Connecticut College Women's Cross Country

Event Groups: Women’s Middle Distance, Women’s Long Distance Ned Bishop has been a member of the Connecticut College cross country and track & field coaching staff for the past 39 years. He has led the women's cross country squad to consistent success in New England Division III competition, as the Camels have defeated over 70 percent of their opponents in dual and invitational meets during Bishop’s tenure. They have annually vied for a spot among the top ten teams in the region and have been ranked among the nation’s top 35 Division III teams on multiple occasions. The program has consistently sent individual qualifiers to the NCAA Championship in cross country.  Highlights include Maura Danahy ’02 earning three consecutive All-America honors from 1999 through 2001 and going on to qualify for the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials in the marathon after her graduation from Conn.  The Camel’s first cross country All-American, Katie McGee ’95, competed in two U.S. Olympic Trials in the marathon in 2000 and 2004.  Ashley Curran ’17 advanced to three consecutive NCAA Championship meets between 2014 and 2016, and Meredith Cronin ’01 earned All-America honors in 2019.  Most recently the Camels have been represented in the national meet by Julia Curran ’23 (2021 & 2022) and Lauren Hino ’24 (2022).  Other past qualifiers include Lyn Balsamo ’94, Jennifer Stieg ’02, Erin Walworth ’02, Mary McCudden ’06 and Bella Franz ’17. In track & field, Bishop first served as the women’s head coach for thirteen years, followed by an eight-year stint as the lead assistant responsible for all men’s and women’s distance events. Bishop then took the reins as head coach of both the men’s and women’s squads in October of 2006 before returning to his original role as the women’s head coach in 2018-19.  In addition to his duties with the women’s squad, Bishop also served as the interim head coach for the men’s team in 2022-23 until Sam Alexander was hired to take over the helm for the men’s program. Bishop guided the Connecticut College women’s track & field team to the 1989 New England Division III outdoor team title. The women currently have a streak of finishing among the top ten teams in the New England Division III Championship every year since 2016. The men's team also had multiple top-ten team finishes while Bishop was leading the way, including an all-time program best sixth-place finish in 2023. Bishop’s track & field athletes have made regular appearances at recent NCAA Division III Championships, and Alex Samma ’09 won the program’s first-ever national title during the 2009 indoor season by capturing first place in the triple jump. Mike LeDuc ‘14 became the squad’s first two-time national champion, as he won the 2013 and 2014 3000-meter steeplechase titles and ran the third-fastest time in Division III history, and he also won the steeplechase at the 2014 Penn Relays.  In addition to the ten All-America honors earned by Samma and LeDuc, many other Camels have reached the NCAA podium under Bishop’s direction.  These decorated All-Americans include Kerry Newhall ’98 (javelin), Maura Danahy ‘02 (5k, 10k), Brian Murtagh ‘09 (steeplechase), Scott Mason ’19 (steeplechase), Koko Mensah ’20 (shot put), Meredith Cronin ’21 (5k), and Malissa Lindsey ’23 (100m, 200m).  Lindsey finished second in the 100 meters and third in the 200 meters at the 2022 NCAA Championship, as she turned in the fastest times ever run by a NESCAC competitor. The Camels made their first appearance in an NCAA Championship relay during the 2014 indoor season as the women’s distance medley relay team captured 10th place. The men’s distance medley relay foursome followed that up with a ninth-place finish at the 2016 NCAA Indoor Championship.  The 2022-23 men’s and women’s squads produced several NCAA Championship qualifiers including Matt Carter ’23 (5k), Chris Koskinen ’25 (pole vault), Jeffrey Love ‘23 (3k, 5k, 10k), Erica MacSweeney ’23 (triple jump) and Emma Wheeler ’24 (heptathlon).  Love and Wheeler both won individual New England Division III titles, while Koskinen repeated as the NESCAC individual champion last spring. Bishop graduated from Connecticut College in 1984 after a four-year cross country and track career. He served as the team captain and was named the Most Valuable Runner of the cross country team in his senior year. Bishop was a member of the NCAA Track & Field Committee for four years, represented the New England region on the USTFCCCA Division III Cross Country Executive Committee for 30 years, and continues to serve as the Rankings Coordinator for the New England Division III Coaches Association.  

Merrill-Morin, a former US Olympian and World and American record-holder, joined the Camel cross country and track & field coaching staff last year.  Merrill-Morin graduated from Connecticut College in 1979 and is a member of the colleges Athletic Hall of Fame.  She was a finalist in the 1500 meters at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal and held World and/or US national records in the 1000 meters, 1500 meters, 3000 meters and 5000 meters.  She won the individual Silver Medal at the 1981 World Cross Country Championship and was part of two Gold Medal winning US teams at the 1979 and 1983 World Cross Country Championships.  Merrill-Morin has previous coaching experience at Rutgers University and the United States Coast Guard Academy.