”  But come sophomore year, a hamstring injury threatened to interrupt Bermingham’s progression. He played in only two games, recording one win and one loss.  Now, his battles were physical and mental.  “Squash has always been a huge competitive outlet for me,” Bermingham said. “Having played sports for as long as I can remember, it’s been part of a balanced life for me. Not having that outlet, not being able to run, have a good sweat, or feeling like I was healthy was really frustrating.” The injury forced the walk-on to improvise how he practiced. Although he couldn’t run around the court, Bermingham was able to use his solo time to sharpen his technical skills. “Once I was healthy again, I had an element of the game that I didn’t have before,” he said. By junior year, Bermingham was elected captain and he tallied a collective 13–8 record playing between the third and sixth positions. His teammates recognized his polished game. “His shot accuracy [was] better,” said Thomas Wolpow ’20, who played on the squash team from freshman to junior year. “If he wanted to put the ball on the front right and he didn’t want the ball to bounce back a lot, he was able to do that. If he wanted to send the guy to the back left back corner, he was able to do that with more precision and consistency.” Bermingham’s leadership also drew the praise of his teammates.   “Nick has a fantastic work ethic, is very dedicated to the sport, and always shows up early to practice,” Cembalest said. “He embodies what a growing athlete is: someone that’s always looking to improve, cheering for players and wishing the best for the team, especially when it gets competitive between the players”. For this season, the team named Bermingham captain once again.  Men’s squash is currently ranked 19th nationally.  When February rolls around, and the Panthers close out their final game, Bermingham won’t be hanging up his racquet for the last time; after graduation, he plans to play professionally.  “Given how much I think about squash and how competitive I am with myself, I don’t think I could, in good conscience, just call it quits my senior year of college,” said Bermingham.  “I feel like I have still so much more to give and I don’t want to wonder in 20 years what could’ve been.” Bermingham’s late introduction to squash also leaves him hungry for more.  “Everybody on the team has been playing since they were really young, and I haven’t,” he said. “I don’t think it’d be fair for myself to just walk away, and be like, ‘Oh well, I was good for what was given’”.      The Denver native intends on travelling to France for his professional career. It appears that his ascendancy in squash keeps pointing eastward. 

Women’s basketball slips to 1-3 in conference play after Maine weekend

On Tuesday, Jan. 14, the Panthers and the Engineers fought an exciting and tightly-contested game. Middlebury led Worcester Polytechnic Institute with a 21–11 advantage with only a minute left on the clock in the first quarter. However, the Engineers showed no signs of backing down in the second and third quarters, the teams were neck and neck with Middlebury holding only a one point advantage in both quarters. Kamryn You Mak ’23 helped the Panthers gain a higher margin when she first defended a three and then connected from long range. As a walk-on athlete, You Mak felt welcomed by everyone on the team. “We played well together as a team — moving and sharing the ball, talking on defense, and helping each other out,” she said. Middlebury’s record suffered a blow from a loss to Colby on Friday, Jan. 17. The game remained a tie during the first two quarters until the Mules topped the Panthers by one point heading into the last quarter. During the fourth quarter, the Mules stepped up and tallied 16 out of 18 of the first points of the period. Although Middlebury tried to come back, the Panthers ultimately fell 48–62. Betsy Knox ’20 broke the blocked shots record held by Catherine Harrison ’19 and became the school’s all-time leader with 109. The Panthers were unable to bounce back from the loss as they also fell to Bowdoin the following day, Jan. 18. The team had a hard-fought battle with the second-ranked Polar Bears. Bowdoin had a six point advantage over Middlebury at the end of the first quarter, and its advantage grew larger as the second quarter was closed out with a score of 32–25. In the third quarter, Middlebury worked tirelessly to close the gap from 44–27 with five minutes left on the clock to 46–32. Unfortunately, Polar Bears eventually secured a 80–61 win over Middlebury. Maya Davis ’20 led the scoreboard with 21 points, followed by Kira Waldman ’20 with 13, Reagan McDonald ’23 with 11, and Knox who put up 10. Middlebury will face Williams on the road on Saturday, Jan. 25, before returning home Friday, Jan. 31 to host Trinity.

Otter Creek Bakery maintains essence among changing leadership

Otter Creek Bakery, a bastion of baked goods and cardinal coffee counter in the town of Middlebury since 1989, is preparing to take its first steps without the guidance of founders Ben and Sarah Wood. After serving as the business’s right and left hands for more than thirty years, the couple has sold the culinary mainstay to Middlebury native and Bowdoin graduate Ned Horton. With the purchase, the new owner is taking on a unique challenge: preserving the bakery’s beloved core while bringing new flavor to its edges. “We’re real old-school,” said Sarah Wood, who arrives in the kitchen at 3:30 a.m. each day to start baking. “I mean, we’ve been doing the same thing for 33 years. I think we definitely need a little, y’know —” “Dusting off,” said Ben Wood, her husband, who also works in the kitchen daily to marshal Otter Creek Bakery’s savory items. This is just what Horton intends to do. Although beloved staples like their West Coaster sandwich and chunky cookie selection aren’t going anywhere, Horton plans to augment the menu with new savory breakfast items, specialty coffee vendors, and gluten-free and vegan options. He also hopes to undergo construction to expand indoor seating and is considering a heated outdoor area for wintertime use. “A group of us worked on a plan to help make a transition,” said Horton. “We need to understand everything about it that makes it so successful and why everybody loves it so much.”  “Yep,” added Sarah Wood, apron-clad, as she bobbed between trays of fresh croissants and cinnamon-blanketed dough. “We’re just supporting the transition until we get fired.” Aiding in the switch is new manager Chiyo Sato, who previously worked under the Woods for three years as a baker and was brought back as a familiar face with new ideas. A dependable employee who knows the ropes, she is looking forward to helping the bakery move forward. “Chiyo’s a different generation that has things she wants to try for sure,” said Horton. “She’s great,” added Sarah Wood.   Sato, a cheerful, purple-haired 29-year-old who offers wide smiles from under a baseball cap at the counter, knows all of the Otter Creek Bakery regulars. She is also glad to have each of the old 13 full- and part-time employees remain on staff through the transition, and her presence provides peace of mind to owners both new and old. The Woods, who have worked in synchronic rhythm in the kitchen for three decades, are currently training Sato in fulfilling the many roles it takes to run the bakery. “It’s your typical small business,” said Ben Wood, to which Sarah added, “You have to have ten trades.” This is not to say that Sato will take it on single-handedly, however. Although Horton will not be doing any kitchen work, he plans to bring on several new staff members to assist with baking and working the deli under Sato’s leadership. Horton is also seeking part-time help for the summer rush and is considering bringing on a full-service waitstaff after special expansions, though he wants to be careful to preserve Otter Creek Bakery’s notoriously all-hands-on-deck operations. “Everybody is interacting with the customers. If somebody’s waiting in line –” Horton said, to which Sato finished, “Any one of us back here will step up to the plate, y’know?”   For many, the allure of the establishment comes from this formula: familiar service plus familiar food. Many of the couple’s recipes have gone unchanged over the last three decades and have continued to bring in regulars. The Woods have even made wedding cakes for couples — and then, years later, the couples’ children. “We have people coming in two, three times a day for thirty years, so we pretty much know everybody,” said Ben Wood, who is as dedicated to his regulars as they are to the bakery. “When people didn’t pick up their special orders for Christmas because it was snowing hard, I just put them all in the truck and just dropped them all off,” he laughed, adding, “I’m like, okay. If you can’t come, I can drive!” Another time, the bakery made a custom cake for a local man who then took the confection to Albany. Shortly after he picked it up, Ben said, “He calls me up and he has a special favor to ask. He said, ‘I think I left the door unlocked to my house. Would you go over and lock it for me?’” So, naturally, Ben took a break from work, drove to the man’s house and locked up for him. “This is a full-service bakery, by the way!” laughed Sarah.  Although Horton intends to keep favorite features like the devoted staff (and the honey-cornmeal scones, of which Sato lovingly says, “It’s like eating the top of a corn muffin. Just the top.”), he also hopes to bring a little extra energy to the space.  “I’d definitely like to see some music playing both inside and outside,” said Horton, who was once given a WRMC show as a local Middlebury ten-year-old. For the Woods, Horton, and Sato, it’s crucial that the Otter Creek Bakery keep its substance. Even through the menu additions and special reconfigurations, the biggest change will be the absence of Ben and Sarah Wood’s welcoming faces. After having been found behind the counter and in the kitchen pouring themselves into their second home for the last three decades, they haven’t quite said goodbye. For now, the couple will continue to train new employees until they’re sure the bakery can stand on two feet.

Borders

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Student-organized symposium addresses global effects of settler colonialism

Speakers probed themes of settler colonialism and its impact in three different regions during a student-organized conference titled “Bodies at Borders: The Lived Effects of Settler Colonialism.” The annual Student-Organized Global Affairs Conference took place in Wilson Hall on Jan. 13. The three speakers included Dr. Marie Cruz Soto, a professor at the NYU Gallatin School of Individualized Study, who explained the process and impact of settler colonialism in the Puerto Rican archipelago; Dr. Thomas Abowd, who teaches at Tufts University and discussed the colonization faced by Palestinians; and Miwok journalist, activist and media producer Desiree Kane, who talked about the colonization of Native American land and the intersectionality of the issues faced by American indigenous communities. Conveners Kamli Faour ’21, Cara Levine ’20 and Mari Odoy ’20 started the approval process for the conference in October and began planning in November. Levine found all three speakers who attended the conference. She reached out to the author of a relevant article on JSTOR, who referred her to Cruz Soto, and heard about Abowd through a friend at Tufts. She found Kane listed among the speakers at a Princeton University conference. “The huge emphasis of this conference is that it’s global,” Faour said. “What we were doing was we were looking to fill three different regions as best we could.”  This year’s conference took place earlier than usual as the organizers wanted to ensure that Faour could attend the event prior to her departure for a semester abroad. Attendees of the event sat at eight tables arranged in front of a podium in Wilson Hall. These tables later became the location of seven different break-out discussions, facilitated by a Middlebury professor or conference speaker. Students, faculty and Middlebury residents participated in the discussions, drawing on personal experience as well as information they had encountered in the classroom. Cruz Soto, the first speaker, gave a talk entitled “Strategic Spaces, Disposable People.” Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, she dove into the history of colonialism in Puerto Rico, beginning with Spanish colonialism in the 16th century and progressing to its present-day status as an unincorporated U.S. territory.   Soto explained the U.S. Navy’s expropriation of the island, which facilitated the forced relocation of the original residents to the island’s center. She displayed maps and pictures of this relocation while highlighting the role persistent civil disobedience played in the U.S. decision to recall the Navy from the island in 2003.  “Civil disobedience is not just protesting. It’s making things unworkable, not letting the status quo be the status quo,” she said. Abowd, the Tufts professor, spoke about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and addressed how identifying the conflict as settler colonialism is an approach often met with surprise and hostility. Abowd discussed how the Palestinians were pushed off their land, referencing specific cases such as the destruction of the Palestinian enclave near the Western Wall in Jerusalem, and showing maps and images to further illustrate his point.  The final speaker of the conference, Kane, played pieces of the documentary she had worked on, which follows Native American protesters of the Dakota Access Pipeline. She spoke about many of the challenges faced by women in Native American communities and attested to the intersectionality of many social justice issues. Kane called on her audience to fight against class systems in a speech that addressed both physical and non-physical borders, and called attention to the borders that divide different movements for change.  Kane also mentioned that she had reached out to the Abenaki tribe, whose land Middlebury College rests on, before coming to the summit.  At one table, attendees discussed the Mexico-United States border and their relationship with it, as well as redlining, non-physical borders and white privilege. For the most part, those seated at the table shared their own experiences with borders in the context of the topic “Border as Method: The Proliferation and Power of Borders.”  One of the students at the table, Rand Jibril ’20, described the presence of borders growing up in Palestine. She explained how the border impacts certain aspects of everyday life.  “Simple stuff like sleepovers that you can’t do when you’re a child, you don’t think, ‘This is because of the border,’ she said. Jibril explained how she does not feel there is enough discussion about the border and settler colonialism on campus.  “That’s why I applaud the organizers of this event. I think we need to talk about it more,” she said. “I don’t think it comes up enough, whether it’s in classes or between students.”

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Students protest for higher staff wages

Falling snow and the impending threat of finals did not deter over 200 students from gathering in Mead Chapel on Thursday to rally in support of higher wages for Middlebury facilities and dining staff. Students Celia Gottlieb ’21.5 and Connor Wertz ’22 organized the protest, along with the rest of their Race, Rhetoric and Protest class, taught by Professor of Writing and Rhetoric James Sanchez.   “The people who make our food, clean our buildings and maintain the school are vital to having a functional institution,” Gottlieb told The Campus.  “Their work is of the utmost value, yet their wages do not reflect this. They dedicate a significant portion of their days to making sure we can live our lives, yet, they don’t make a living wage to live theirs.” The protest began with a sea of students stomping and yelling, the clamor rising to a crescendo before ending with a thunderous clap. After addresses from the student organizers, protesters marched to each dining hall and posted messages of gratitude to the staff on pieces of paper, with the heading “Students value the hard work of Middlebury staff. Pay them a living wage.” Around campus, students wore all black to demonstrate solidarity. According to an article about low staff wages from The Campus’s January Staff Issue, 15% of staff fill the college’s lowest paying positions, in the Operations Level 1 and 2 pay bands (OP1 and OP2). OP2 positions begin at $12.07 per hour, and OP1 positions begin at $11 per hour. These wages often fall below the estimates for what constitutes a living wage in Addison County. In an October article about custodial staffing shortages, The Campus reported that the Vermont Legislative Joint Fiscal Office found the 2018 livable wage for the state to be $13.34 per hour. A 2018 study by the National Low-Income Housing Coalition set the Addison County housing wage at $19.63 per hour. Staff receive yearly raises, which the college calculates based off annual increases in living expenses. But for staff earning low wages without disposable incomes, changes in a single factor, like an increase in the price of the gas they need to commute to work, could throw their entire budget off balance, according to Tim Parsons, the college’s landscape horticulturist and Staff Council president. At the protest, many students asserted that this precarious balance between financial security and insecurity is unacceptable. “When the same people that we ask to feed us need food stamps to feed their own family, when the same people that we ask to keep our dorm rooms warm need to use emergency Chaplain’s Funding to heat their own homes in the winter, that is a problem,” Wertz said to the crowd.

WINTER SPORTS RECAPS

Women’s hockey tops No. 1 Plattsburgh in Panther/Cardinal Classic BY MAX PADILLA Women’s hockey remains undefeated as the team enters its third week of the season. The Panthers tied Amherst, 1–1, on Friday, Nov. 22 before shutting out the Mammoths the following day, 2–0. Middlebury repeated the pattern this past weekend during the Panther/Cardinal Classic, tying Adrian 1–1 on Saturday, Nov. 30 and triumphing over top-ranked Plattsburgh State, 2–1, on Sunday, Dec. 1. “We focus a lot on having a strong defensive zone no matter what team we play and that was definitely a huge factor in the win this weekend,” Sidney Porter ’20 said. “We knew it wasn’t going to be easy going into it and that we had to work as hard as we could from start to finish which I think set us up for a successful outcome.” The Panthers will face off against Utica this Saturday, Dec. 7 at Kenyon Arena. Things look good for the Panthers as they head into this game, as they’ve beat the Moose in the last three games the two have played.  Men’s puck successful in NESCAC road trip, falls in PrimeLink Championship BY BLAISE SIEFER The Middlebury men’s hockey team are quickly gaining momentum this season, winning three of their past four games. The Panthers now boast a 4–2–0 record, good for third in the NESCAC.  Men’s hockey swept their first away trip of the season on Friday, Nov. 22 and Saturday, Nov. 23, defeating Tufts, 2–1, and Connecticut College, 5–2. Antoine Belisle ’23 netted a goal in each, notching the first two goals of his collegiate career. This past weekend, Middlebury headed north to Plattsburgh State, competing in the 22nd annual PrimeLink Great Northern ShootOut. The Panthers started the weekend hot, defeating top-seeded Norwich, 2–1 (OT) in the semi-finals. Entering this matchup, Norwich was one of four teams remaining in Division 3 with a perfect record. Zach Shapiro ’22 delivered the winning blow just under two minutes into overtime, slapping in a loose puck following a scramble in front of the Norwich net. With the win, the Panthers booked their ticket to the tournament final the next day. Despite their recent success, men’s hockey failed to extend their winning streak to five on Sunday, falling to the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 4–3. Middlebury will hit the road again this weekend, facing off against Amherst on Friday and Hamilton on Saturday. Games times are scheduled for 7 p.m. and 3 p.m., respectively. Women’s hoops wins narrowly against Castleton and Cabrini BY RAIN JI After winning its first five games of the season, women’s basketball has proven itself to continue its success from last season.  “We are playing great team basketball,” Captain Kira Waldman ’20 said. “I am excited to follow this momentum and continue to show up with energy, effort and enthusiasm.”  On Nov. 23, Middlebury defeated the Skidmore Thoroughbreds in a convincing 74–59 victory. The Panthers fought a close battle in the first quarter, having been outscored by the Throroughbreds 16–17, but they managed to build a lead by halftime when the score was 33–28. Middlebury then extended its lead in the third quarter to a comfortable 15 points. After the last quarter, the game was settled at 74–59, Middlebury. The win wouldn’t have been possible without Betsy Knox ’20, who scored a career-high 23 points. Middlebury then fought hard against Castleton on Nov. 26 and won the game in overtime, 64–60. Captain Maya Davis ’20 proved to be an offensive threat, having scored 21 points. The NESCAC weekly release cited her outstanding performance during the game and she was also selected as the NESCAC Player of the Week.  On Nov. 30, the Panthers battled in another nail-biter when it faced Cabrini. Middlebury was down 58–59 with just 46 seconds remaining in the game, but it managed to regain the lead at 60–59 thanks to a pair of successful free throws by Knox. The Panthers then forced a key turnover and padded their lead to six points with more clutch foul shots by Davis, Knox and Gianna Palli ’23. The team will play Colby-Sawyer on Saturday, Dec. 7 at 2:00 p.m.  Fifth-ranked men’s basketball routs Endicott, improves to 7-0 BY MICHAEL SEGEL On Sunday, Dec. 1 men’s basketball improved to 7-0 with a 98-78 rout of Endicott, fueled by a huge second half where they outscored their opponents 54-28. Endicott held a six-point lead at the half, but Midd turned the game into a blowout, with a 25-8 run and a subsequent 11-0 run. Jack Farrell ’21 led the Panthers with a career high 31 points, along with seven rebounds, four assists and four steals. Griffin Kornaker ’21, Max Bosco ’21, and Tommy Eastman ’21 each added 14 points (Eastman also providing 13 rebounds), and Perry DeLorenzo ’20 was a perfect four-for-four from beyond the three point line to give himself 12.   The big differences in this one were bench points and defense. Middlebury shot a clean 50% on field goals while holding Endicott to a slim 35.8%. Midd scored 32 points from the bench whereas Endicott had only 18. It was the end of a 5-0 road trip for Middlebury, who will come home to take on New England College at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 6 before getting back on the road again to face Stevens on Sunday, Dec. 8.  Men’s and Women’s XC tackles NCAA Championships BY JORDAN HOWELL The Cross Country season came to a close when the Panthers ran in the NCAA Championships on Nov. 23. The men ended in 29nd place, while the women ended in 15th place. The men were beaten out by first place Pomona-Pitzer. Key contributors for the Panthers included Theo Henderson ’20, who finished 34th with a time of 24:55.1. Next, there was Henry Fleming ’20 whose time of 25:25.6 placed him in 93rd place. “Obviously the team was a little bit disappointed with our result,” said Zander Kessler ’22, when asked about the men’s performance. “I’d like to thank the best captains ever, Henry Fleming and Theo Henderson for leading an otherwise young team through an awesome season. We’ll be back next year on a revenge tour. It was awesome to see Theo get all American in his final race.” The women’s squad was beaten out by first place Johns Hopkins. Crucial members for the women included Cassie Kearney ’22, who captured 26th place with a time of 22:01.0. Talia Ruxin ’20 had a time of 22:30.3 which netted her sixtieth place. “We were very pleased with our performance at the NCAA Championships. Going into nationals we were ranked 22 out of 32 teams that qualified for NCAAs, but we ended up placing 15th,” said Phoebe Colvin-Oehmig ’21. “The team dynamic was incredible this year. We're excited to carry this energy into next season!” Overall, the Panthers had an exciting season filled with many impressive performances, especially by Cassie Kearney ’22, who recently earned All-American accolades for the second year in a row.  Clearly, the Panthers can’t wait to come out and compete again next season.  

Field hockey captures third consecutive national championship title

Snow fell on the turf throughout the morning, but the Middlebury field hockey team was not kept away as it captured its third consecutive national championship — its fourth in five years. This was the second-ranked Panthers' fifth NCAA Division III championship win, having previously captured the title in 1998, 2015, 2017 and 2018. The Panthers traveled to the final four for the 11th time in program history after receiving an automatic bid with a NESCAC championship win, securing victories against Babson (2–1) and Kean (4–1) in the regional round. Yesterday's national semifinal was played in Manheim, Pa., where Middlebury defeated the Salisbury Sea Gulls 1–0. Off an assist from Erin Nicholas '21, Katie George '23 fired the ball inside the right post with 6:27 left in the third quarter. The defensive squad was able to hold off Salisbury without a shot until 7:51 remaining in regulation. Middlebury took advantage on both shots (13) and penalty corners (six). The Panthers faced off against the Franklin & Marshall Diplomats, who advanced to the championship match for the first time since 1981 after scoring a 3–1 victory against Johns Hopkins. After a delayed start time due to snow earlier in the morning, the game remained scoreless for the first three quarters. With 6:17 left in regulation, Marissa Baker '20 put a low shot in against Franklin & Marshall goalie Christina Seery, off an assist from Isabel Chandler '21. The Diplomats tried to rebound in the last few minutes of the game, earning penalty corner ending in a blocked shot.