Thoroughbreds wrap up winter, charge into spring

Winter sports teams capped off their seasons with dramatic finishes and standout achievements, while spring teams wasted no time making an impact.  

Men’s hockey punched its ticket to the NEHC semifinals with an overtime thriller, swimming and diving shattered multiple program records at the Liberty League Championships, and both lacrosse teams opened their seasons with commanding early-season victories. Meanwhile, men’s and women’s tennis battled nationally ranked opponents, baseball saw a dramatic tie in its season opener, and the riding team found success on the road.  

Here’s a look at recent highlights from Skidmore Athletics. 

Men’s hockey advances in NEHC playoffs 

Cooper Rice '27 delivered a clutch performance on Saturday, March 1, scoring his third goal of the game in overtime to lift the Skidmore men’s hockey team to a 4-3 victory over Salve Regina in the New England Hockey Conference (NEHC) quarterfinals. The fourth-seeded Thoroughbreds advanced to the semifinal  round in Geneva but fell 3-2 to No. 2 Norwich on Saturday, March 8. 

Women’s basketball falls in Liberty League semifinals 

The Skidmore women’s basketball team’s postseason run ended on Friday, Feb. 28, in the Liberty League semifinals, as the Thoroughbreds fell 67-51 to Vassar College. Despite the loss, Skidmore’s strong season included a competitive conference showing and important victories along the way. 

Swimming and diving breaks records at Liberty League championships 

The Thoroughbreds made waves at the four-day Liberty League Championships in February, breaking a total of 19 school records. Ryan Delfico ’25 successfully defended his conference title, winning his second-straight 400 IM. Nicolas Sodi ’25 turned in a pair of silver performances (200 backstroke, 500 freestyle), while the men’s 800 freestyle relay squad finished second marking the program’s top relay finish in meet history. The men’s 400 freestyle relay team also claimed a third-place finish. 

Meanwhile, the women’s team shattered multiple program marks and had a pair of top three finishes. Sabrina Reed ’27 was second in the 1650 freestyle, and Kelly Hsu ’27 was third in the 200 freestyle. The men placed fifth overall with 850 points, while the women finished fourth with 857 points. 

Baseball opens with tight contests 

Skidmore baseball opened its season on Saturday, March 1, on the road at McDaniel College in Maryland, playing two closely contested games. The Thoroughbreds fell 8-6 in the opener, and the nightcap ended in a 10-10 tie due to darkness. The team will look to build momentum as the season progresses. 

Men’s lacrosse opens seasons with wins 

The men’s lacrosse team opened their season on the the road with a pair of commanding wins, cruising past Wentworth 18-7 on Feb. 15 and Oneonta 16-9 on Feb. 27.  

In a hard-fought home opener on Tuesday,March 4, the team fell 8-7 to Trinity (CT) after a late go-ahead goal by the Bantams. The Thoroughbreds will look to bounce back as they remain at Wachenheim Field to take on SUNY Cortland at 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 8. 

Women’s lacrosse notches first win of 2025 

The Skidmore women’s lacrosse team had an early highlight when Charlotte Taylor ’27 scored a golden goal in overtime on Wednesday to propel the Thoroughbreds to an 11-10 victory over Westfield State. The team goes on spring break winners of two in a row after bouncing back from a pair of tight losses to open the season. The squad filled the win column on Saturday, March 1, with a dominant 13-6 victory over SUNY New Paltz at Wachenheim Field before the dramatic OT win over Westfield State.  

Tennis teams face early challenges 

The men’s tennis team picked up a ranked win on Sunday, March 2, against No. 40 Colby College with a 4-3 triumph but also faced tough competition, falling to No. 13 Amherst. The team also opened play at the newly established McCaffery-Wagman Tennis and Wellness Center with a 7-0 sweep of SUNY Oneonta. 

On the women’s team, No. 30 Skidmore battled top-ranked opponents, falling 7-0 to No. 8 Middlebury and No. 9 Amherst. The Thoroughbreds also had a close 4-3 loss to Wellesley in their home opener. 

Riding team triumphs at Morrisville 

Skidmore’s riding team won its second competition of the semester at Morrisville State College with 42 points Saturday, Feb. 22. Five riders qualified for regionals, and the team added ten wins to their Blue Ribbon Challenge. Additionally, the program will transition to a coed format starting in fall 2025. 

Men’s golf resumes season

The men’s golf team returned to action earlier this week with a 10th-place finish at the Port City Classic in Savannah. The Thoroughbreds will compete in three tournaments, including the Tim Brown Invitational, leading up the Liberty League Championship April 25-27.

Spring Break  

Spring teams disperse next week for competitions in Florida (baseball, softball, women’s lacrosse, men’s tennis), Texas (women’s tennis), and Maryland (men’s lacrosse). Stay up to date with results and schedules on the Skidmore Athletics website and by subscribing to the Skidmore Athletics Weekly Newsletter.