Swinging for the Stars

The Blue golf team ranked as high as eighth in the NCAA Division III national rankings during a record-setting spring. Bolstered by a talented class of first-years, including 2024 Wellesley Athletics Rookie of the Year Audrey Wang ’27 (pictured above), the Blue earned team victories at the Jekyll Island Invitational, the two Vassar Invitationals, the Ann S. Batchelder Invitational at Nehoiden Golf Club, and the Jack Leaman Invitational—where Aileen Du ’27 totaled the lowest 36-hole score in program history. The Blue ended the year in a tie for second at the Liberty League Championships, narrowly missing this year’s NCAA championship.

Faculty Farewells

The College said goodbye to eight retiring members of the faculty this year, representing 251 cumulative years of service, including: Selwyn Cudjoe, professor of Africana studies, 1986–2024; Bonnie Dix, PERA associate professor of the practice, 1987–2024; Alison McIntyre, Virginia Onderdonk ’29 Professor of Philosophy, 1988–2024; James Petterson, professor of French and Francophone studies, 1995–2023; Dan Sichel, Stanford Calderwood Professor of Economics, 2011–24; Glenn Stark, professor of physics, 1987–2024; Marie-Paule Tranvouez, senior lecturer in French and Francophone studies, 1987–2024; and Paula Zeitlin, senior music performance faculty in jazz violin and viola, 1999–2024.

Playing on the World Stage

When the prestigious Kronos Quartet begins its 51st season this fall, a Wellesley professor will be part of the ensemble. Gabriela Diaz, music performance faculty in violin since 2012, is the group’s new violinist. She’ll join Kronos while continuing to teach at Wellesley. Renowned for extraordinary musicianship (three Grammy Awards, 12 nominations, and numerous other prizes), the ensemble is also known for bringing younger audiences into the concert hall by performing an eclectic range of contemporary music. “Kronos really is opening up what the string quartet can and should be,” Diaz says. “Since the beginning, they’ve made a point to uplift music of all countries. They’ve always operated with respect for the music of every culture on the globe.”

Trial Blazers

Wellesley College Mock Trial competed in the American Mock Trial Association National Championship for the first time in 12 years, showcasing their teamwork and their public speaking and argument development skills. Affectionately known as Team Medusa, the Wellesley B team successfully litigated and defended its way through seven invitational tournaments, Regionals, and Opening Round Championships before heading to Chicago in April for Nationals.

At Nationals, the team faced a criminal case involving a doctor accused of involuntary manslaughter. Competing against the top 48 teams in the U.S. was an exhilarating experience, says Stella Chiari ’26 , who co-captained the team with Emma Zhou ’26 (pictured together above; Chiari at right). “This year we had so many talented seniors who were simply foundational to the program and were largely responsible for the team’s success,” says Chiari. “As a sophomore captain trying to get a team to Nationals, it was definitely a ‘learning as we go’ kind of experience, and I am just grateful for how everyone worked together to make our journey to Nationals so positive.”