The New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference

SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. (June 18, 2008) - The Mount Holyoke College Department of Athletics is pleased to announce the hiring of Beth Somerset as its head indoor track and field coach. Somerset will also serve as an assistant coach for both the cross country and outdoor track and field squads at the College. Her duties will begin in late August.

"I have no doubt that Beth's successful experience as a scholar-athlete herself will carry over to her coaching at Mount Holyoke," said Mount Holyoke Director of Physical Education and Athletics, Laurie Priest. "We are very excited to have her on board for the coming year.

Prior to joining the Mount Holyoke staff, Somerset enjoyed a two-year stint (2006-2008) as an assistant coach for the cross country and track and field teams at Smith College, where she served as the primary distance coach for the indoor and outdoor track teams. While at Smith, she facilitated a training program for an NCAA National Championship qualifier and coached a trio of New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) All-Conference athletes. Somerset recently graduated from Smith with a Master of Science Degree in Exercise and Sport Studies.

"We're excited to have Beth with us for all three seasons," said Mount Holyoke cross country and outdoor track and field head coach, Tina Lee. "She comes with a wealth of experience and knowledge, and she'll be a big part of making our programs even stronger and our athletes more competitive."

A standout student-athlete at Wellesley College, Somerset was a three-year member (1998-2001) of the cross country, indoor track and field and outdoor track and field programs. She was a two-time NEWMAC All-Conference Team selection (1999, 2000) and was named to the Seven Sisters All-Tournament Team on three occasions (1998-2000). In 1999, she was voted to the All-Regional Team as well as the All-Division Team. One year earlier, she captured top honors in the 10,000-meter run at the NCAA Division III New England Regional Championships.

Somerset, who captained the Wellesley cross country squad in 2000, earned NCAA Division III Cross Country Coaches Association Academic All-America accolades three times (1998-2000). Her teams took home NEWMAC titles in 1998, 1999 and 2000 and the Seven Sisters Championship in 1998. Somerset graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Public Health from Wellesley in 2002.

In addition to her duties at Mount Holyoke, Somerset will continue to serve as a course instructor and personal wellness consultant at Smith. She has served in that position since January of 2007. Somerset is a certified Health and Fitness Instructor (American College of Sports Medicine) as well as a certified Professional Coach (American Sport Education Program).

Transactions - Mount Holyoke College: Beth Somerset named indoor track and field head coach, outdoor track and field coach assistant coach and cross country assistant coach

Mount Holyoke Names Beth Somerset Assistant Cross Country and Outdoor Track & Field Coach