Williams Cross Country Coaches
The Williams Cross Country team is led by Head Coach Pete Farwell.
Farwell also led the Williams track & field team as head coach from 1988 to 2001
and was honored 14 times (9 for men's team, 5 for women's team) as New
England Division III Coach of the Year. In 1995 he was named Men's
National Coach of the Year. He has lead the men's Cross Country team at
Williams since 1979, garnering 5 regional coach of the year honors, as
well as being 1994 National Coach of the Year after leading the team to
the first of its two National Championships. He took over the reins of the
women's Cross Country team in 2000, and his presence was felt
immediately, as the team rose to 2nd place at Nationals that year and
the next, and has twice won the NCAA Championship twice (2002 and 2004)
and been runner-up again (2005)! Coach Farwell was named National Coach of
the Year in 2002 and 2004, and region and conference coach of the year in
both 2002 and 2005.
Bringing to the sport a Williams ('73) liberal arts undergraduate
education combined with a scientific knowledge of physiology (Master's,
Central Michigan University), Coach Farwell has devised a training plan
that brings improvement to runners of all levels. His devotion to every
athlete on the team helps make Williams one of the deepest Division III
teams in the nation - Williams' second seven runners can best the top
seven runners from many teams in New England! Farwell's 23-year
competitive experience included a 23rd-place finish (2:20) at the Boston
Marathon and the 6-mile Williams school record.
Pete is joined by three assistant coaches.
Assistant Coach Kathleen Newton is also the Head Track and Field Coach at
Mt. Anthony Union High School in Bennington, Vermont (8 years) and
has assisted at Williams in track and cross country since 2005. Coach
Newton is a 2004 graduate of Southern Vermont College where she earned
All-Conference and All-Academic Team status and holds both the 5k
cross-country and 5k track records.
Coach Newton is now an accomplished Masters' runner, competing in races
from a 5k distance to the marathon.
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Assistant Coach
Erica Clausen |
Erica Clausen joins the Williams College cross country and track and field programs as an assistant
coach for the 2007-08 season.
Clausen was previously the assistant coach for the women's cross country program at Northwestern
University in Evanston, IL from 2005-07 and assistant coach for boys and girls track & field at
Loyola Academy in Wilmette, IL in 2005.
A 2004 graduate of St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN, Clausen double-majored in English and Spanish
before pursuing her Master's degree in Sports Administration at Northwestern University.
While an undergrad, Clausen competed for the Oles in both cross country and track, qualifying with
the cross country team in 2001 for the NCAA Championships. She now trains for road races and
marathons throughout the year.
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Assistant Coach
Mitchell Baker |
Mitchell Baker grew up in rural Macomb, IL, and competed in both cross country and track and field
while at Williams College before graduating with a degree in art in 2004. He captained the cross
country squad in his senior campaign and earned All-New England honors in the fall, winter, and
spring for his, or his team’s efforts, in the 3200 relay up to the individual 10,000 meters. After
graduation he relocated to New York City to intern with the Williams Club, organizing alumni events
and establishing an art gallery. Following his work there, he interned with an architecture firm
while coaching cross country and track and field at La Salle Academy in Manhattan. He spent the
academic year 2006-2007 teaching and coaching at Cardinal Hayes High School in the Bronx. He primarily
coaches the running events and will handle many recruiting and meet managing duties. The biggest
influence in his own running and coaching is his father, Edward Baker, and his favorite memory of
being an athlete at Williams, besides the long post-practice dinners, is competing for the school
and team at several national championships.
