SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (May 6, 2026) – The Golden Bears see seven student-athletes named as part of the Conference of New England's (CNE) Postseason Awards. For the first time in program history, the Golden Bears see one of their student-athletes named a part of the All-Conference First Team. In addition to that, the men's and women's track and field teams see a relay team named to the second team, a two-time All-Conference Third Team member, and two members of the Community Service teams.

The CNE released their major award winners and All-Conference teams on Tuesday. The Golden Bears saw two named part of the conference's All-Conference teams. The selections started with Kayla Kyles. Kyles has been a mainstay in the top-six results during her events this season. Kyles would earn two third-team selections after placing third in both the Long Jump and Triple Jump events. The sophomore jumped a mark of 5.19m in the event at conference championships to earn her spot on the all-conference team in the event. Then, a season-best mark of 10.38m in the Triple Jump event placed her third at conference championships and landed her on the all-conference third team for that event, as well.

Nolan Palmer was the second Golden Bear to earn All-Conference accolades after his performance all season, but especially at the CNE Championship meet. Palmer competed in the men's 400m Hurdles event and made history in the event. The Plymouth, Massachusetts, native earned a time of 56.50 in the event and, with that time, won the event. He became the first Golden Bear to win an event at the conference championships and, by doing so, also became the first event Golden Bear to be named a part of the CNE' All-Conference First Team. An achievement that will go down in the history of the young WNE Track and Field program.

The men's 4x400m relay team that competed at the conference championships also makes an appearance on the CNE All-Conference Second Team. The team of Alex Maurer, Jerzyon Harrison-Durley, Aiden Cooney, and Nolan Palmer earned a spot on the team after placing second in their event at the championships with a season-best time of 3:28.21.

Joining Kyles, Palmer, and the rest of the men's 4x400m team in the postseason awards are Joshua Farrell and Nina Garofalo. Farrell and Garofalo have been named as part of the men's and women's Track and Field Community Service Teams, respectively. The Community Service teams are part of the CNE's initiative to highlight a member from each institution's team who is committed to giving back to their community on and/or off campus. Farrell was nominated by coach Harris due to his constant involvement at WNE through being part of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). He has helped set up events to raise awareness for causes that are important to the SAAC members, including donation drives to help raise awareness for food insecurity in the local area. Farrell has also given back to his hometown Track and Field program by volunteering with programs in that area to help young runners learn to love the sport as he does. Garofalo was nominated by coach Harris for many reasons, including, but not limited to, her participation in many philanthropic activities through the university's College of Pharmacy. Garofalo has engaged in sending letters and holiday cards to patients in the Baystate Long-Term Care unit. In the past, she has also done fundraisers for charities all over the New England region and has participated in runs and walks for different causes that she holds near and dear to her heart.