ALBANY, NY – Rebecca Hall, a senior at Maple Hill High School, has been named as one of the 10 scholastic award recipients for 2022 by the Capital District Sports Women of the Year organization.

Rebecca, who competes in basketball and soccer, will be recognized at the Capital District Sports Women of the Year Awards Gala on Monday, August 8 at 7:00 p.m. at the GE Theatre at Proctors in Schenectady. Ticket information is to be announced.

The Capital District Sports Women of the Year organization (CDSWOY) honors the best and brightest female student athletes from high schools and colleges in the Capital District of New York State. The student-athletes will be recognized for their achievements in academics, athletics, and community service. More information is provided at the website: cdswoy.com.

Academically, Rebecca served as the National Honor Society President in her senior year. She attended the NYSPHAA Student Leadership Conference in 2021 and was named the YMCA Outstanding Student Award recipient in 2020. Rebecca earned High Honor Roll recognition all four years at Maple Hill and was a Student Council Officer all four years as well. A Student of the Quarter during her sophomore year, Rebecca performed in Instrumental Band and Chorus in each of her four years in high school.

Athletically, Rebecca served as a captain for both JV and varsity basketball and soccer during her playing career. She was named to the Patroon Conference Girls Basketball Second Team and received the Patroon Conference Girls Basketball Scholar-Athlete Award. She also received the Most Improved Player Award in soccer.

Rebecca’s community service includes her work for the Castleton Volunteer Ambulance Service, in which she would respond to emergency calls with the crew on duty. She recently completed the New York State Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Certification Course. Rebecca volunteered with the Tulip Project, which made over 150 handmade Christmas ornaments and 100 felt spring flowers that were distributed to local nursing homes during the pandemic. She has raised funds for and participated in the Walk to Cure Diabetes and the Susan B. Komen Breast Cancer Walk. Rebecca helps distribute toiletries and other necessities to needy families through the Street Soldiers II of Troy. Rebecca received the following honors: the Maple Hill Athletic Booster Club Award, Steve Morgan Community Service Award from Castleton Volunteer Ambulance, Julia O. Wells Memorial Nursing Education Scholarship, Schultheis Family Scholarship Award, NYS Assembly Service in Action Award and the Jack Stewart/Ann Collins Rensselaer Elks Lodge Memorial Scholarship. She also coaches first and second grade teams in the Sacred Heart CYO Basketball League.

CDSWOY will announce the next student-athlete recipient on July 1. A total of 10 high school and three college female student-athletes will be honored.

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ALBANY, NY – Colleen Quaglia, a senior at The College of Saint Rose, has been named as one of the three collegiate award recipients for 2022 by the Capital District Sports Women of the Year organization.

Colleen, who competes in swimming & diving, will be recognized at the Capital District Sports Women of the Year Awards Gala on Monday, August 8 at 7:00 p.m. at the GE Theatre at Proctors in Schenectady. Ticket information is to be announced.

The Capital District Sports Women of the Year organization (CDSWOY) honors the best and brightest female student athletes from high schools and colleges in the Capital District of New York State. The student-athletes will be recognized for their achievements in academics, athletics, and community service. More information is provided at the website: cdswoy.com.

Academically, Colleen is a three-time CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America) First Team Academic All-American. It was her second straight honor. She recorded a 4.00 GPA both as an undergraduate and graduate student in Accounting and received the 2022 Northeast 10 Conference Female Scholar Athlete of the Year award. Colleen is a two-time CSCAA (College Swimming Coaches Association of America) Scholar All-American. The NE10 also awarded her the 2021-22 Sports Excellence Award as the women’s swimming and diving top scholar-athlete. She was named the 2022 Saint Rose Athletics Department Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Colleen is a member of Delta Mu Delta National Honor Society and appeared on both the Saint Rose Dean’s List and NE 10 Academic Honor Roll in each of her semesters. She has also twice earned the NE10 Elite 24 Award for having the highest GPA among all student-athletes at the conference championships.

Athletically, Colleen is a three-time All-American. She won the 500-yard freestyle, the 400 individual medley, and the 200 butterfly, while meeting NCAA provisional qualifying standards in each event at the 2022 NE10 Championships. Colleen holds eight individual Saint Rose school records and is part of three record holding relay teams. She was named the NE10 Women’s Swimmer of the Week six times this past season. Colleen recorded the fastest NE10 times in the 200 and 500 freestyles, 50 backstroke, 200 fly and the 400 individual medley in 2021-22.

Colleen’s community service featured her work with Cleaning for a Cause, raising money and cleaning cancer patients’ homes. She was a member of the Saint Rose Business Professionals & Sales Organization Pasta Drive, helping to acquire more than 5000 pounds of pasta for shelters in the area. With that organization, Colleen raised money for childhood cancer for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation. Along with working for Reach Out Saint Rose, which cleaned and helped to close a church camp for the winter, Colleen was a member of the Saint Rose Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and served as the co-chair.

CDSWOY will announce the next student-athlete recipient on June 29. A total of 10 high school and three college female student-athletes will be honored.

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ALBANY, NY – Kelsey Meca, a senior at Mayfield High School, has been named as one of the 10 scholastic award recipients for 2022 by the Capital District Sports Women of the Year organization.

Kelsey, who competes in basketball, soccer, and softball, will be recognized at the Capital District Sports Women of the Year Awards Gala on Monday, August 8 at 7:00 p.m. at the GE Theatre at Proctors in Schenectady. Ticket information is to be announced.

The Capital District Sports Women of the Year organization (CDSWOY) honors the best and brightest female student athletes from high schools and colleges in the Capital District of New York State. The student-athletes will be recognized for their achievements in academics, athletics, and community service. More information is provided at the website: cdswoy.com.

Academically, Kelsey is ranked fourth in her class with an average of 99.6%. She is a member of the National Honor Society and National Technical Honor Society, class officer, Student Council member, Drama Club member, SPARRK member, and has been a member of the NYSPHSAA Scholar Athlete teams throughout her career. Kelsey received the Broadalbin-Perth Lions Club Scholarship, Hudson Mohawk AHEC Health Careers Scholarship, Fulton County Health Award, and is a Burger King National Scholar. She received the 2021-22 Mayfield High School Physical Education Leadership Award and the Capital Area School Development Association Recognition (CASDA) Award.

Athletically, Kelsey was recently named the Fulton County Female Athlete of the Year. In soccer, she was a WAC First Team All Star selection and team captain for multiple years, along with receiving the Rookie of the Year award in her freshman year, and Most Dedicated and Senior awards in her senior season. On the basketball court, Kelsey was the Team MVP, captain for 3 years, and was selected as the WAC Top Scholar Athlete, as well as a WAC First Team All-Star in 2022. She was also named a NYSPHSAA 10th Team All-Star. She set school records at Mayfield with 186 career steals and 73 blocks, finished second in career steals, third in career three pointers made, and never missed a game in her career since she was called up to play in eighth grade. She also previously earned the team’s MVP award, Rookie of the Year award, Leadership award, Senior award, and set two Section II records of more than 40 threes in a single season, and over 100 threes in her career. In softball, she was team captain for the last two years, won the Senior Award and Golden Glove award in 2022, along with being named an honorable mention WAC all-star, while hitting .333 for her career. Kelsey has previously earned the Most Improved award and the Achievement award in Softball.

Kelsey’s community service was recognized as she received the Miss Montgomery County’s Outstanding Teen Award in 2020 and 2021. She also was named the Fulton County Female Athlete of the Year in 2022. She assists in cleaning up local historical sites, has helped remove snow from fire hydrants in her community, has donated to her local animal shelter, and has worked with the Stanford Center for Sleep Medicine and the Children’s Miracle Network in fundraising efforts to raise money for narcolepsy research. Kelsey has also recently volunteered her time at a local health center COVID vaccination clinic, helps tutor younger students, and has helped to coach and serve as a referee at the youth level for basketball.

CDSWOY will announce the next student-athlete recipient on June 27. A total of 10 high school and three college female student-athletes will be honored.

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ALBANY, NY – Ayaka Suesada, a senior at Hawthorne Valley Waldorf School, has been named as one of the 10 scholastic award recipients for 2022 by the Capital District Sports Women of the Year organization.

Ayaka, who competes in soccer, girls basketball, volleyball and on the boys basketball team, will be recognized at the Capital District Sports Women of the Year Awards Gala on Monday, August 8 at 7:00 p.m. at the GE Theatre at Proctors in Schenectady. Ticket information is to be announced.

The Capital District Sports Women of the Year (CDSWOY) organization honors the best and brightest female student athletes from high schools and colleges in the Capital District of New York State. The student-athletes will be recognized for their achievements in academics, athletics, and community service. More information is provided at the website: cdswoy.com.

Ayaka, a 4.0 student, grew up in a Camphill community for adults with special needs, where both parents were live-in caregivers and co-workers in her current residence in Hudson, New York. Thus, she was surrounded by people with special needs and developmental differences who were integrated into their community and participating in work, education, and family life.

Ayaka volunteers various occasions in her community. She has also been a leader of climate action efforts at Hawthorne Valley Waldorf School and has been a mentor in academics, athletics, and social justice to younger members of the school community.

Athletically, Ayaka has been a standout player in multiple sports since fifth grade. She competed in club soccer as well. After two years of no sports due to COVID, Ayaka played for the girls volleyball team for the first time and earned CHVL All-League honors. Hawthorne Valley Waldorf did not field a team in girls basketball in the 2021-22 season, so she tried out and made the boys team. She became a starter and team captain for that squad.

CDSWOY will announce the next student-athlete recipient on June 24. A total of 10 high school and three college female student-athletes will be honored.

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ALBANY, NY – Carlie Rzeszotarski, a senior at Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School, has been named as one of the 10 scholastic award recipients for 2022 by the Capital District Sports Women of the Year organization.

Carlie, who competes in basketball and volleyball, will be recognized at the Capital District Sports Women of the Year Awards Gala on Monday, August 8 at 7:00 p.m. at the GE Theatre at Proctors in Schenectady. Ticket information is to be announced.

The Capital District Sports Women of the Year (CDSWOY) organization honors the best and brightest female student athletes from high schools and colleges in the Capital District of New York State. The student-athletes will be recognized for their achievements in academics, athletics, and community service. More information is provided at the website: cdswoy.com.

Academically, in 2021-22 Carlie has been a member of the National Honor Society, Science Honor Society and Math Honor Society, and served as President of the Math Club this academic year. She was on the 2021 Fall Sports Leadership Team and was part of the 2019 Suburban Council Leadership Summit. Carlie has also been a member of the National Junior Honor Society, the World Language Honor Society and worked on the yearbook.

Athletically, Carlie was twice named the MVP of the State Tournament and named to the All-Tournament Team for the Class A State Champions at Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake in both 2019 and 2021. She was the NYVCA Section 2 Player of the Year in the 2021 season, when she was also named an AVCA High School First Team All-American, AVCA Region 1 All-Region team member, and named to the AVCA’s Best and Brightest Second Team. In addition, Carlie was a MaxPreps 2021 High School Volleyball All American First Team selection. She was the 2021 Suburban Council MVP for volleyball and named the Albany Times Union Overall Outstanding Athlete of the Year and Volleyball Player of the Year. Earlier in her volleyball career Carlie was also named as the NYVCA Section 2 Player of the Year, Suburban Council MVP, the New York State Gatorade Player of the Year, the Times Union Volleyball Player of the Year, and received MaxPreps honors for 2nd Team All-American and Best Volleyball Player in New York State. On the basketball court she returned after sitting out the abbreviated 2021 season and in 2022 helped lead the team to its best finish in over a decade. Carlie was selected as one of the News Channel 13 Girls Basketball All-Stars, named to the First Team Suburban Council All Stars and was a Times Union All-Star 2nd team selection. Most recently Carlie received the Overall Best Female Athlete award for the BHBL Class of 2022.

Carlie’s community service includes working summers at Vacation Bible School as a camp counselor and helping with a variety of activities at Stevens Elementary School. She volunteers with young female athletes through the Junior Diggers Volleyball program, Spartan Junior Basketball, and at the Spike Mountain Volleyball Camp.

CDSWOY will announce the next student-athlete recipient on June 22. A total of 10 high school and three college female student-athletes will be honored.

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ALBANY, NY – The 2022 Capital District Sports Women of the Year Awards Gala will take place on Monday, August 8, 2022, at the GE Theatre at Proctors in Schenectady, NY. The event will begin at 7:00 p.m.

The Capital District Sports Women of the Year program (CDSWOY) honors the best and brightest female student-athletes from high schools and colleges in the Capital District of New York State. The student-athletes will be recognized for their achievements in academics, athletics, and community service. Ticket information will be announced later this summer.

CDSWOY conducted voting from a committee of media professionals at a press conference, and the selections will be announced throughout June and July.

At the press conference, CDSWOY announced that the virtual guest speaker for the Awards Gala will be U.S. Olympian Lindsey Jacobellis.

The CDSWOY initiative was created by Eric McDowell, President of The Eric Idea Agency, a Capital District business that provides services in public and media relations, event management and M.C. services. McDowell is a veteran of collegiate and professional sports communications.

“As many scholastic and collegiate student-athletes returned to the playing arena, our pool of candidates is truly breathtaking,” said McDowell. “We look forward to our summer announcements capped off by a memorable evening of honors and entertainment at Proctors in August.”

Candidates for CDSWOY recognition come from institutions in Section II in the New York State Public High School Athletic Association and colleges that feature athletics in the Capital District. The Athletic Director from each institution was provided the opportunity to nominate one female student-athlete for CDSWOY recognition. The 2022 CDSWOY Awards Gala at Proctors will feature three collegiate and 10 scholastic honorees, with a Grand Collegiate Sports Woman of the Year and Grand Scholastic Sports Woman of the Year announced that evening.

Capital District Sports Women of the Year 2022 Schedule of Announcements

The announcements of the 2022 Capital District Sports Women of the Year honorees will take place during the months of June and July prior to the Awards Gala on August 8 at Proctors. Announcements will be made on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, from June 20 to July 18, at 3:00 PM Eastern time on cdswoy.com.

Here is the schedule for the 2022 announcements:

• June 20 – High School Honoree
• July 6 – College Honoree
• June 22 – High School Honoree
• July 8 – High School Honoree
• June 24 – High School Honoree
• July 11 – High School Honoree
• June 27 – College Honoree
• July 13 – High School Honoree
• June 29 – High School Honoree
• July 15 – College Honoree
• July 1 – High School Honoree
• July 18 – High School Honoree
• July 4 – High School Honoree
• August 8 – Grand Scholastic Woman of the Year and Grand Collegiate Woman of the Year (at Awards Gala)

SCHENECTADY, NY — Rachel Hunsicker, a senior at Lake George Jr. Sr. High School, has been named as one of the 10 scholastic award recipients for 2020 by the Capital District Sports Women of the Year.

Rachel, who competes in bowling, will be recognized at the first-ever Capital District Sports Women of the Year Awards Gala on May 12 at 6:30 p.m. at the GE Theatre at Proctors in Schenectady. Tickets for the Gala will go on sale on Monday, April 13 at proctors.org and at the Proctors Box Office.

The Capital District Sports Women of the Year (CDSWOY) honors the best and brightest female student athletes from high schools and colleges in the Capital District of New York State. The student-athletes will be recognized for their achievements in academics, athletics and community service. More information is provided at the website, cdswoy.com.

Academically, Rachel has a GPA of 94.53, and is ranked 7^th in her class of 84 at Lake George. Athletically, Rachel is the captain of her bowling team and is a Leadership Council Member.

Rachel’s community service includes the Castleton Honors Choir, the Eyes of the World student-led cultural showcase Chairperson, the Being Human Project (a youth planned educational set of sessions for the community on current issues in the county), GLSEN Street Team, True Colors LGBTQ+ Diversity Conference, French Club, Spectrum (GSA Club) President, Yearbook Committee Editor, and Treasurer, Lake Take School Newspaper Editor, Rock Solid Mentoring Program Team Leader, Leadership Retreat for YMCA Camp Chingachgook on Lake George, Class of 2020 Officer Secretary, Astronomy Club, Student to Student Peer Counselor, Senior High Art Club, Senior Select Choir, Cabaret Club and Drama Club.

CDSWOY will announce additional student-athletes March 11 and 12 and Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays through April 7.

Testimonial:
“We have known Rachel for five years. During that time, we have watched her grow into an exceptional young woman who has superseded her goals academically, athletically and personally. As her bowling coaches, we have watched her mentor other teammates and be a responsible captain for her team. She goes above and beyond without any direction when she sees someone needs help.

“Rachel has spear-headed a project at the school called ‘Eyes on the World.” She is a thinker who thinks outside the box. She is involved in many clubs at the school and manages her time well to be part of all of them.

“Rachel is a unique individual. She is a person to be looked at as a role model. She has a compassionate, sensitive, calming nature. We are so proud of Rachel and all her characteristics and know that she will continue to grow beyond her high school and is bound to do great things in her life.”
                -Laurie J. Skellie, Teacher Assistant, Assistant Bowling Coach
                -Todd Wood, Varsity Bowling Coach

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ALBANY, NY – Van Patten Golf Club will host a sports podcast show along with a fundraiser for the Capital District Sports Women of the Year on Wednesday, March 30, 2022. The event begins at 5:30 p.m.

Van Patten Golf Club is located at 924 Main Street in Clifton Park, NY. The club has new management that is producing renovations to the golf course, the bar and the Vista Ballroom. The course opens for play on April 15.

The March 30 event will take place in the Cooley Kill Bar. The bar will be open with the new bar menu as well as the full cash bar menu.
The weekly podcast, “M&M&M Across the Board,” will be recorded beginning at 6:00 p.m. The show, which is available on YouTube, Apple TV and Spotify, features three local sports personalities talking about the latest topics, and a “whiteboard” segment with their topic of the week. Sean Martin is an author and freelance sportswriter. Ashley Miller is the weekend sports anchor and serves as a sports reporter with WNYT-TV 13. She is the M.C. of the annual CDSWOY Awards Gala. Eric McDowell, a veteran media communications professional from college and pro sports, is the President of CDSWOY. The March 30 show will feature a Men’s & Women’s Final Four preview.

CDSWOY will conduct a raffle with all proceeds going to support the 501c3 organization. Raffle tickets will be sold on site beginning at 5:30 p.m. Prizes include the following: Winner’s choice golf glove, Choice of Sunglasses, Men or Women’s Golf Polo, $100 Gift Certificate for the Cooley Kill Restaurant, Golf Pass for four including carts, and a Grand Prize of a new Callaway Golf Bag. The drawing will take place at 7:30 p.m. and individuals must be present to win.

“We are happy to host Eric, Sean, and Ashley at the Van Patten Golf Club,” said Van Patten General Manager Joe Gunther. “As fans of scholastic and collegiate sports ourselves, we’re proud to support the incredibly talented female student-athletes from around the Capital District. What they do for our community both on and off the field is remarkable. We will continue to support them well into the future.”

“I appreciate (Owner) Lance Orcutt and Joe Gunther for hosting our podcast show as well as their generosity in supporting CDSWOY,” said McDowell. “As a member of a league that plays at Van Patten, I am very excited about the updates to the course as well as the amenities including the ballroom, bar, and dining facilities. We look forward to fans coming to see our show in person as well, and I can’t wait to get back on the course.”

Capital District Sports Women of the Year, Inc. recognizes outstanding scholastic and collegiate female student-athletes for excellence in academics, athletics, and community service. The 2022 Capital District Sports Women of the Year Awards Gala will be held in early August at the GE Theatre at Proctors in Schenectady, NY.

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ALBANY, NY — The Capital District Sports Women of the Year, Inc. is proud to celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports Day on February 2, 2022.

National Girls and Women in Sports Day, abbreviated as N.G.W.S.D., is observed on February 2 this year and it is all about breaking the gender stereotypes built around the sports industry. National Girls and Women in Sports Day was first observed in 1987 to remember the Olympic volleyball player Flo Hyman and acknowledge her as the best female volleyball player of her time and her work in promoting equal representation of women in sports. Hyman died of a genetic disorder, Marfan’s syndrome, while playing a tournament in Japan.

Since then, the day has evolved to commemorate all women athletes, their achievements, the positive impacts of inclusion of women in sports, and to address the challenges regarding equal participation of women in sports activities. The day also appreciates the progression made since the enactment of the civil rights law, Title IX.
National Girls and Women in Sports Day is celebrated in all 50 states. The day is usually celebrated by organizing community events, award ceremonies, and other sports activities that inspire girls and women to play sports and be active.

CDSWOY is celebrating this date by starting to solicit nominees for the 2022 Class of the Capital District Sports Women of the Year. Nomination opportunities have been provided to the Directors of Athletics at Capital District high schools and colleges and will be open until May 20.

“I was fortunate to meet Flo Hyman on September 13, 1980, when the Olympic women’s volleyball team came to the University of New Haven and I was a student assistant in the sports information office,” said Eric McDowell, President of CDSWOY. “She and her teammates were so gracious and kind, and the team put on a wonderful show while our student-athletes truly enjoyed the experience. It is fitting that today we begin to solicit the nominations for the exceptional young women in the Capital District who would make Flo so proud.”

The 2022 Capital District Sports Women of the Year Awards Gala will be held in early August at the GE Theatre at Proctors in Schenectady, NY.

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The Hoffman Helping Hands program provides charities with fund raising opportunities. Hoffman Car Wash is once again supporting the Capital District Sports Women of the Year program.

CDSWOY will receive 50% of selected car wash packages from Hoffman’s, which is providing car wash packages for the fundraiser. The Full Service Car Wash is a $43.00 value, “inside and out,” and is available at 1672 Route 9, Clifton Park; 1757 Central Avenue, Colonie; and 753 New Loudon Road, Latham. The Exterior Car Wash has a $13.00 value, “exterior only,” and is available at locations in Albany, Amsterdam, Clifton Park, Colonie, Delmar, East Greenbush, Hudson, Kingston, Queensbury, Saratoga Springs and Troy as well as new exterior only locations in Latham and Utica.

Orders must be made online here: http://www.cdswoy.com/hoffmanscarwash

Funds generated will provide CDSWOY with the opportunity to host an Awards Gala at for outstanding female student-athletes from high schools and colleges for academics, athletics and community service.
The Capital District Sports Women of the Year program honors the best and brightest female student athletes from high schools and colleges in the Capital District of New York State. CDSWOY honors outstanding female student-athletes who excel in academics and community service as well as athletics. The Athletic Director from each institution is provided the opportunity to nominate one female student-athlete for CDSWOY recognition. A committee that features media members selects the honorees in each category. The Awards Gala features three collegiate and 10 scholastic honorees, with two Grand Sports Woman of the Year honorees selected by the committee from the finalists in each category. The next Awards Gala will take place on August 8, 2022 at the GE Theatre at Proctors in Schenectady, NY.

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