During her four years as a track and field student-athlete for Westfield State, Marlee Berg left a lasting impression.

Now as an athletic administrator, she is taking the experience from her time as a student-athlete and mentoring the next generation of Owls. 

Getting her start in track and field came in a rather conventional way. During her freshman year of high school, Berg went out for cross country to stay in shape for basketball and softball.  After the season her coach and teammates strongly encouraged Berg to join the indoor track and field team which was ultimately an easy decision.

"You create your own limits in track and field and that's addicting," Berg said. "You are also in control of your outcome. The community of track and field is supportive - from coaches to competitors and holds a lot of different personalities.  I found it to be an overall positive environment to be in."

As Berg began the college application process, she searched for a school that had an early childhood program, which at 18 she saw as her career path. While she looked at schools from all three NCAA divisions, there was something about Westfield State that stood out from the rest. 

"What brought me to Westfield State was the track and field program," Berg said. "Patrick Swett, an alumnus of Westfield State, was coaching at Lowell High School and I started talking to him at a meet – he put me in touch with Coach O’Brien and here we are.  I felt an immediate connection with Coach O’Brien.  He was easy to communicate with and he embraced who I was as an athlete and person. There was transparency on what events I would be training for and I felt confident that he would be able to help me reach my goals.  On my recruitment trip, I connected with the team and wanted to be a part of what they had worked hard to build."

Looking back on her career as a student-athlete, the MASCAC Championships were a favorite event for Berg. Between the heightened level of competition and camaraderie, it was one she always looked forward to attending. During the 2006 New England Alliance/MASCAC Indoor Championship, Berg finished first in the 600 meter run (1:45.66), the high jump (5') and long jump (16' 4.25"). It wasn't long before Berg found her nitch in the high jump, claiming the MASCAC indoor crown in 2006, 2008 and 2009 and outdoor in 2008 and 2009. In total, she finished first in 20 events at the MASCAC Championships in her career and earned All-New England honors 10 times. 

Many track and field student-athletes reach their peak the final year of college and Berg was no exception. After hitting the provisional standard for the NCAA DIII Indoor Championships in high jump at the Harvard Invitational in December 2008, she was able to focus on her technique and consistency. When the declarations were announced, Berg qualified in not only the high jump but pentathlon as well. After discussing it with Coach O'Brien, she decided to compete in both events.

Following the final event of the pentathlon, it was time for the high jump. Berg cleared each height on her first try and made it over on the final attempt at 1.69 meters (5' 7"). The moment she cleared the winning height is one she is never likely to forget. 

"There is a video out there somewhere on the web of the final clearance at 1.69m and it’s me fist pumping in the air after I cleared the bar," Berg said. "I don’t love it for that and it was totally reactionary, but I love it because you can see Coach O’Brien in the background jumping with me off my plant and you can hear my Dad yelling in the background; two of my biggest supporters and two people who knew I could do more than I imagined and weren’t afraid to push me there. Looking back that’s the feeling, I remember."

Berg graduated from Westfield State in 2009 with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication, Public & Corporate Relations. Following graduation, it took some time to decide what the next step was. Go the route of her degree or pursue a love of athletics. After speaking with her mentors, she decided to pursue a Master of Science in Exercise & Sports Studies from Smith College where she served as a graduate assistant coach from 2010-12.

From 2013 to 2016, Berg was an assistant track and field coach at Brandeis University and returned to Westfield State for the ECAC Championship. A conversation with Westfield State Athletic Director Richard Lenfest sparked Berg's return to Westfield.

"I remember talking to Dick Lenfest on the 50-yard line at Alumni Field during the ECAC Championship that Westfield State was hosting," Berg said. "I was there with a few of our student-athletes from Brandeis University and we had a few minutes to catch up. I told him that I would love to return to Westfield State and he made it happen. I am thrilled to be back with my Owl family and to be able to provide the support that I received to our current and future student-athletes. Working at an institution that you’re proud of, with people who feel like family – isn’t a job."

Through the NCAA Division III Ethnic Minority and Women's Internship Grant, Berg was hired in 2016 as the assistant to the athletic director and as an assistant coach for the Owls track and field program. Her position was made permanent in 2000 and changed to Assistant Director of Athletics for Recruitment, Retention & Student-Athlete Well Being. Part of her position is working with the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) which she was involved in during her time as a student-athlete. Being a SAAC advisor gives her a chance to meet and connect with student-athletes from all of Westfield State's sports and be a resource for them.

As she reflects on her time as a student-athlete and how that formed her into who she is today, Berg knows the athletic accolades were important, but the relationships meant more.

"My experience as a student-athlete is the reason that I pursued the position I hold today," Berg said. "I was given the chance to grow physically, emotionally and professionally.  I have always had immeasurable support from my family but my experience at Westfield State extended that even further.  I felt enormous support my entire career - from our immediate coaching staff and administration – campus wide, coaches at our University and other Universities, my professors, other student-athletes, competitors and my teammates. It’s hard to imagine finding a place that connects you with that range of people who positively impact you; whether in that moment or in the future – and my experience as a student-athlete provided that.  I definitely feel blessed and that in it’s entirety is what made me want to get into the field."