Nikki Hay

This photograph is of Springfield College women's track and field athlete Nikki Hay ('10).Coached by Jim Pennington, Nikki was a standout athlete on the women's track and field team during her time at the college, from 2006-2010. She holds the Indoor school record for the Triple Jump of 39'3-3/4", which she broke in 2010 and the Outdoor school record in the Triple Jump of 40'1-1/4", established in 2009. She also holds the school record for the Outdoor 4x 100m Relay. Teammates Jenkins, Davis, Marks, and Hay recorded 46.91 seconds in 2010. Besides breaking school records, Hay won an array of honors over her four years. She was the 2010 Indoor NCAA National Champion in the Triple Jump. She earned Indoor All-American honors for the Triple Jump in 2009 and the Triple Jump and Long Jump in 2010. Hay earned Outdoor All-American honors in 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010 in the Triple Jump. In 2010, she was also All-American in the Long Jump and as part of the 4x100 Relay. Hay was a three-time Springfield College Athlete of the Year and was twice named U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Outdoor Track & Field East Region Field Athlete of the Year and NEWMAC Outdoor Track and Field Athlete of the Year. Hay graduated from Springfield in May 2010 with a major in Applied Sociology. The Norwalk, Conn. native was named to the NEWMAC All-Academic team twice and the United States Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association All Academic Track and Field Team in 2009. Hay also participated in multiple community service and campus activities, including a four year commitment to Springfield College’s Multicultural Affairs Office and volunteer work with Leaders in Academics, Community Engagement, and Service program. Pennington became head coach of both cross country and track & field in 1985. Pennington earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education from Towson (Md.) State in 1974 and his Master’s in elementary physical education from Georgia in 1976. He was an assistant coach at Georgia for three years. Prior to joining the SC staff, Pennington was at Towson State where he was an assistant men’s track and field coach and head men’s cross country coach. He also started the women’s track and cross country programs at Towson. Pennington is the President of the Division III Cross Country Coaches Association and Executive Committee member of the United States Track Field Cross Country Coaches Association. He is also the chairperson for the United States Cross Country Coaches Academic All-American Selection Committee and a former member of the NCAA Track & Field Committee. During the summer, he is the Meet Director of the Massachusetts Special Olympics Summer Games for track & field. At Springfield, Pennington also serves as an assistant professor of physical education.The original photograph is not held in the archives. It was electronically sent over from sports marketing and communications. A copy was made and put into the folder