Egetta Alfonso enters her 28th year in 2026-27 at Holy Cross. In June of 2022, Alfonso was promoted to Richard L. Ahern '51 Director of Cross Country and Track and Field after 23 seasons as head coach of the women’s track and field team.
During her tenure as a head coach at Holy Cross, Alfonso’s athletes have won more than three dozen individual and relay Patriot League Championships. She has had hundreds of student-athletes named to the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll, more than a dozen Academic All-Patriot League selections and two CoSIDA Academic All-Americans (Emily Hogan, 2002 and Sarah Dahlstrom, 2014).
During the 2025-26 season, Liam Lyons and Grace Ryan both qualified for the NCAA East First Round. Lyons placed 21st in the 1500m first round with a time of 3:44.85. Lyons is the first Crusader to represent Holy Cross men's track and field at the NCAA East First Round in back-to-back seasons since Nathaniel Couture '08, who competed in the javelin in 2006 and 2007.
He is also one of just three student-athletes from the program to qualify for the NCAA East First Round since the turn of the century, along with Gabe Piepergerdes '21 (400m hurdles) and Couture (javelin). Lyons finished 42nd in the 1,500m at the 2025 NCAA East First Round in Jacksonville, Fla., posting a time of 3:46.63.
The 2026 men's Crusader of the Year, Lyons, concludes his collegiate career with school records in the 1,000m, 1,500m, mile, and 3,000m. He ends the 2025-26 season with a top 15 finish at the 2025 Patriot League Cross Country Championships, two medals at the 2026 Patriot League Indoor Championships and the gold medal in the 1500m at the Patriot League Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
Ryan qualified for the javelin with a personal-best mark of 46.95m, which she set at the Raleigh Relays on Mar 26. The mark shattered her previous school record of 42.88m from the season prior.
Ryan was recognized with Academic All-Patriot League honors after posting 3.98 grade point average concluding the fall of her junior year and finishing fourth in the javelin at the Patriot League Championships with a mark of 42.78m.
Ryan is just the fifth Crusader in program history to represent Holy Cross women's track and field at the NCAA East First Round, and the first to do so since Christa Jay Moore '21, who competed in the pole vault in 2019 and 2021.
During the 2020-21 season, Christa Jay Moore had another record-setting season. Moore set a new school and personal record, clearing 4.08m to place first in the pole vault in a dual meet against Rhode Island. Moore went on to win the Patriot League Outdoor Championship with a new conference record of 4.05m. Moore also won the New England Outdoor Championship and competed at the NCAA Division I East Region Preliminary Round.
Prior to the conclusion of the 2019-20 season due to COVID-19, the Crusaders had success at the 2020 Patriot League Indoor Championship, with senior Allie Smiley earning All-Patriot League first team honors after winning the long jump. Junior Sydney McDonald also earned second team honors in the high jump.
In 2018-19, the Crusaders had a pair of champions at the Patriot League outdoor championship, with Christa Jay Moore winning the pole vault and Smiley winning the long jump. Moore, who was named the Patriot League Field Athlete of the Meet, went on to qualify for the NCAA East Regionals.
During the 2017-18 season, senior standout Zoe Matherne qualified for the NCAA East Regionals for the second year in a row in the 800m event.
In 2016-17, Zoe Matherne qualified for the NCAA Championship East Preliminary Round in Lexington, Ky. Hannah Jeter and Matherne both earned Academic All-Patriot League honors.
In 2012-13, the Crusaders finished in fifth place at the Patriot League Indoor Championship and fourth place at the Patriot League Outdoor Championship. Stephanie Okpoebo was named Female Track Athlete of the Meet at the outdoor championship after finishing first in both the 100 and 200-meter dashes. Brittany Gorksi also took home first place in the 800-meters at the event. Both Okpoebo and Gorski were named first team All-Patriot League. Amanda Waldron and the 4x100 meter relay team also posted second place finishes to earn second team All-Patriot League honors. At the Patriot League Indoor Championship, Okpoebo won the 60-meter dash and Caroline Carley won the 1,000-meter run at the indoor championship to each earn first team All-Patriot League honors. Okpoebo also finished second in the 200-meter run to claim second team All-Patriot League recognition at the event. Okpoebo broke three Holy Cross records, setting the 60-meter dash (indoor) mark at 7.53 seconds, 200-meter dash (indoor) at 24.29 seconds and 200-meter dash (outdoor) at 24.19 seconds. Sarah Dahlstrom was named to the Academic All-Patriot League team for the indoor season while Waldron received outdoor Academic All-Patriot League recognition.
In 2011-2012, the Crusaders finished fourth at the Patriot League Indoor Championship and sixth at the Patriot League Outdoor Championship. Stephanie Okpoebo won the 100 meter (outdoor) and 200 meter (outdoor and indoor) dashes and received All-Patriot League first team honors for the second year in a row. She also made the first team at the indoor championship. Brittany Gorski and Mackenzie Arndt were each named to the All-Patriot League second team for their performances in the 400 meter hurdles and pole vault, respectively. At the indoor championship, Katelyn Hartnett was named to the All-Patriot League second team for her performance in the 800 meter run. After the indoor season, Hartnett was named to the Patriot League All-Academic team for the second time while Linnehan received the honor for the first time after the outdoor season. A total of 37 women's track and field members were selected to the 2011-2012 Patriot League Academic Honor Roll. Four school records were recorded in the 60 meter hurdles (Linnehan), 1,000 meter run (Hartnett), 3,000 meter steeplechase (Kathleen Brekka) and 4 x 100 meter relay. Hartnett was also awarded the Patriot League Sportsmanship Award for fairness, equality and excellence in academics and athletics.
In 2010-2011, the Crusaders finished fifth at the Patriot League Outdoor Championship. Okpoebo earned All-Patriot League first team honors after winning the 100 and 200 meter dashes at the outdoor championship and 200 at the indoor championship. Linnehan and Hartnett made their mark on the school record books, while Hartnett was also named to the inaugural Academic All-Patriot League team.
In 2009-2010, Holy Cross finished in fourth place at both the Patriot League Indoor and Outdoor Championships. Tiffany Reid took first in the 60 and 200 meter dashes and was named Female Athlete of the Meet at the indoor championship. She then picked up four more first place finishes at the outdoor championship.
An outstanding performer for the Crusaders from 1988-1992, Alfonso was a four-year letterwinner at Holy Cross. She served as the team’s co-captain during the 1991-1992 season and was a member of the school’s 4x100 meter relay team which held Holy Cross’ all-time record in that event. Alfonso was an All-Patriot League performer in the shot put and the 400 meter dash and an ECAC qualifier in the distance medley and competed in numerous Patriot League and New England Championships.
Alfonso began her coaching career at South High School in Worcester where she served as the assistant coach for both the boys and girls teams before taking over the head coaching position one year later. She served as South High’s head coach for boys and girls track and field for three years before moving on to take her current position at Holy Cross.
Alfonso, who is originally from Brooklyn, N.Y., earned her bachelor’s degree in English from Holy Cross.
Alfonso, her husband Rigoberto and their two sons, Tony and Marc, currently reside in Leicester, Mass.
