FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FOXBORO, Mass. – 2017 Assumption graduate Rachel Avard has been selected as the Northeast-10 Conference Woman of the Year, as voted upon by the conference's 15 senior women's administrators. The award was announced, and Avard was honored at the NE10 Awards Banquet, which was held at Gillette Stadium recently.
Avard is the first Assumption student-athlete to be named the conference's Woman of the Year, which honors student-athletes for their excellence in competition, in the classroom, and in community service. She is now a candidate for the NCAA Woman of the Year award, which will be announced in October.
"I am incredibly honored to have received this award," said Avard. "The past four years have been an incredible experience, and I have learned an immeasurable amount as a student-athlete. I can think of no better way to have ended my career as a student-athlete than by winning this award; it is a culmination of all that I have worked towards over the past four years. I attribute all of my success to my family, coaches and my teammates. Without their constant love and support I would not be where I am today. I am sad that my time as an athlete has ended, but I know that I am a part of the Hound Nation family forever."
A Chemistry major, Avard graduated in May with a 3.93 GPA and was selected as the 2017 Assumption valedictorian. She will attend Columbia University in the fall, where she will pursue a doctorate in chemistry. While at Assumption she was involved in Assumption Peers Advocating for Wellness, Food and Auxiliary Committee, Honors Program Council and was a member of SAAC. Avard also has been named Academic All-Conference for seven straight seasons and was selected to the Dean's List every semester of College.
"I was thrilled to see Rachel honored this past Sunday as the NE10 Woman of the Year," said Director of Athletics Nick Smith. "She has been an outstanding ambassador for the college over the past four years. I was impressed with her ability to succeed in the classroom while also competing in cross country and track every season throughout her four years. She helped lift those teams to new heights and certainly left her mark here at Assumption."
Athletically, Avard captained the cross country, indoor track and outdoor track programs. In cross country she helped the team take second at the NE10 Championships and then second at the East Regional, to qualify for the NCAA Championships for the first time in program history. Avard also holds the second-fastest time in the 3000 meter steeplechase in program history and placed sixth in the event at the 2017 NE10 Outdoor Championships.
Over the course of her career she has helped the cross country and track and field program from one of the worst in the region to taking second in the NE10 cross country championships and third in the NE10 Outdoor Championships this year. Last fall she was named the Women's Cross Country Scholar Athlete Sports Excellence winner and has twice been named CoSIDA Academic All-District.
Information for this release provided by the athletic communications staff at Assumption
ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 15 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.
Each year, 4,500 student-athletes compete in conference championships, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.
