Happy National Girls and Women in Sports Day!

Staten Island, NY - National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD) was recognized by congress in 1987 to recognize women's sports, bringing awareness to the continuing advancement and struggle of equality for women in sports. Recognized annually on February 1, this year's theme of this year's 31^st annual celebration is expanding opportunity, recognizing the progress Title IX sparked and the continuous effort to ensure all women have access to sports.

"Our female student-athletes, coaches, staff, administrators, and overall campus community work tirelessly each and every day to create positive experiences for women in sports," said Wagner Associate Athletic Director and Senior Woman Administrator, Tatum Colitz. "At Wagner, we are especially lucky to have passionate leaders and strong female role models in our department.
 
"It's an honor to be able represent Wagner Athletics, the NEC, and the NCAA as a female administrator and former student-athlete," Colitz continued. "We commend our student-athletes and are proud to support such incredible young women as they balance their athletic, academic, and professional endeavors."
 
To honor the day and all of the female student-athletes, coaches, and administrators who serve Wagner Athletics, let's take a look at some of the top moments on Grymes Hill over the 12 months.
 
Women's Water Polo Wins Third Consecutive MAAC Championship – May 1, 2016
The Seahawks defeated Marist College 8-5 for the third year in row to capture their third straight Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Championship. Five Seahawks scored throughout the contest as the Green & White qualified for the 2016 NCAA Women's Water Polo tournament. Senior Jess Lundgren (Queensland, Australia / Mountain Creek) was named MAAC Offensive Player of the Year and was joined by fellow seniors Lily Doerfler (Annapolis, MD / Broadneck) and Megan Rodriguez (Danville, CA / San Ramon Valley) on the All-MAAC First Team. Additionally, the Seahawks led the way on the All-Academic Team as all ten eligible players (freshmen not eligible) earned a spot.
 
Women's Lacrosse Named NEC Champions – May 8, 2016
After losing to Bryant in the league title game each of the last two seasons, the No. 2-seeded Seahawks defeated the Bulldogs 11-7 to claim their first-ever NEC Championship. The Green & White was led by senior attacker Tori McGrath (Delmar, NY / Bethlehem Central), who was named tournament MVP, and fellow senior goalie Katie Ferraro (Owings Mill, MD / McDonogh), who turned away 12 shots. In winning its first league title, Wagner earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Division I Championship where the Seahawks faced the University of Pennsylvania in the first round.
 
Riddle Attends 2016 NCAA Career In Sports Forum – June 2, 2016
Senior goalkeeper for the Wagner women's water polo team, Emily Riddle (Edmonton, Alberta / Dr. E.P. Scarlett), was one of 200 student-athletes selected to attend the 2016 NCAA Career in Sports Forum at the NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis, IN. To be selected for the event, individuals had to show a proven record of leadership as well as a strong interest in pursuing a professional career in sports.
 
Lucia Named NEC Female Student-Athlete of the Year – June 6, 2016
Recently graduated women's swimming & diving standout Amanda Lucia was named NEC Female Student-Athlete of the Year as well as nominated for the NCAA's prestigious Woman of the Year Award. In the pool, Lucia won both the 200-yard butterfly and 400-yard IM at the 2016 NEC Championships and added a second place finish in the 100-yard butterfly. She currently holds the NEC record in both individual medley events and compiled four straight NEC titles in the 400. Outside the pool, Lucia graduated cum laude with a 3.55 GPA as a nursing major.
 
Swimming & Diving Claimed Top GPA In NEC – June 16, 2016
The Wagner women's swimming & diving team posted the highest team grade-point average amongst all NEC swimming & diving programs with a 3.568 GPA to conclude the 2015-16 season. Moreover, the team was recognized as a NCAA Division I Scholar-Athlete All-American team by the College Swim Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) for the sixth consecutive year.
 
Water Polo Leads Nation in Team GPA for the Fifth Consecutive Year – June 21, 2016
The Wagner College women's water polo team earned the highest grade point average (GPA) in the nation for the fifth consecutive year at 3.61, as recognized by the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC). Additionally, eight Seahawks were named to the 2016 ACWPC All-Academic List.
 
Melody Javaheri and Janet Sobieski Inducted Into Wagner Hall of Fame – October 8, 2016
The six-person 2016 Wagner College Hall of Fame Class included two former female student-athletes. Melody Javaheri has the distinction of being the first volleyball player in Wagner history to be voted into the Hall of Fame. The primary setter on the Seahawks' only Northeast Conference (NEC) Volleyball Championship Team in 1997, the Edmund, OK native was a three-year captain and floor general who set school records in assists (3,478), matches played (122) and games played (435). Similarly, Janet Sobieski became the first women's lacrosse player to be voted into the Wagner Hall of Fame as a member of the inaugural Seahawk women's lacrosse team in 1997. An extremely efficient scorer, the Long Valley, NJ native remains the only Seahawk on the All-Time Top 10 Scoring List to have a better than 50% shot-to-goal ratio as she scored on 53% of her shots, she went on to earn First-Team All-Northeast Conference honors in 1999, as a midfielder, and in 2000 on attack.
 
Women's Fencing Begins Inaugural Season – October 29, 2016
The women's fencing program, led by first year head coach Fatima Largaespada, became Wagner's 11th women's sport. Freshman Rebecca Errickson (Annandale, NJ / North Hunterdon) became the first Wagner fencer to ever compete at a collegiate tournament, as she finished 13^th in the Temple Open foil competition on October 29. The Green & White have one competition left, the Fairleigh Dickinson Invitational on February 11 before NCAA Regionals begin on March 3.
 
Fritz Named to the 2016 CoSIDA Academic All-District™ Team – October 27, 2016
Women's soccer senior captain Megan Fritz (Cape Coral, FL / Mariner) capped off her final season as a Seahawk being named to the 2016 College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District™ Team. The midfielder led the Green & White in goals and points, scoring five goals in 18 games, while also finishing fourth in the conference in goals. In the classroom, the Florida native holds a 3.95 GPA in Business Administration and was named the NEC's Women's Soccer Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2015 along with a spot on the NEC Commissioner's Honor Roll (3.75 GPA or higher) in every semester on Grymes Hill.
 
Wagner Names Colitz Associate Athletic Director / SWA – January 11, 2017
Tatum Colitz, a three-year member of the Wagner College athletic department and a former scholar-athlete on the Seahawk swimming and water polo teams, has been named Associate Athletic Director/Senior Woman Administrator. In the role of Associate AD/SWA, her primary responsibilities include sport administration oversight of the Seahawk women's basketball, men's and women's track & field teams, and softball, in addition to providing supervisory oversight of Wagner's NCAA compliance program. Furthermore, Colitz will serve as the departmental liaison to Financial Aid, Admissions and Residential Education.