Williams Swimmer a 'Face in the Crowd'

Print Story | Email Story
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. -- Williams College senior captain and standout swimmer Sarah Thompson has been named to Sports Illustrated magazine's "Faces in the Crowd" in the March 16 issue (page 32).
 
Thompson was named to "Faces in the Crowd" for leading Williams to a second consecutive record-breaking team score and championship at the 2015 NCESCAC Championships and winning her second consecutive Swimmer of the Meet Award. In her four years in the Purple Valley Thompson won nine NESCAC freestyle championship races, including all four of the 200-yard races.
 
At the 2015 NESCAC Championships Thompson repeated as the individual champion in the 200, 500 and 1,650-yard freestyle events. This year she set the NESCAC meet record in the 1,650 freestyle (16:53.55). 
 
Additionally, she swam the anchor leg of the winning 400-yard freestyle and medley relays that set meet and pool records, and was a member of the winning 200 and 800-yard freestyle relays.
 
At her last NESCAC Championships Thompson was also recognized as the Four-Year High Point Swimmer.
 
She closed out her NESCAC career as a four-time champion in the 200-yard freestyle, a three-time champion in the 1,650-yard freestyle and two-time champion in the 500-yard freestyle.
 
Thompson's Eph swimming career will end at the 2015 NCAA Championships being held in Shenandoah, Texas, March 18-21. Thompson is a three-time NCAA champion having won the 200 and 1,650 free races at the 2013 championships and last year she took home the 500 free title.
 
Thompson is the 39th Eph to appear in "Faces in the Crowd" since August of 1989. To date 32 Eph athletes have been recognized by Sports Illustrated, as have seven coaches.
 
Women's swimming and diving leads all Eph teams with five athletes and two coaches being recognized by being named to Sports Illustrated's "Faces in the Crowd" section.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Williamstown Finance Committee Finalizes Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Proposal

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The tax bill of a median-priced single family home will go up by 8.45 percent in the year that begins July 1 under a spending plan approved by the Finance Committee on Wednesday night.
 
After more than a month of going through all proposed spending by the town and public schools and searching for places to trim the budget and adjust revenue estimates, the Fin Comm voted to send a series of fiscal articles to the May 19 annual town meeting for approval.
 
The panel also discussed how to appeal to town meeting members to reverse what Fin Comm members long have described as an anti-growth sentiment in town that keeps the tax base from expanding.
 
New growth in the tax base is generated by new construction or improvements to property that raise its value. A lack of new growth (the town projects 15 percent less revenue from new growth in fiscal year 2027 than it had in FY26) means that increased spending falls more heavily on current taxpayers.
 
The two largest spending articles on the draft warrant for the May meeting are the appropriations for general government spending and the assessment from the Mount Greylock Regional School District.
 
The former, which includes the Department of Public Works, the Williamstown Police and town hall staffing, is up by just 2.5 percent from the current fiscal year to FY27 — from $10.6 million to $10.9 million.
 
The latter, which pays for Williamstown Elementary School and the town's share of the middle-high school, is up 13.7 percent, from $14.8 million to $16.8 million.
 
View Full Story

More Williamstown Stories