Varsity Club Appreciation Award - Diane Fox
Varsity Club Appreciation Award - Suzanne Cox
Competitive Spirit Award - Nikki Murphy
Impact Award - Courtney Pelletier
Leadership Award - Julia Bobosky
Athletic Integrity Award - Erin Bennett
Mary Ellen Smith Academic and Athletic Achievement Award - Maddie Rzepka
Donald Miller Belles Spirit Award - Maddy Hansen
Donald Miller Belles Spirit Award - Kathleen McLeod
Marvin Wood Outstanding Senior Athlete Award - Erin Dotson
For a full video replay of the 2023 Senior Athlete Awards ceremony, watch the event on our YouTube channel here.
Varsity Club Appreciation Award - Diane Fox
The Belles Varsity Club Appreciation Award is presented to a member of the Saint Mary's College community for extraordinary contribution to the Saint Mary's Department of Athletics.
As you all know, we are members of the NCAA Division III. The NCAA defines the three "D's" of our division as: Discover, Develop, and Dedicate. We support and encourage our student-athletes to pursue their interests and passions to help them discover themselves. We offer small class sizes and a community that cares and encourages our students to develop into well-rounded adults; and, we hold our student-athletes to a higher level of responsibility. They manage busy schedules and excel in the classroom while receiving no special aid or benefits. To excel, they need to be all-in and dedicate themselves to achieving their potential.
These three D's are also what Saint Mary's College does very well for all of her students. How? Well, it takes a village - and a fourth "D". Discover, Develop, Dedicate, and "Diane" – as in, Diane Fox.
Adjusting to the academic rigors of Saint Mary's is a process. No one knows that better than our director of the Office for Student Success, Diane Fox. Since 2009, Fox has been at the forefront of helping all of our students develop the skills to succeed.
As a former coach, she has managed her Student Success program like her team. Fox has built a community of learners and within that, a culture of success. She leads her team with care, compassion and loving discipline. She is tough, but she is also kind. She shows her students how to put quality time into studying and learning. Every week she sends a "tip of the week" or a workshop offering. She teaches our students effective study strategies; and, as the outstanding coach that she is, Fox shows them how to practice the skills necessary to perform well.
Helping her students to succeed is her number one goal– in school, in their activities, and in life. Fox is always there to walk with her students wherever it is that they need her most. Diane knows that sometimes it is life issues that put up hurdles to success. She works collaboratively and builds a team of resources to help students work through these obstacles. Athletics is a member of her team. We lean on each other in our efforts to support our women. We share concerns and we work together to support and guide them. It has been a wonderful partnership!
After 14 years here, Fox is retiring. Business strategist, Peter Strople said that "Legacy is not leaving something for people. It's leaving something in people." All who have had the pleasure to work with Diane Fox know that she is leaving a good legacy.
It is with great honor that we present our 2023 Varsity Club Appreciation Award for extraordinary dedication and commitment to the Department of Athletics to Diane Fox.
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Varsity Club Appreciation Award - Suzanne Cox
The Belles Varsity Club Appreciation Award is presented to a member of the Saint Mary's College community for extraordinary contribution to the Saint Mary's Department of Athletics.
Few people can say they have been with something since the beginning. For the Saint Mary's lacrosse team, one such constant has been faculty advisor Suzanne Cox. When the Belles lacrosse program was started ten years ago, Professor Cox answered the call with a "yes", and her support since that time has been unwavering and extraordinary.
While each of our teams has a faculty advisor, most programs merely have that representation in name. With striking a balance between teaching, supporting, and work-life balance, oftentimes a faculty advisory will check in with team members on occasion and might make a game or two throughout the year. Suzanne has and continues to go well above and beyond in her support.
From the first year with the team through today, Suzanne has never hesitated to say "yes". She has driven the Belles to Camp Eberhart several years ago for a team-building event. She has taken to the roadways in California and Texas to help the team on their spring break trips. During those same trips, she has done anything and everything the team has possibly needed – washing towels, going to the store, going for coffee, serving as team barista, and much more. Last summer, she started the summer by making the trip across the Atlantic Ocean and serving as a chaperone on the team trip to Ireland. Yes – she has willingly given up her own spring break and summer vacation time to trek across the country and world to support the lacrosse team in any possible way.
It has become a tradition for the team for Suzanne to host the lacrosse team at her house for a dinner before their fall play date. That meal is much more than food. It is a bonding event for the new and returning players, but it also continues to build a bridge for our athletes and the academic side of the College. For the team, Suzanne has given a perspective of who professors are. She brings a perspective of that academic side without the team feeling the same pressures of those interactions with their own professors inside the classroom setting. She helps to humanize that role for our student-athletes. While it might not be a formal educational situation, Suzanne teaches the team how to advocate for themselves by guiding them to resources and helps all of our student-athletes regardless of major learn how to be successful. And while we continually strive to support our student-athletes, the support of a faculty member resonates in a much different way.
People like Suzanne Cox are what makes Saint Mary's truly special. She is genuine, authentic, supportive, kind, and a true bridge builder. Rain or shine, snow or heat – we are immensely grateful for her constant support. Her contributions have been extraordinary. Her snacks are pretty good too! There are faculty representatives, and then there's Professor Cox. She truly is in a class all of her own.
It is with great pride that we present the 2023 Varsity Club Appreciation Award to Suzanne Cox.
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Competitive Spirit Award - Nikki Murphy
Presented in recognition of the senior athlete who demonstrates the passion and love for sport by work ethic, desire to succeed, and commitment to teammates.
It is not about the size of the person in the fight, but it is about the size of the fight in the person. That statement could not ring more truly than it does for Nikki Murphy.
We were first introduced to Nikki on the soccer field. She started in the very first game of her career – a 2-0 win over Bluffton – and went on to make ten total starts while playing 16 total games. When the season was over, she jumped right into basketball season. Her work and commitment to bringing her best effort to the court every day quickly led to Nikki becoming a starter on the hardwood too. By the end of the season, she was the point guard and was named Most Improved by her teammates.
Her passion and love for the game translated itself in an unexpected and much-needed way during the summer of 2020. While the world was still navigating a lock down and all that it entailed, Nikki found a way to keep basketball alive and well by holding basketball clinics in her front yard. She understood just how important playing, competing, growing, and learning in ANY was through basketball was.
That reset button that was forced to be hit by a global pandemic just ignited a new level of determination in Nikki. She became a driving force in off-season and summer training. Her competitiveness day in and day out has been collective, unifying, and inspiring to her teammates. Nikki knows that oftentimes other teams would look at her and underestimate her. And that just burned that competitive fire even stronger. She was determined to prove anyone wrong. Every time she might have gotten knocked down, she jumped right back up, fearless and ready to go. Her passion and hard work led to Nikki being named as a captain in both her junior and senior years. She went on to earn her team’s version of the most valuable player in both of those seasons.
There is a quote by an author that speaks directly to Nikki's competitive spirit. It goes "Mistakes, failures, setbacks happen. It is what happens next that matters. And that response is up to you." When someone has the drive, determination, and tenacity that Nikki has, it spreads throughout all aspects of their life. From early in her playing career through this season, she knew mistakes were going to be made. She also knew that those mistakes were part of the roadmap of how she was going to get better – get up, learn, grow, and move ahead. Fight. Compete. Repeat. From day one, setbacks were never going to set her back, and she has worked every day to prove it.
A native of Chicago, Illinois, Nikki is the daughter of Brian and Cora Murphy. She will graduate with a degree in business administration with a concentration in finance along with a minor in economics. We are proud to present the 2023 Competitive Spirit Award to Nikki Murphy.
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Impact Award - Courtney Pelletier
Presented to the senior athlete who elevates the intensity and focus of a game beyond what statistics can measure.
When a player's passion, energy, and love for the sport are as strong as Courtney Pelletier's, her impact on her team resonates far beyond her presence on the volleyball court.
Much of what Courtney’s contributions to the volleyball program and the Athletic Department have been are right in line with "elevating beyond what statistics can measure". For anyone who has not had much of a chance to experience it, volleyball can be classified as a momentum sport. Energy created by a team on and off the court coupled with runs, big digs, defensive stops, and monstrous kills can sway a result in a moment’s notice. Like a two-part harmony, players competing and supporting are crucial to orchestrating that energy – it cannot work without both parts. For anyone who HAS watched the volleyball program, it is clear to see that Courtney understands that. She knows that whether her role is on the court or not, she is vital to how that energy is created. It is not something you can see in a stat sheet, but you can certainly feel it. She oftentimes was the glue that formed the bond of the team – she unifies her team and holds them together.
It also goes to say that her impact has been felt on the court as well. Courtney has brought an always ready mentality and focus since her first season with the Belles. She was listed on the roster as an outside hitter in her freshman season. Midway through the year, she earned MIAA Specialist Athlete of the Week honors after posting back-to-back matches with 20-plus digs in her first two career matches as libero.
After losing her sophomore year to COVID, she came back ready and focused to help the team in any way she could. Her junior season saw her positions grow to outside hitter, libero, and defensive specialist. She put in the work, and by September, she was a constant in the lineup. Courtney had a stretch where she put up double-digit digs in nine of ten matches while also registering a double-double in digs and kills in a win at Olivet. In her senior season, she continued to be a constant presence on and off the court. She nearly doubled her career digs total, more than doubled her career aces, and was vital in her role as a liaison for her team and her coaches day in and day out.
Courtney was selected as a team captain in both her junior and senior seasons. A voice for her team through and through, she has served her team as a representative on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee from the spring of her freshman year through the fall of her senior year. Her work and impact have been noticed year after year by her teammates and coaches as she has been selected as the recipient of both the Belles Volleyball Teammate Award and the Coaches Award each year. Our recruits note that they remember her – that is how far reaching her impact is. Her passion, commitment, and empathy resonated throughout the Belles volleyball program. In the highest of highs or the lowest of lows, Courtney's impact elevated her team far more than we could ever measure.
A native of Mishawaka, Indiana, Courtney is the daughter of Lori and Galen Pelletier. She will graduate with a degree in psychology. We are proud to present the 2023 Impact Award to Courtney Pelletier.
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Leadership Award - Julia Bobosky
Presented for outstanding leadership, commitment, and dedication.
In a sport like cross country, a student-athlete already has to have a certain level of drive and dedication. You have to hold yourself accountable day in and day out, mile after mile. Then when a student-athlete like Julia Bobosky joins the team, there is that extra "it" factor that cannot go unnoticed by anyone who crosses her path.
Julia radiates joy and always brings her authentic self to everything she does. Those two traits have been foundational to the level of leadership she has brought to her team and to the Athletic Department, and she has been all in from the start. Julia has worked at learning how to become a better leader by continually showing up and putting in the work at team-focused and department-focused leadership programming. She understands that growth does not just happen – it has to be a conscious choice.
That development of becoming her best self to serve others has translated into Julia filling several leadership roles in the Athletic Department and beyond. She became a team representative on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee in the spring of her sophomore year. Her student-athlete peers saw her commitment and dedication to her team and the whole department as she worked to try to spur attendance and support across all teams. Julia quickly rose to a leadership role with SAAC as she was elected as the president one year later. She served as the athletic chair for the Student Government Association, and became the vice president for the Future Business Leaders group on campus. In that latter role, she drove engagement through alumnae networking and event planning and implementation to provide an excellent experience for all Belles.
All of that is not to say that she was not focused on being a strong leader for her team – Julia absolutely was and continues to be dedicated to making the cross country team the best it can be on and off the running trails. A team captain this year, her commitment to her fellow "team crazy" Belles has been a constant since day one. She has always been focused on doing the right thing for herself and her team. From her dedication to 6 a.m. workouts to her approachability as the go-to person for the team’s underclass student-athletes, Julia’s commitment to leading through listening and through example is woven throughout every facet of her experience on the cross country team. She is someone who draws others in, lifts them up, and makes them want to be better through her own drive to be better.
It is one thing to show up. It is a whole other thing to show up and put in the work while bringing your best effort with a positive attitude. That has been how Julia has operated. She knows that sometimes giving her best effort might not always work out, but she always came right back, continued to work, and has used that setback as motivation to be better for her team and herself. That is the mark of strong leadership. That is who Julia Bobosky is.
A native of Batavia, Illinois, Julia is the daughter of Andrea and Blake Bobosky. She will graduate with a degree in business administration with concentrations in marketing and management. We are proud to present the 2023 Leadership Award to Julia Bobosky.
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Athletic Integrity Award - Erin Bennett
Presented to the senior athlete who best exemplifies honesty and respect for herself, her teammates and opponents, and the game itself.
A lot of sports have built-in ways to channel and release frustration – not so with golf. When bad shots or unlucky breaks happen, a golfer is left to their own thoughts more often than not as you walk the course. For some players, that lack of release can quickly spiral out of control and turn a bad moment into a bad round. In the case of Erin Bennett, she knew the importance controlling those thoughts and how to refocus and compete with poise and integrity no matter what the conditions might be.
Her integrity, work ethic, commitment, and respect have been driving forces to Erin being a key member of the Belles golf lineup from her freshman season onward. She has been steady, reliable, and trustworthy. When the inevitability of a bad shot or a poor lie happened, Erin took it in stride. If it required her to scramble like mad to keep her score in the top four for the team, she did it. She knew that her respect and commitment to her team was the most important thing at the end of the day each and every round. She extended that same respect toward other competitors. Regardless of her own individual performance, Erin was the first to offer a congratulatory handshake to other players in her group. At tournaments and other events, she was always the first to shake the hand of the host school's coach and thank them for the opportunity to compete.
To see another manifestation of Erin's character, someone just needs to look at how much her game has developed over her career. Erin had shown continued improvement in her scores year after year. It is a direct reflection of her respect for the game. It comes not only through hard work, but hard work the right way – hard work when no one is watching; holding yourself accountable; and doing it even when you know there is an easier way. Erin knew that making the right choices for herself would lead to success for her team.
Her efforts were rewarded this past fall as she was named to the All-MIAA First Team for having one of the top six conference scoring averages. That same approach to working hard, honestly, and respectfully translated itself into earning spots in the lineup at both the 2021 and the 2022 NCAA Championships. A two-year captain, she has had open and honest conversations with her teammates and coaches alike to ensure all voices are heard and respected. Erin has earned WGCA All-American Scholar honors and has been on the MIAA Academic Honor Roll as well as the Dean's List – further reflections of her character and commitment.
At her core, Erin has always been guided by a moral compass on and off the course in all aspects of her life. When it came to golf, she always played the right way and with a strong effort from the first shot to the last. That is how the game is meant to be played – honestly, fully, and with integrity.
A native of Martinsville, Indiana, Erin is the daughter of Craig and Mary Bennett. She will graduate with a degree in marketing. We are proud to present the 2023 Athletic Integrity Award to Erin Bennett.
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Mary Ellen Smith Academic and Athletic Achievement Award - Maddie Rzepka
Presented for outstanding academic and athletic achievement and future promise as a Saint Mary's graduate.
Mary Ellen Smith served as our Dean of Students from 1986 – 1992. She was a dedicated leader, educator and avid supporter of all students during her tenure at Saint Mary's. She was especially supportive of the athletic department and of all student-athletes. Every student-athlete knew Mary Ellen. She was at our home events, award banquets, fundraisers, and would even assist in driving our teams to away contests. Through Mary Ellen's leadership and commitment to improving the athletic experience, she advocated for and oversaw the transition to our move from NAIA to NCAA Division III. Mary Ellen Smith passed away suddenly on June 1, 2015. To ensure that her contributions to Saint Mary's College Athletics will not be forgotten, we have re-named our academic and athletic achievement award in her honor.
Perhaps the biggest concern of the majority of student-athletes is being able to find that balance of student and athlete. From day one, Maddie Rzepka has not only struck that balance, but she has excelled at it.
On the basketball court, Maddie's presence was felt from the start. She competed in every game of her freshman season, finishing third in minutes played and in the top four in scoring, rebounds, and free throw percentage. She was selected to represent her team in the spring semester on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee – a responsibility not often extended to first-year Belles – and was named as a Saint Mary's Athlete of the Week. While her sophomore season was called off due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she continued to commit herself to her team and to basketball during that tumultuous and uncertain time. In her junior season, Maddie continued to make an impact on the hardwood and was named a team co-captain. She competed in nearly every game and led the team in points, steals, minutes played, and free throw percentage. Maddie was also in the top five on the squad in points per game, rebounds, and assists as she influenced every part of the game for the Belles. In her final season for Saint Mary's, she started and was in the top five on the team in points, rebounds, assists, and blocked shots.
In two of her seasons, she led the team in minutes played. While that stat line might seem insignificant, it is a direct reflection of her hard work, dedication, and discipline while showing how crucial of a player she was to her team. Off the court, she moved into the leadership role of SAAC Secretary and became an executive board member of the Student Government Association.
Amid all of those accomplishments, Maddie will graduate with over a 3.9 cumulative grade point average. She has never had a semester GPA below a 3.8. She will be a four-time honoree on the MIAA Academic Honor Roll. Maddie has earned Dean's List honors every semester, and she was recognized by the College Sports Communicators as an Academic All-District honoree in 2023. It is clear that Maddie truly epitomizes the title "student-athlete".
A native of Walled Lake, Michigan, Maddie is the daughter of Mike and Julie Rzepka. She will graduate with a degree in speech-language pathology with minors in early childhood education and psychology. We are proud to present the 2023 Mary Ellen Smith Academic and Athletic Achievement Award to Maddie Rzepka.
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Donald Miller Belles Spirit Award - Maddy Hansen
Presented to the person who best exemplifies the winning spirit of the College's athletic programs.
In 2008, the Belles Varsity Club Award was re-named the Don Miller Belles Spirit Award in his honor as a longtime math professor and assistant softball coach for the Belles. His life was taken by pancreatic cancer, but his legacy lives on through the many lives he touched both in the classroom and on the softball field. Coach Miller displayed true dedication and passion for Saint Mary's College and her Belles. This award is presented each year at the Senior Athlete Awards Reception to the student-athlete who best exemplifies the winning spirit of the athletic program.
There is a lot of power in the joy of an unexpected experience. In Maddy Hansen's own words – she has kept finding new reasons to fall in love with Saint Mary's. And that love and winning spirit toward the soccer program and the Athletic Department are why we are honoring Maddy today.
The mix of nerves, anxiety, and all of the unknowns of college were amplified for Maddy as a first-year player on the soccer team. After that initial transition to college life, Maddy found that being exactly herself was more than enough, and that she could be fully embraced in that authenticity. In return, she bought in to the soccer program for her teammates and coaches. She wanted to bring her best self while also bringing positive energy and fun each day to the program and department. From dance moves to hair flips on media days through demonstrating knowing when to make a joke or when to be locked in at a game, she has embraced her role on the soccer team each and every day. Maddy's spirit has been contagious and a constant. She is welcoming, genuine, and deeply cares about her team and this college. And her support of a new coaching staff has been invaluable for the transition of new leadership for the program.
When the opportunity to share her love for Saint Mary's on a bigger stage through Admissions presented itself, she did not hesitate to say yes. That enthusiastic and unwavering "yes" has translated to Maddy being a go-to for tours and meetings with recruits. If possible, she tries to "extra sell" Saint Mary's when she knows she is talking to a prospective student-athlete. Even when she is not formally giving a tour or is part of a visit, she never hesitates to stop mid-workout to chat with any recruit for any team to share her love of Saint Mary's.
Through her journey on and off the pitch, Maddy has embraced her authentic self and has brought herself fully into each circle of her life at Saint Mary's. And it is that message that she shares on her tours with the Admission Office – to embrace and love the person each Belle is becoming. Maddy's spirit and love for Saint Mary's truly makes that message take root and grow in everyone she has encountered.
A native of Crown Point, Indiana, Maddy is the daughter of Adam and Debbie Hansen. She will graduate with a degree in marketing and minors in both psychology and political science. We are proud to present the 2023 Don Miller Belles Spirit Award to Maddy Hansen.
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Donald Miller Belles Spirit Award - Kathleen McLeod
Presented to the person who best exemplifies the winning spirit of the College's athletic programs.
In 2008, the Belles Varsity Club Award was re-named the Don Miller Belles Spirit Award in his honor as a longtime math professor and assistant softball coach for the Belles. His life was taken by pancreatic cancer, but his legacy lives on through the many lives he touched both in the classroom and on the softball field. Coach Miller displayed true dedication and passion for Saint Mary's College and her Belles. This award is presented each year at the Senior Athlete Awards Reception to the student-athlete who best exemplifies the winning spirit of the athletic program.
Regardless of any challenges she might be encountering on or off the tennis court, Kathleen McLeod's spirit, energy, and passion for her team and Saint Mary's was always a constant.
On the court, her winning spirit was evident. And while you might see her in her orange and white Tennessee visor when competing, she was ALL IN for the Belles. One particular example of the many times that spirit manifested itself in tennis came during her sophomore year in an epic singles win on our home courts. With the match all tied up 4-4, all eyes were on Kathleen and her five-singles match against Trine. She fell in her opening set and trailed in the second set only to mount a big comeback to force a full third set, which would decide which team would win. She broke her opponent's serve to tie the set 4-4 and held serve after going to deuce to go up 5-4. Kathleen lost the next set after going to deuce multiple times, but she did not falter. She held serve and ultimately broke serve yet again and prevailed 7-5 in a two-plus hour match. That moment put her winning spirit on full display. This year, she clinched another key win over Trine – a road conference match which kept the team on pace for a top-three finish in the conference. And while her final match of her career went unfinished in the scorebook, her fire and desire to compete and compete to the best of her ability was again on full display. She was a two-time Team Spirit Award winner and was the tennis team’s Sportsmanship Award winner this spring. A two-time captain, Kathleen always brought her energy and spirit as a leader for her team.
Outside of tennis, Kathleen's love and passion for Saint Mary's extends through her role as an ambassador for the Admissions Department. Kathleen's personality is always engaging, but somehow she lit up even more and always took her excitement to a new level during her tours whenever she stepped foot in Angela Athletic & Wellness Complex. Her attention to shining a light on all of athletics for all visitors has not gone unnoticed. Her love and passion for the entire department was clear to anyone and everyone who passed by her tours.
When you truly care about something, you are willing to stand up for it, share it, and work hard to make it better. She knows she has a voice and knows how to use it – for the betterment of herself, the team, and the department. Her enthusiasm was undeniable, and when her back was ever against the wall, her winning spirit always lifted her to new heights.
A native of Nashville, Tennessee, Kathleen is the daughter of Sarah and Jimmy McLeod. She will graduate from Saint Mary's with a degree in mathematics and will graduate from Notre Dame with a degree in civil engineering and a minor in real estate. We are proud to present the 2023 Don Miller Belles Spirit Award to Kathleen McLeod.
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Note about the Marvin Wood Outstanding Senior Award
In 2000, the athletic department named the Outstanding Senior Athlete Award in honor of Coach Marvin Wood. Coach Wood was an outstanding former basketball coach who finished out his career at Saint Mary's College. His commitment, passion, and love for his athletes through the years inspired the nationally acclaimed movie, "Hoosiers" which highlighted the Cinderella basketball success story early in his coaching career. Coach Wood's former athletes say his passion, faith, dedication and commitment to his players made their athletic experience at Saint Mary's a truly fulfilling and lifelong treasure for each of them.
Marvin Wood Outstanding Senior Athlete Award - Erin Dotson
Presented to the outstanding senior athlete.
In ten short seasons, Saint Mary's lacrosse has gone from a first-year program to a year-over-year conference contender and mainstay at the top of the MIAA standings. The program has witnessed more than its fair share of outstanding players in its short life, and Erin Dotson is the latest in that lineage of outstanding players.
Each season, more and more has been asked of Dottie. And she has delivered. No matter how gassed or beaten up and bruised – Dottie's effort was always outstanding. That effort also translated to success on the stat sheet and in the win column for the Belles. Dottie's role on the team has grown every year for the lacrosse team, and her confidence and contributions have grown right with it.
It is not just the sheer volume of goals or ground balls or other stats she has amassed in her career – it is the way she has done it. They are the plays and moments beyond a stat sheet that add to how impressive Dottie's career has been. It is the pick-pocket checks that lead to a turnover. It is the re-defend that allows a teammate to get a ground ball or a chance to score. It is also reflected in the plays and stats that do show up in a box score. Dottie's first career goal helped shift the momentum midway through the second half in a comeback win by the Belles at Southwestern. Two days later, she buried back-to-back goals to end the half and give her squad all of the momentum heading into halftime in what was ultimately a win over Wittenberg. In her sophomore season, she registered the game-winning goal against Alma in the MIAA Tournament.
Last spring, she scored the game-tying goal with under two minutes to go in an epic 24-23 win over Hope. In the next meeting of those same two teams in the MIAA Tournament Semifinal, Dottie's free position goal in the third quarter gave her team a lead they would not relinquish before she buried a goal midway through the fourth quarter to propel the Belles to the win. This year, she posted game-winning goals against Redlands, Kalamazoo, and Trine to help lead the Belles to their third consecutive MIAA Tournament Final appearance. Over her career, the team has gone 16-5 in conference regular season games, has won two MIAA Tournament Championships, and has made two NCAA Tournaments.
She was named as an MIAA Offensive Athlete of the Week twice, and she is a three-time All-MIAA honoree. Having just three full seasons due to COVID, Dottie posted 27 career hat tricks in 54 career games – that is one every other game. In program history, Dottie ranks third all-time in career goals scored with 145. She is fourth in career points, and fifth in career assists, career ground balls, and career draw controls. She is just the third player for Belles lacrosse to register three 50-plus point seasons. This year, she became only the second player in program history to score 60 goals in a single season.
For Dottie, it has never been about her own success. Her focus has been what the team needs. All you need to do is look at the way she celebrates a goal – by pointing at the teammate who made a pass that led to her own goal or by jumping into the arms of her teammate who scored. But her own individual success has been there. Her cumulative body of work for the lacrosse team on and off the field is exceptional. It has been outstanding.
A native most recently of Oak Park, California, Dottie is the daughter of Chris and Jamie Dotson. She will graduate with a degree in nursing with a minor in biology. We are proud to present the 2023 Marvin Wood Outstanding Senior Athlete Award to Erin Dotson.
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