Women's Rowing Announces Team Awards

WORCESTER, Mass. – The Holy Cross women's rowing team has announced its team awards for the 2008-2009 season. Senior Katie Donnelly (Marstons Mills, Mass.) received the Coxswain Award and senior Meridith Malysz (Wilbraham, Mass.) earned the Crusader Award.

Open to all varsity coxswains, the Coxswain Award is given to the member of the team that is an outstanding leader and teammate. A 2005 graduate from Cape Cod Academy, Donnelly earned the role of coxswain in the varsity eight boat this year, leading the Crusaders to success at the Head of the Charles Regatta in October 2008 and the Henley Regatta in June 2008. During her freshman year, Donnelly led the novice eight boat to a second-place finish at the ECAC National Invitational Regatta and a third-place finish at the New England Championship. Named to the 2007 Patriot League Academic Honor Roll, Donnelly will graduate with a bachelor's degree in english.

The Crusader Award is given to the most valuable athlete on the team, whose hard work and dedication to the team never goes unnoticed. A 2005 graduate of Minnechaug Regional High School, Malysz received a gold medal at the 2007 New England Championships. In 2006, she helped lead the Holy Cross novice eight boat to a second-place finish at the ECAC National Invitational Regatta and a third-place finish at the New England Championships. A member of the 2008 Patriot League Academic Honor Roll, Malysz will graduate with a bachelor's degree in psychology, and upon graduation plans to become a nurse practitioner.