WATERVILLE, Maine - The University of Maine at Farmington women's track and field team was voted by North Atlantic Conference (NAC) coaches to finish third overall at this weekend's NAC Championship, as released in the Pre-Championship Coaches Poll on Thursday afternoon.
The Beavers enter this weekend as the reigning conference champions after edging out a first-place finish by just two points at last year's championship meet. The victory marked the first in program history and completed a program sweep, with both the men's and women's teams being crowned champions a season ago.
The Beavers return several key pieces from last season's championship roster, including seniors Erica Johnson (Nobleboro, Maine), Kennedy Todd (Scarborough, Maine), and Eve Poteet (Fair Hill, Md.). Farmington also welcomes back key contributors Lina Martinez Nocito (Mt. Vernon, Maine) and Emma Syphers (Bangor, Maine) this season.
Johnson played an enormous role in leading the Beavers to the 2025 NAC Championship, earning 30 individual points. She was crowned NAC Champion in the triple jump, placed third in the 100 meters, second in the 100-meter hurdles, third in the pole vault, and sixth in the 200 meters. Johnson enters this weekend fresh off being named NAC Co-Field Athlete of the Week after automatically qualifying for the New England Championship in the triple jump.
Todd, a sprinter, enters the weekend with a pair of top conference marks. She currently ranks fourth in the 200 meters and fifth in the 400 meters. This past weekend at the Pine Tree Championship, Todd provisionally qualified for the New England Championship in the 200 meters.
Poteet will look to provide a boost in the distance events. At last year's championship, she was crowned NAC Champion in the 5,000 meters while also earning a third-place finish in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and a fourth-place finish in the 1,500 meters.
Martinez Nocito has had another standout season in 2026 for the Beavers. Entering this weekend, she ranks first in the NAC in the 5,000 meters and second in the 1,500 meters. Last season, Martinez Nocito earned a first-place finish in the 1,500 meters and a second-place finish in the 800 meters.
Syphers placed third in the long jump and fifth in the high jump at last season's NAC Championship.
First-years Heather Alexander (Orleans, Vt.) and Jenney Lutz (Lebanon, N.H.) have had strong rookie seasons and will likely play significant roles this weekend. Alexander enters the meet ranked first in the conference in the 400-meter hurdles and third in the javelin. She has also provisionally qualified for the New England Championship in both the javelin and the heptathlon. Lutz enters the weekend ranked third in the NAC in the 100 meters, 200 meters, and 400 meters, and has provisionally qualified for the New England Championship in the 200 meters.
Follow this link to see the full NAC release for this weekend's championship event.
Poll Results
Thomas College - 36 (6)
Husson University - 28
UMaine-Farmington - 26
VTSU Johnson - 18
UMaine-Presque Isle - 9
Lesley University - 9
