Sportsmanship is defined as ethical, appropriate, polite and fair behavior while participating in a game or athletic event. The player for the University of Maryland who fits this definition to a t is Kristy Ferrari. 

If you are looking for a flashy player or a player who runs their mouth that is not Kristy. Kristy has a quiet presence in her game that if she is not on your team you may not realize how good she is.  Her talent combined with her calm demeanor make her the perfect candidate for the sportsmanship award. 

Kristy was very rarely penalized and I can never think of an instance where she was upset or angry.  Kristy suffered a concussion on a questionable call but never said anything negative about what had happened.  Most players would be more apt to blame or complain, but not Kristy, she took it in stride, missed a few games, recovered and was back ready to go with her same calm presence you could count on.  Kristy’s personality encompasses all that is sportsmanship and true of of the game making her the best candidate for the Sportsmanship Award.  

Amanda Lee has set an exemplary standard for sportsmanship for our team this year. As one of our team captains, she has fearlessly led our Penn through the trials and tribulations of this season.

Amanda has taken the time and effort to meet and connect to every new player on our team this year, making sure they felt welcomed and at home as they joined the world of ice hockey for the first time. Always a class act, Amanda has been a source of leadership for the team when it comes to how to respectfully conduct ourselves, and forming a competitive and reasonable game mentality.

Thanks to her leadership on and off the ice, our team has always had an excellent role model that we can always rely on to lend a helping hand and open heart.

Megan was the team’s first Freshman to join the squad last year. Megan has truly started to grow and develop her own role and style.  Megan certainly takes after our President, Beth Kennedy, in how she approaches the game and the club.  Megan approaches the game with a love for all aspects of the sport, she works hard and has fun while on the ice and in the arena.  Megan shows true respect through her attitude and treatment of her teammates, coaches, referees and opponents. She truly works to do the right things in the right ways on and off the ice. Megan has also stepped up to the challenge of serving on the team’s executive board by taking on the role of Vice President. Megan works to ensure that the vision of Beth Kennedy, the founder of Towson’s program, of doing the right thing all the time every time continues on for the growth and stability of the Towson program. We know Megan will do anything she can to keep Towson’s program a successful and respected program both on and off the ice.

Kelly started playing hockey as a freshman at Villanova and has stuck with it. Because of this, she’s not the strongest player, but she will do what needs to be done for the team and is continually working harder to get better. Kelly played a lot for her skill level, but when she knew what needed to be done for the team, she did it. She was sat during our games against our harder teams and did not complain because she knew it was in the best interest of the team. This happened to her twice and instead of complaining she cheered on her squad instead and had the best attitude on the bench even when we lost in the end. I have no doubt that her attitude for the love of the sport and the love of our team will just push her harder in the end and she will become a better hockey player and be one of the best by the time she leaves next year as she is doing a five year program with Villanova. 

Katie joined Loyola's team in 2014 as a first year graduate student. Despite working full time hours as a student clinician all week for her program, Katie's enthusiasm and dedication to the program never wavered. She arrived at our first ever game in Villanova having never met any of the other players on our team, and it was immediately clear that Katie's attitude was one for positivity and fun. She was excited to be part of a team, and was always patting her teammates on the back for their hard work from the very first day.

Katie was the first one to remind the team to always remain respectful to other players and refs, and led her own teammates to be good sports during practice and travel. Katie recognized more than anyone else that our team was a direct reflection of Loyola University Maryland, and was a positive example for all. At the end of the day, what drove our team was having fun playing the game we all loved, and Katie was a constant reminder for us all that we were all there for the same reason. Your passion for the game will be missed next year, Katie!

KELLY IS A SOPHOMORE, SHE IS AMONG THE GIRLS THAT HOLD THIS TEAM TOGETHER AS WELL. 

SHE NEVER MISSES PRACTICE AND HELPS THE BEGINNERS WITH THEIR SKATING AND STICK HANDLING SKILLS. SHE HELPS ON AND OFF THE ICE TO KEEP THIS TEAM ALIVE. SHE HAS CONTACTED OTHER GIRLS TO JOIN THIS TEAM AND CONTINUES TO RECRUIT SO THIS TEAM CAN MOVE FORWARD IN THE FUTURE.

I SEE A GREAT FUTURE WITH KELLY ON THIS TEAM. SHE WILL PROBABLY BE A CAPTAIN OR ALTERNATE CAPTAIN IN THE YEARS AHEAD.