Northborough – Diana Cares of Northborough will be inducted into the Westfield State University Athletics Hall of Fame for cross country and track in October.
Cares was a three-time Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) champion, leading the Owls to four consecutive cross country championships from 1996-99. She also claimed eight conference distance titles as the Owls captured three consecutive MASCAC outdoor championships and three straight New England Alliance indoor titles from 1998-2000. She was the selected the outstanding meet performer at the 1999 MASCAC championships.
Cares was a consistent and versatile runner, winning conference crowns in the 1500-, 3,000-, 5,000-, and 10,000-meter runs. She was a three-time MASCAC champ in both the 3,000- and 10,000-meter runs. Cares capped her outstanding collegiate cross country career by earning All-New England honors her senior year.
Cares is the former school record holder in the 10,000-meter run and also held conference records in the 3,000 and 10,000.
Cares has continued her passion for cross country and track and field. She coaches the Whitcomb Middle School cross country and track and field teams in the Marlborough public schools, where she is employed full-time as a para-educator for moderate and severe special needs students. She has officiated high school and college cross country and track meets in Central Massachusetts for the past four years, and received her MIAA coaching certification last year.
