BURLINGTON, Vt. – The Vermont track & field program announced its captains for the 2018 track & field season, and eight members, five juniors and three seniors, will lead the team.
 
Juniors Will LaCroix, Justin Liechty, Will Lynch, Morgan Ferland, and Lauren Trumble were voted by their teammates to captain the 2018 squad. They are joined by seniors Aaron Lucci, Pearl Abiti, and Anna Kaplan.
 
RELATED LINKS
2018 Schedule
2018 Roster
 
"Leadership comes in many forms, and by empowering these individuals to formally model excellence for our teams, we are in good hands," Head Coach Matt Belfield said. "Each of them has made a commitment that exceeds my staffs' expectation for what this program is called to do. They will lead from in front, push from behind and support alongside as needed. We will have a great year; and these tremendous individuals will be a big part of that success."
 
Four captains, Aaron Lucci, Will LaCroix, Lauren Trumble, and Anna Kaplan all captained the cross country squad this past season, helping UVM finish fourth at the America East Championships.
 
A Wakefield, Massachusetts product, Lucci specializes in distance, and finished 12th in the 1,500 meter at the 2017 America East Outdoor Championships. A native of Hinesburg, Vermont, LaCroix looks to play a larger role in meets this winter after a strong cross country campaign that saw him finish 37th at the America East Championships.
 
Trumble, who hails from Ithaca, New York, looks to build on an already impressive track & field resume. As a freshman, she helped the Catamounts claim the 4x800 title at the New England Indoor Championships and last year she took second in the 800 at the America East Indoor Championships. Kaplan, who recently earned America East All-Conference honors, the Elite 18 award, and All-Academic recognition, will provide a spark in distance running for UVM.
 
Joining the four captains from the cross country season are two Vermont natives, Lynch, from Burlington, and Abiti, from Colchester. Lynch primarily focuses on the high jump while Abiti is a multi-event athlete. She was named America East All-Conference in the heptathlon last year.
 
Rounding out the captains are Liechty, a sprinter and Ferland, a thrower. Liechty, a native of Morrisonville, New York, will look to reach double-digit event wins, he has taken first in seven events in his first two years. Ferland, who hails from Charlestown, New Hampshire, took second in the discus at the 2016 America East Outdoor Championships, and looks to expand her impressive resume.
 
UVM opens the season on Saturday, Dec. 9 with a trip to Hanover, New Hampshire for a quad-meet with Maine, New Hampshire, and host Dartmouth. Events are scheduled to begin at 12 p.m.