LA CROSSE, Wis. - The Hawks women's track & field program is going to be adding more history to a historic season on May 21st - 23rd as junior Jordan Murphy (East Hampton, Conn.), sophomore Tamara Greene (Hartford, Conn.) and graduate student Kayla Pelletier (Southington, Conn.) will compete in the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Murphy will be participating in the heptathlon and high jump competition, Greene will be in the 100 meter hurdles event and Pelletier will be throwing javelin. 

Murphy's Moment
Murphy, who was the Division III New England Champion in high jump (1.65 meters) and the heptathlon (4627) is excited for making her second NCAA Division III National Championship of the year after becoming the first women's All-American in University of Hartford Track & Field history.

"Going into the week I am very excited, we have put in a lot of work throughout the season, so my goal is to go out and compete confidently and to give everything I have. Experiencing indoor nationals gives me more confidence going into the outdoor competition. I now have a better understanding of what to expect and feel better prepared. I'm taking the lessons I have learned going into outdoor nationals and trusting my training."

Murphy comes into the event ranked 4th in the high jump competition (1.73 meters) and 22nd in the heptathlon (4627) and is ready to represent Hartford at the national level. 

"I am proud to represent Hartford at this stage. It means a lot to wear our school's name and to be able to represent the team that supported me throughout this journey."

Greene's Goal
Greene comes into the event as no surprise to the greater Hartford community. The sophomore who was the first woman in program history to break nine seconds in the 60 meter hurdles competition in indoor is only hoping to improve in her 100 meter hurdles time. 

"I feel incredibly blessed to experience a national championship stage so early in my collegiate career. Competing at this level as a sophomore is a massive stepping stone. It kind of sets the tone for my next season. By going into my junior season already have had this experience I won't just be guessing what the top tier looks like; I'll know exactly what I'm chasing and what it takes to get back here. Just having the opportunity to compete at the national level and be surrounded by such elite talent is incredibly motivating. As for my goal, I'm focused on running a new PR with a clean and powerful execution in my race and seeing where that places me."

Tamara is ranked 21st in the 100 meter hurdles event with a qualifying time of 14.37 seconds. Greene finished 2nd in the Division III New England Championships to garnish All-New England honors. 

"It's a mix of excitement and butterflies, but mostly pride", said Greene. "Representing Hartford on the biggest stage is a huge honor. We are a program on the rise, and I want to compete to put Hartford on the map and show everyone what our team can achieve and the athletes it's producing."

Pelletier's Patience
Pelletier comes into the NCAA National Championships after a long hard fought journey. The graduate student debuted for the Hawks in 2021-22 and finally after being eligible for the national stage, Kayla is not coming for memories, but taking gold. 

"My excitement level is definitely really high going into this week. Ever since the season started, nationals has been the goal, so it's really exciting to finally be here. Going into the meet being seeded first is obviously motivating, but I'm trying to stay focused on competing the way I know I can and enjoying the experience too. My goal for the meet is to win, but ultimately, I just want to go out there, throw my best, and finish my collegiate career on a strong note. Earning All-American status would honestly mean a lot. Looking back on where I started in 2021 it's definitely been a long road. There has been a lot of hard work, ups and downs, and growth along the way, and I am incredibly grateful for everyone who has been a part of this journey so far. To end my college career as an All-American after five years at Hartford would be really special because it would feel like everything that I have put into this sport and the program paid off. I think it would also be a really meaningful way to close out this chapter in my life and go out with a bang."

Pelletier is the top seed headed into the meet with a toss of 46.61 meters. Kayla is also a Division III New England Champion winning the event at a distance of 44.58 meters and is ready to bring another All-American to the Hartford name. 

"Being able to represent Hartford at the biggest stage is something I am really proud of. Hartford has been my home for the last five years, and the coaches, teammates, and staff have all played a huge role in helping me get to this point. Being able to wear Hartford across my chest at the national championships is really meaningful, especially knowing this is the last meet of my collegiate career. I'm just super grateful for the opportunity and excited to represent the program on a big stage."

Coaches Comments
Head Coach Connor Green has put together quite the year for the women's track & field team bringing home the Conference of New England (CNE) Championship and getting a top 25 national ranking. Green continues to push the same messaging he has had his whole coaching career and is excited what the student-athletes can do in Wisconsin. 

"One of my consistent messages and thoughts throughout my coaching career and this season is two things. One, not too high not too low meaning don't get too scared or too excited just be in the moment. Stay even keel and don't overwhelm yourself one way or the other. The second one is consistency is what wins championships obviously somebody can have a PR one day and change the whole landscape of the competition, but those individuals who are consistent in their practice in their warm-ups, and then their competition are typically those that end up winning. I think that simply getting multiple athletes to a national championship meet in itself is pretty spectacular on any given year. However, it being our first eligible year it does make it extra special. All three are certainly excited and ready for a great meet. Taking on the best of the best at this level is both exciting and nerve-racking, but I know that their preparation for this moment will help them compete at the highest level. Having had the pleasure of coaching these athletes for a number of years and some even more than that, it's pretty awesome to just watch their excitement as we were traveling and showing them the facility and overall just speaking about their upcoming experience. PR's are awesome school and records are great, but seeing these athletes truly get to experience the pinnacle of their sport is what really brings it all together for me as a coach. It's hard to match that kind of joy that we get to see them experience."

Together on Three
Murphy, Greene and Pelletier were all overjoyed to be selected to nationals but have said it has been even more special to be going together.

"Being here with the two other members of the team makes the experience even more special", said Murphy. "We get to experience this opportunity together as we have all put in a lot of hard work so being able to support them at this competition means a lot."

"Having the other two members with me makes the entire experience ten times better", said Greene. Track can feel like an individual sport when you're on the line, but having my teammates there with me reminds me of the bigger picture. Being able to share this milestone and lean on each other's energy at the biggest meet of the year is what makes it special."

"It really makes the trip even more special having teammates here honestly", said Pelletier. "Track can be an individual sport at times, but being able to share this experience with two other teammates who have worked just as hard is really exciting. We've all supported each other throughout the season, so getting to watch each other compete on the biggest stage and getting to represent Hartford together at nationals means a lot and definitely makes the experience more memorable."

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