Connecticut College Athletic Hall of Fame
A prolific performer during the infancy of Connecticut College’s varsity track and field program, Katherine Grinnell Peila ‘89 was a pioneer who established benchmarks in the field events. In addition to setting several records, she as a two-time conference champion and was nationally ranked among the top 20 hammer throwers in Division III.
Well-respected among her teammates, Peila was a three-year captain of the track & field programs and guided the outdoor squad to a 130-32 record in its first four years of varsity competition. In the spring competition, she specialized in throwing events– shot put, discus, javelin, and hammer, which in 1986 was a new field event for women– and qualified for the ECAC Division III Championships all four years in the discus and hammer.
Peila won the NESCAC hammer crown in both her junior and senior seasons. At the 1989 New England Division III Championships, she led the Camels to the team while finishing as runner-up in both discus and hammer.
During her four years as a Camel athlete, Peila established multiple school records in the outdoor field events– discus (111’ 4”), hammer (139’4”), shot put (30’7”) – and she ran a leg on the squad’s record sprint medley relay. In addition to tying the Connecticut College mark for points scored in a season (143.5 in 1988), she set the career points record (404.75) in 110 individual events and four relays. On the outdoor circuit, Peila’s records were in the shot put (30’ 7.5”) and 20# weight throw (36’ 8.5’).
Her longevity is significant, as she still ranks among the college’s all-time top 10 performances in the hammer (second), discus (fourth), 20# weight (seventh), and shot put (10th) as well as career points (fifth).
Peila collected several accolades for her track & field accomplishments, including the Camels’ Unsung Hero Award as a rookie and Most Valuable Performer honors in 1988 and 1989. Complementing her success in the athletic arena, she has also maintained high standards in the classroom, earning selection to the 1989 GTE Academic All-District Track & Field Second Team.
An economics and Hispanic studies double major with a government minor, Peila was named to the Dean’s List all eight semesters. A member of the Spanish Advisory Board, she received the college’s 1989 Consulate Award for Hispanic studies. Peila’s non-athletic leadership roles were as a peer educator and in the very selective position as a residence hall senior housefellow. She also was active volunteering in New London’s public schools.
