Middlebury College Panthers
Encyclopedia
Middlebury College
Middlebury College is a private liberal arts college located in Middlebury, Vermont, USA. Founded in 1800, it is one of the oldest liberal arts colleges in the United States. Drawing 2,400 undergraduates from all 50 United States and over 70 countries, Middlebury offers 44 majors in the arts,...
that compete in the New England Small College Athletic Conference
New England Small College Athletic Conference
The New England Small College Athletic Conference is an NCAA Division III athletic conference, consisting of eleven highly selective liberal arts colleges and universities located in New England and New York...
. The Panthers lead the NESCAC in total number of National Championships, having won 33 individual titles since the conference lifted its ban on NCAA play in 1994. Middlebury enjoys national success in soccer, tennis, cross country running, lacrosse, swimming and diving, ice hockey, field hockey, and skiing, and fields 31 varsity NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
teams and several competitive club teams. Since 2000, Middlebury's varsity squads have won 54 NESCAC titles. Currently, 28% of students participate in varsity sports.
In the early 20th century, the Panther's traditional athletic rivals included the University of Vermont
University of Vermont
The University of Vermont comprises seven undergraduate schools, an honors college, a graduate college, and a college of medicine. The Honors College does not offer its own degrees; students in the Honors College concurrently enroll in one of the university's seven undergraduate colleges or...
and Norwich University
Norwich University
Norwich University is a private university located in Northfield, Vermont . The university was founded in 1819 at Norwich, Vermont, as the American Literary, Scientific and Military Academy. It is the oldest of six Senior Military Colleges, and is recognized by the United States Department of...
. Today, rivalries vary by sport. In football, Middlebury's rival is Hamilton College, as NESCAC no longer allows out-of-conference football competition. Since 1980, the annual game between Hamilton and Middlebury is designated the Rocking Chair Classic, with the winning team keeping the Mac-Jack Rocking Chair for the following year.
Notable achievements
Middlebury's success in intercollegiate sports is evidenced by the college's second place ranking in the 2001, 2005, 2007, 2009 and 2011 National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Directors' Cup. The college has won 31 NCAA Division III national championships since 1995.- Middlebury alumni have competed in downhill or Nordic skiing events in every Winter Olympic GamesWinter Olympic GamesThe Winter Olympic Games is a sporting event, which occurs every four years. The first celebration of the Winter Olympics was held in Chamonix, France, in 1924. The original sports were alpine and cross-country skiing, figure skating, ice hockey, Nordic combined, ski jumping and speed skating...
since World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis... - In 1979 and 1980 the women's ski team won two AIAW national championships.
- From April 1997 until the NCAA Division III Semi-finals in March 2004, the Men's Lacrosse team had a 45 game winning streak at home.
- From 2004 to 2006, both the men'sNCAA Men's Ice Hockey ChampionshipThe annual NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship tournament determines the top men's ice hockey team in NCAA Division I and Division III. The semi-finals and finals of the Division I Championship are branded as the Frozen Four, a passing nod to the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship - known...
and women's ice hockey teams won three consecutive NCAA Division III National Championships, an unprecedented feat for a college at any level. - In 2007, Middlebury's Men's Soccer team captured its first NCAA Championship in the 54 year history of the program.
- In 2007 and 2009, the Middlebury College Rugby ClubMiddlebury College Rugby ClubMiddlebury College Rugby Club is the division I rugby union team of Middlebury College, located in Middlebury, Vermont. Also known as The MCRC, the club competes in the New England Rugby Football Union.- Officers :...
won Division II USA RugbyUSA RugbyUSA Rugby is the national governing body for the sport of rugby union in the United States. It is divided into seven territorial Unions: Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, Northeast, Pacific Coast, Southern California, South, and West...
Championships. - In 2010, two Middlebury Alumni, Garrott KuzzyGarrott KuzzyGarrott Kuzzy is an American cross country skier who has competed since 2001. His best individual World Cup finish was ninth in an individual sprint event in Canada in 2008....
'06 and Simi HamiltonSimi HamiltonSimeon "Simi" Hamilton is an American cross country skier who has competed since 2000. Hamilton attended Middlebury College from 2005-2009, during which time he competed for its ski team, individually earning several All-American NCAA Championship results. It was announced on 29 January 2010 that...
'09, represented the United States in Nordic Skiing at the 2010 Winter Olympics2010 Winter OlympicsThe 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
in Vancouver.
National Championships
| Sport | Year(s) Won |
| Men's Hockey (8) NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship The annual NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship tournament determines the top men's ice hockey team in NCAA Division I and Division III. The semi-finals and finals of the Division I Championship are branded as the Frozen Four, a passing nod to the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship - known... |
1995 |
| 1996 | |
| 1997 | |
| 1998 | |
| 1999 | |
| 2004 | |
| 2005 | |
| 2006 | |
| Women's Cross Country (6) NCAA Women's Cross Country Championship Each autumn, beginning in 1981, the National Collegiate Athletic Association has hosted women's cross country championships for each of its three divisions... |
2000 |
| 2001 | |
| 2003 | |
| 2006 | |
| 2008 | |
| 2010 | |
| Women's Hockey (5) | 2000 |
| 2001 | |
| 2004 | |
| 2005 | |
| 2006 | |
| Women's Lacrosse (5) NCAA Women's Lacrosse Championship The annual NCAA Women's Lacrosse Championship tournament determines the top women's lacrosse team in the NCAA Division I, Division II, and Division III.... |
1997 |
| 1999 | |
| 2001 | |
| 2002 | |
| 2004 | |
| Men's Lacrosse (3) NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship The annual NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship tournament determines the top men's field lacrosse team in the NCAA Division I, Division II, and Division III.... |
2000 |
| 2001 | |
| 2002 | |
| Men's Tennis (2) NCAA Men's Tennis Championship The NCAA Men's Tennis Championships are held to crown a team, individual, and doubles champion in American college tennis. The first intercollegiate championship was held in 1883, 23 years before the founding of the NCAA, with Harvard's Joseph Clark taking the singles title... |
2004 |
| 2010 | |
| Men's Rugby (2) | 2007 |
| 2009 | |
| Men's Soccer (1) NCAA Men's Division III Soccer Championship The NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Championship is played since 1974.It is the largest of the three NCAA divisions' championships, with the most complicated selection process. The tournament is a 57-team, single-elimination tournament. Teams are divided into three pools. Pool A consists of the 36... |
2007 |
| Field Hockey (1) NCAA Women's Field Hockey Championship Twelve women's sports were added to the NCAA championship program for the 1981-82 school year. The first national championship events were staged November 21-November 22, 1981, in cross country and field hockey.-Division I:-Division II:-Division III:... |
1998 |
Facilities
Middlebury's athletic facilities include:
- 50-meter by 25 yards (22.9 m) Olympic-size swimming pool
- 3,500-seat Youngman Field at Alumni StadiumYoungman Field at Alumni StadiumYoungman Field at Alumni Stadium is a 3,500-capacity multi-use stadium in Middlebury, Vermont on the campus of the NCAA Division III-affiliated Middlebury College...
for football and lacrosse - 2,600 spectator hockey arena
- 5,000 spectator natatorium
- Regulation rugby pitch
- Middlebury College Snow BowlMiddlebury College Snow BowlThe Middlebury College Snow Bowl is a ski area in Hancock, Vermont, east of Middlebury in the Green Mountains. The site has been owned and operated by Middlebury College since its first trails were cut in 1934. The Snow Bowl has 17 trails and 3 lifts, offering access to more than of terrain...
, the college-owned ski mountain - 18-hole Ralph Myhre golf course
- Carroll and Jane Rikert Ski Touring Center at the Bread Loaf MountainBread Loaf Mountain (Vermont)Bread Loaf Mountain is a mountain located in Addison County, Vermont, in the Green Mountain National Forest. The mountain is part of the central Green Mountains...
campus - Fitness Center
- Allan Dragone Track and Field Complex
- Pepin gymnasium, home of the mens' and women's' basketball and volleyball teams
- Field Turf mens' soccer field
- Indoor and outdoor tennis courts, paddle tennis courts, squash courts
- Rock climbing wall
See also
- List of Middlebury College alumni
- Middlebury CollegeMiddlebury CollegeMiddlebury College is a private liberal arts college located in Middlebury, Vermont, USA. Founded in 1800, it is one of the oldest liberal arts colleges in the United States. Drawing 2,400 undergraduates from all 50 United States and over 70 countries, Middlebury offers 44 majors in the arts,...
- Middlebury College Rugby ClubMiddlebury College Rugby ClubMiddlebury College Rugby Club is the division I rugby union team of Middlebury College, located in Middlebury, Vermont. Also known as The MCRC, the club competes in the New England Rugby Football Union.- Officers :...
- Middlebury College Snow BowlMiddlebury College Snow BowlThe Middlebury College Snow Bowl is a ski area in Hancock, Vermont, east of Middlebury in the Green Mountains. The site has been owned and operated by Middlebury College since its first trails were cut in 1934. The Snow Bowl has 17 trails and 3 lifts, offering access to more than of terrain...
- Youngman Field at Alumni StadiumYoungman Field at Alumni StadiumYoungman Field at Alumni Stadium is a 3,500-capacity multi-use stadium in Middlebury, Vermont on the campus of the NCAA Division III-affiliated Middlebury College...