Amherst’s athletic program was created in 1860, making it the oldest in the country. A majority of Amherst students take part in some form of collegiate athletics, either at the NCAA, club, or intramural level. Aside from a recent Division III basketball championship, Amherst can also brag about having taken part in the first intercollegiate baseball game in 1859, in which they beat Williams College 73-32. Amherst students love their Lord Jeffs and Lady Jeffs.
As reported by Peter Harrison ’11:
“In 2007 the men’s basketball team finished the season on top, winning the NCAA Division III Championship. Both the men’s and women’s basketball teams enjoy significant fan support during the winter season. The men spent much of the 2007 campaign atop of the rankings, and the women won the NESCAC tournament. The rivalry between Amherst and Williams is truly an incredible experience to be a part of. When the Williams basketball squad traveled to Amherst in 2007, not a seat in the stands was empty. Students from both schools sat on the floor, stood in the corners, and squeezed themselves into the bleachers to show their school pride. The atmosphere is always electric when the two colleges meet on the athletic fields and courts.”
Massachusetts is known for its cold, snowy winters, so it’s no surprise that Amherst students embrace the snow with one its traditions, as reported by Peter Harrison ’11:
“After a fresh snowfall, and especially at night, many Amherst students grab trays from the dining hall and sled down Memorial Hill. Sledders pick up speed easily sliding down Memorial on their centimeter-thick trays. Nearly all rookies go out of control on the way down, typically ending their first run with a laughable wipeout.
For many Amherst seniors, Senior Bar Night is one of the week’s highlights. An email gets sent out to the entire senior class explaining which bar is on tap for that night; however, most seniors simply go to the bar that their friends are at or where the social scene is most lively. The Monkey Bar, Amherst Brewery, and the Pub are just a few of the locations where Amherst students fill up. The social scene is more laidback – and more expensive – at the bars than at on-campus parties.”
Amherst alum Raymond Smith Dugan named an asteroid he discovered after the college. 516 Amherstia is in orbit between Jupiter and Mars.
It is said that the sport of Ultimate Frisbee was created at Amherst in the late 1960s.
