Athletics
Wheaton fields 21 varsity intercollegiate teams, 9 for men and 12 for women, in addition to 14 club sports programs and a variety of intramural activities. Varsity programs include baseball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, field hockey, men's and women's lacrosse, men's and women's soccer, softball, men's and women's swimming and diving, synchronized swimming, men's and women's tennis, men's and women's indoor track and field, men's and women's outdoor track and field and women's volleyball. The school's teams play within the NCAA Division III and in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC). Men's Lacrosse competes in the Pilgrim League and Synchronized Swimming competes in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC). Wheaton's mascot is a Lyon, named after founding principal Mary Lyon.
Wheaton has found success in a number of its athletic programs, starting in 1983, when field hockey became the first Wheaton team to make an NCAA tournament. In 1986, women's lacrosse became the first Wheaton team to advance to an NCAA "final four." Eight years later, women's basketball made its first final four, followed by the 1997 softball team finishing 3rd at the national tournament in Eau Claire, Wisc. The following fall, men's soccer became the first men's team to make the NCAA tournament, followed by volleyball advancing to the NCAA "sweet sixteen."
Wheaton's greatest athletic success has been on the track, as the women's track and field program has claimed 8 NCAA Division III National Championships and finished in the top 3 at the NCAA championships 6 other times (twice in indoor and four times in outdoor). Starting in 1999, the women's indoor team won five consecutive titles, while the outdoor team won three straight times from 2001-2003. Men's track and field also has been successful, finishing in the top 10 of the NCAA indoor championship seven times, in addition to four top-10 outdoor championship finishes.
The last varsity team established at Wheaton in 1997, has also achieved great success. Baseball is the only team sport at Wheaton to advance to a national championship game, which it has done twice (2006 and 2012). Baseball has also won 11 of the 13 NEWMAC championships in conference history. Women's soccer has advanced to 12 consecutive NCAA tournaments (2000-present), which is the longest active streak in the New England region of Division III women's soccer. During that stretch, the women advanced to one national semifinal (2004) and 3 national quarterfinals (2002, 2003 and 2004). Softball has been to 3 NCAA championship rounds, finishing 3rd twice (1997, 2001) and 5th once (2004). Men's soccer has been to one national semifinal (2003) and two national quarterfinals (2001, 2003). In addition, men's and women's cross-country, women's lacrosse, men's and women's swimming and diving and women's tennis all have competed in the NCAA post-season. Overall, Wheaton has won 8 NCAA National Championships, 14 ECAC championships and 88 combined NEWMAC regular season and tournament titles.
Individually, Wheaton has over 375 all-American performances and 62 individual national championship accolades in school history. Highlighting that list is Amber James '04, who was pivotal during Wheaton's run of winning six consecutive NCAA indoor and outdoor national championships from 2001-03. James, a 17-time national champion and 24-time all-American, was recognized by the NCAA as the greatest female athlete in the 25-year history of the Division III indoor track & field championship in 2009. In addition, she was selected to the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Division III Silver Anniversary Team, which commemorated the 25th anniversary of women competing in NCAA outdoor track & field championships. She served as the event representative for the 400-meter dash.
The first championship performance was Deborah Simourian, who won a share of the AIAW individual collegiate golf championship in 1975. Wheaton has also had two synchronized swimmers named collegiate swimmer of the year. Gina Lighthall '99 in 1999 and Christiana Butera '12 in 2012. Butera was also member of the U.S. National Synchronized Swimming Team during the summer of 2011.
Two alums have been drafted by professional sport leagues. Jim Maganello '99 was a second round pick of the NY/NJ Metrostars in the 1999 Major League Soccer draft, while Chris Denorfia '02 was a 19th round pick in the 2002 Major League Baseball amateur draft by the Cincinnati Reds. Denorfia is currently an outfielder with the San Diego Padres.
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