Utica College field hockey forward Hannah Mackey has been named the Empire 8 Athletic Conference Woman of the Year. This award honors a senior female student-athlete who has distinguished herself throughout her collegiate career in the areas of academic achievement, athletics excellence, service and leadership.
Mackey amassed a 3.75 grade point average and graduated with a degree in Nursing. She is a eight-time Utica College Dean's List honoree, has made the Empire 8 President's list four times, is a four-time National Field Hockey Coaches Association National All-Academic Team member and she was recently inducted into the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing.
Over her illustrious four-year career, Mackey was the Empire 8 Rookie of the Year in 2011 and the Empire 8 Player of the Year in 2014. She is a four-time Empire 8 All-Conference First Team selection, as well as a three-time Empire 8 All-Tournament Team selection. She was the Empire 8 Tournament MVP in 2013 and holds the Empire 8 single season records for goals and points in a season.
She is a two-time NFHCA All-Region and All-American selection as well as the 2014 NFHCA North Atlantic Player of the Year. Mackey is the College's all-time leader in career points (199) and goals (84), and she is second all-time in assists (31). Her 3.81 points per game in a single season is tied for 14
th all-time in the NCAA Division III record book.
The Utica field hockey program posted an overall mark of 61-22 while Mackey led the offensive attack with three Empire 8 titles and three trips to the NCAA Division III Tournament.
Mackey committed multiple hours to projects and organizations around the Utica Area. She volunteered at the Utica Refugee Center painting classrooms and offices, served as a race volunteer for the Utica Road Runners and taught CPR at the American Heart Run and Walk Expo.
“Being involved in service activities have allowed me to give back to the community that has supported Utica College,” said Mackey. “It taught me to stay humble and realize that not everyone has had the opportunities that I have. I will never take my education for granted, and I believe that becoming a nurse is a small way to give compassion and knowledge back to others.”
Mackey, along with Ithaca senior Sharon Li will be nominated for the prestigious NCAA Woman of the Year award. Conferences may nominate two nominees if at least one is an ethnic minority or an international student. Mackey and Li join an elite group of student-athletes from across NCAA Division I, II and III nominated for the award.
Li graduated with a 3.31 gpa as an Exercise Science major with a minor in Sport Psychology and Coaching. She was recently inducted into Chi Alpha Sigma – National College Athlete Honor Society.
Li is a three-time Empire 8 Player of the Year (2012, 2013 and 2014), the 2011 E8 Rookie of the Year and she helped guide Ithaca to four-straight team Empire 8 Championships. She was named the Division III Player of the Year for the 2013-14 season by the Women's Golf Coaches Association and was named to the Region 1/East-Region All-Region team three times. Li is a three-time All-American and recorded a top-20 finish at the NCAAs three times, including a career best ninth place finish in 2015.
“In the 4 years at Ithaca College, I have learned to live by the words of ‘Practice in silence, and let your success be your voice,’ said Li. “There is no need to announce to the world about your success or the obstacles you have endured. My experience as a student athlete has been incredibly rewarding and I will continue to benefit from all that have influenced my success while at Ithaca College.”
Li took part in numerous on- and off-campus organizations, including being a participant of the Ithaca Leadership Academy; was active in the Captain’s Council; a member of the International Club, helping to welcome new international students to Ithaca College and was also involved in the Asian American Alliance. She volunteered her time with the SPCA of Tompkins County, took part in Relay for Life, helped organize the Ithaca Polar Plunge in 2015 and coordinated toys and gifts to be supplied to the Giving Tree to help fulfill a child’s wish. Li was also a three year SAAC representative and served as SAAC secretary in the 2014-15 year.
Mackey and Li will now be forwarded to the national NCAA Woman of the Year selection committee. The committee will choose the top ten nominees in each division (I, II and III). From among those 30 honorees, the selection committee will determine the top three in each division. From those nine, the 2015 NCAA Woman of the Year will be chosen.
Mackey and Li were two of ten outstanding nominees considered by the Empire 8 Woman of the Year Committee. The other candidates were:
Alison Wickwire, Softball, Alfred University
Ashton Hogan, Ice Hockey and Lacrosse, Elmira College
Gwendolyn Mathias, Swimming, Hartwick College
Laurel Wroblicky, Volleyball, Houghton College
Sharon Li, Golf, Ithaca College
Maria Allocco, Volleyball and Basketball, Nazareth College
Paige Willson, Volleyball and Track and Field, St. John Fisher College
Amira Dardir, Cross Country and Track and Field, Stevens Institute of Technology
Brittany Geyer, Swimming, Stevens Institute of Technology
Hannah Mackey, Field Hockey, Utica College
For more information on the NCAA Woman of the Year Award, click
HERE.