PHILADELPHIA -La Salle celebrated the 27th annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day with a luncheon on Tuesday, February 5. Laura Kind McKenna received the Mary O'Connor Award for her loyalty, dedication and service to the Women's Intercollegiate Athletic programs and was the keynote speaker for the event.
McKenna is the managing trustee for the Patricia Kind Family Foundation, a not-for-profit philanthropic organization whose mission is to financially support non-profit organizations by providing grants to organziations that help children, adults and seniors obtain basic human needs. She spent 13 years as the Director of Student Health Services at La Salle and served as a member of the Board of Trustees's from 2002-12.
She earned eight varsity letters as a student-athlete at American University in women's basketball, women's tennis and field hockey and spoke of her experiences to a packed room of La Salle student-athletes and students from Logan Elementary School.
Mary Ellen Wydan, La Salle Associate Athletic Director for Compliance and Senior Woman Administrator, coordinated the efforts of the luncheon.
“Today we celebrated National Girls and Women in Sport Day on campus and after 27 years opportunities for women in sport have flourished and La Salle is no exception,” Wydan said. “And since 1971, La Salle has added 12 women's sports and provided numerous opportunities for women to excel athletically and academically. We had a great turnout for today's luncheon in support of our women athletes and their achievements.”
Members of La Salle women's athletic teams were in attendance along with athletic department and University staff. A group of young students from local Logan Elementary School were also in attendance.
Did you know?
- The first women's sport at La Salle was women's basketball, which started in 1971-72
- La Salle's first women's AD/SWA was Mary O'Connor
- Women's basketball started in 1971-72, women's field hockey in 1972-73, volleyball/women's tennis in 1973-74
- La Salle has qualified for six total NCAA Tournaments (4 WBB, 2 WSOC)
- Led nation in GPA in field hockey in 2008
- Led nation in GPA in women's basketball in 1997 and 2000
- 28 Academic All-Americans
- La Salle has had four women's all-americans, including two in last year
- La Salle has had three Olympians, including Bronze medalist
- La Salle won the 1980 National Field Hockey Championship
- There are 26 women in the Hall of Athletes
- The 2012 Women's Soccer team reached the NCAA Tournament and won A-10 Championship
- La Salle has won 7 A-10 Championships in women's cross country
- There are now 12 women's sports at La Salle
