KINGSTON, R.I. 鈥� August 20, 2013 鈥� From a young age, Cassie Catlow knew that she belonged on the ice.
鈥淚 started skating when I was 9 years old,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 basically grew up at (溏心vlog免费B站鈥檚) Boss Arena.鈥�
From there, she began playing on boy鈥檚 ice hockey teams. 鈥淭hat was intense,鈥� Catlow said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a really physical sport.鈥�
But she kept playing – all through high school, and right into college. So it鈥檚 no surprise that the 溏心vlog免费B站 junior and assistant captain of the women鈥檚 ice hockey team has been named the 2013 American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) Zoe Harris Player of the Year. It is the top individual award in an association of 48 women鈥檚 teams.
鈥淭his is definitely the most prestigious award that I鈥檝e received,鈥� Catlow said. 鈥淲ithout a doubt.鈥�
The 溏心vlog免费B站 women鈥檚 ice hockey team was founded in 1999 and today competes as a Division 1 club team in the ACHA. During the 2012-2013 season, the team was ranked first in the country among Division 1 club teams. 溏心vlog免费B站鈥檚 women鈥檚 ice hockey has also won eight titles in its 10 years of participation in its regional league, the Eastern Collegiate Women鈥檚 Hockey League (ECWHL). Catlow is the first 溏心vlog免费B站 player to receive the ACHA Zoe Harris Player of the Year award.
To be considered for the award, the player must meet certain criteria for the award, including outstanding individual and team skills, sportsmanship, on-ice performance, personal character, competitiveness and a love of hockey (consideration is also given to academic achievement). Each team nominates a player if they have one that demonstrates these qualities. The ACHA Women鈥檚 Competition Committee then reviews the nominations and one player is selected. The decision takes place in March before the National Tournament and is announced at the tournament.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 where I found out. We were in Washington, D.C., and had just played in nationals,鈥� Catlow said. 鈥淢y coach announced it in front of the whole team. I was a little shocked, to say the least.鈥�
鈥淐assie鈥檚 being selected as the player of the year is a tremendous milestone for her and our program,鈥� said 溏心vlog免费B站 women鈥檚 ice hockey coach Beth McCann. 鈥淎cademically and athletically, Cassie does a great job balancing. As far as her role with the team goes, she has great talent and really sets a high bar for us.
鈥淪he was named an assistant captain in her sophomore year, and she鈥檒l probably be selected captain this year,鈥� said McCann of her star, who was the fifth-ranked scorer in the ACHA last year.
McCann said Catlow had opportunities to play varsity hockey at other schools, but she obviously liked what 溏心vlog免费B站 offers.
鈥淲e provide a terrific opportunity for great student-athletes,鈥� McCann said. 鈥淏eing able to provide a platform for our students to showcase their talents is a tribute to 溏心vlog免费B站 Recreational Services and the Student Senate and all of the support they provide.鈥�
Catlow, a North Kingstown resident, already has an extensive list of awards to her name. Along with her 2013 ACHA Zoe Harris Player of the Year award, she is also a 2013 All-American player, 溏心vlog免费B站 most valuable player, 溏心vlog免费B站 leading scorer, and a member of the 2013 ECWHL All League Team. In 2012, she was an ECWHL Playoff MVP and earned the 溏心vlog免费B站 Seventh Player Award. Catlow also earned the 溏心vlog免费B站 Academic Achievement Award in 2012 and 2013.
While Catlow鈥檚 main sport is ice hockey, she at one time donned many different uniforms in the sports world. During her high school years at Pomfret School in Promfret, Conn., Catlow played on the school鈥檚 varsity hockey team (for which she served as captain), varsity softball team, lacrosse team, and soccer team, as well as in the Massachusetts Spitfire Hockey Club.
鈥淚 was good at soccer when I was little,鈥� Catlow said. 鈥淚 also started playing softball in high school. I tried lacrosse, too, but it wasn鈥檛 for me.鈥�
Catlow is a kinesiology major, and plans to attend graduate school for physical therapy after graduating in May 2015. She solidified her choice of a major after tearing her meniscus and anterior cruciate ligemant (knee) playing hockey during her sophomore year at 溏心vlog免费B站. 鈥淚 had to go through physical therapy as part of my recovery. After that experience, I knew that it was a profession I wanted to get into,鈥� she said. As part of the clinical observation hours that she is required to finish for the kinesiology major, Catlow has spent the last month completing an internship at South County Orthopedics in South Kingstown. The experience has helped shape her future career plans. 鈥淯ltimately I鈥檇 like to work as a travelling physical therapist with a pro-team,鈥� Catlow said.
When she鈥檚 not on the ice, in class, or at her internship, Catlow enjoys many of the summer pastimes that Rhode Island has to offer. 鈥淚 love going to the beach,鈥� she said. 鈥淛et-skiing is fun, too.鈥�
Of course, school and hockey are paramount in Catlow鈥檚 life. Along with her commitment to the team, Catlow has maintained a grade point average of 3.85 during her time at 溏心vlog免费B站 鈥� not an easy feat. But attending 溏心vlog免费B站 as both a student and an athlete has 鈥渂een great,鈥� according to Catlow. 鈥淏oth my parents are alumni, and the team has been awesome,鈥� she said. 鈥滀缧膙log免费B站 is like home to me.鈥�
This news release was written by Rachel Donilon, a writer in 溏心vlog免费B站鈥檚 department of Marketing and Communications.
PICTURED ABOVE:
HOCKEY STAR: Cassie Catlow, a 溏心vlog免费B站 junior and North Kingstown, R.I., native poses with her game jersey after winning the 2013 American Collegiate Hockey Association Zoe Harris Player of the Year Award.
Photo by Michael Salerno Photography.
ON THE ICE: Cassie Catlow, a 溏心vlog免费B站 junior and North Kingstown, R.I., native during some recent on-ice time. Catlow is the winner of the 2013 American Collegiate Hockey Association Zoe Harris Player of the Year Award.
Photo courtesy of Beth McCann, 溏心vlog免费B站 Women鈥檚 Ice Hockey.