STANDISH, ME – The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) announced Tuesday that Rachelle Messuri (Atkinson, N.H.) has been selected as the GNAC Woman of the Year. A four-year member of the Monks' lacrosse and field hockey programs, Messuri graduated Summa Cum Laude this past May as a Marketing major with a minor in Sports Management.

The epitome of an NCAA DIII student-athlete, Messuri – the 2014 Saint Joseph's Female Student-Athlete of the Year – excelled in both realms with nearly impeccable results in the classroom and unparalleled success between the lines.

During her two-sport career, she accumulated a total of four All-Conference awards and three All-Tournament honors and was selected as the 2014 GNAC Women's Lacrosse Defensive Player of the Year. She also claimed First Team ECAC All-New England mention this spring and collected National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Second Team All-New England acclaim last fall.

For her efforts in the classroom, Messuri earned a trio of GNAC All-Academic honors, two NAC All-Academic awards, four National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Academic Squad nominations and a pair of NFHCA Scholar of Distinction accolades during her collegiate career.

Before graduating Summa Cum Laude, Messuri was a team captain in both sports and a four-year member of the SJC Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), which included serving a two-year stint as vice president. She was also the recipient of the 2014 Saint Joseph's Marketing Department Award.

On the lacrosse field, Messuri played a key role for a Monks' squad that went 12-8 overall and 8-2 in GNAC play while advancing all the way to the GNAC Championship game during her senior season. In 20 contests, the defender tallied five goals with 81 ground balls and 37 caused turnovers – totals that ranked first and third in the GNAC, respectively. She graduated as the Monks' all-time leader in ground balls (230) and caused turnovers (87) while playing in the second-most games (63) in team history.

In field hockey, Messuri helped lead the Royal Blue to three appearances in the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) Championship while registering 21 goals and 19 assists for 61 total points – the fourth-highest total in program history.

Overall, Messuri appeared in 137 collegiate contests while helping the SJC field hockey and lacrosse programs register an aggregate 86-52 (.623) overall record, including a 48-22 (.686) mark in conference play.

"Being in a leadership position is a consistent reminder that you are a role model to students, as well as fellow athletes," said Messuri. "I have become the person I am today by continuously striving to be the best person I can, on and off the field, as I know I need to set a positive example to everyone watching, especially underclassmen. Nothing has been more fulfilling than having a freshman look me in the eyes and say, 'I look up to you.'"

Messuri has also participated on panels to help guide prospective student-athletes, and has also been an advocate for women in sports.

"I have volunteered in different coaching roles to try and help grow women's athletics, as well as put together plans to grow feeder programs in Southern Maine for women's sports," added Messuri.

Messuri's other community service efforts included volunteering at Saint Joseph's College Farm and Catherine's Cupboard Food Pantry. She also spent two years volunteering for the Portland Pirates of the American Hockey League (AHL) assisting with game operations and customer service, and two years as an intramural supervisor on campus.

By earning the GNAC Woman of the Year honor, Messuri is now a candidate for NCAA Woman of the Year. According to NCAA.org, the award "honors graduating student-athletes who have distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate careers in the areas of academic achievement, athletics excellence, community service and leadership."

Messuri's honor marks the fifth occurrence over the last seven years that a female athlete from Saint Joseph's College has earned the prestigious GNAC Woman of the Year award. Women's soccer standout Jillian Leger '08 claimed the high honor in 2008, Alyssa Dunn '11, a four-year starter for the Monks' softball and field hockey programs, was recognized in 2011, Hannah Gajewski '12, a standout swimmer at Saint Joseph's, collected the accolade in 2012, and Danyelle Shufelt '13, a four-year member of the SJC basketball and softball programs, claimed the award last summer.

The three other finalists for the GNAC Woman of the Year award were Lianna Carrero (women's basketball) from Albertus Magnus College, Erin McAndrews (softball) of Suffolk University and Rivier University's Nicole Peacock (women's volleyball/softball).

The NCAA established the Woman of the Year Award in 1991 to celebrate the achievements of women in intercollegiate athletics. Now in its 24th year, the award is unique because it recognizes not only the athletics achievements of outstanding young women, but also their academic achievements, community service and leadership.

Annually, NCAA member schools from all three divisions nominate their own woman of the year. To be eligible, these women must have competed and earned a varsity letter in an NCAA-sponsored sport and must have completed eligibility in their primary sport. Conferences then select a conference honoree from their list of school nominees.

Each fall, the NCAA Woman of the Year selection committee then selects the Top 30 – 10 from each division and then three finalists from each division.  The Committee of Women's Athletics selects the winner from the Top 9.  The Woman of the Year is announced at the annual awards dinner in Indianapolis.  This year's award dinner is Sunday, October 19 in Indianapolis.

NCAA WOMAN OF YEAR OFFICIAL SITE 

THANKS IN PART TO GNAC SPORTS INFORMATION & NCAA.ORG

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Saint Joseph's College is Maine's only Catholic liberal arts college, providing a supportive, personalized and career-focused education for more than 100 years. From its 430-acre campus on the shores of Sebago Lake, the College offers more than 40 undergraduate programs to a population of approximately 1,000 students. Saint Joseph's College Online provides certificates, undergraduate and advanced degrees for working adults through an online learning program. For more, visit www.sjcme.edu.