Lenoir-Rhyne's Gaffney Named 2021 SAC Women's Lacrosse Scholar-Athlete of the Year

ROCK HILL, S.C. (TheSAC.com) – Lenoir-Rhyne's Cathleen Gaffney was voted the 2021 South Atlantic Conference Women's Lacrosse Scholar-Athlete of the Year. This will be the first time Gaffney will have received this honor.

The South Atlantic Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year award is presented annually to one student-athlete in each of the Conference's championship sports and is voted on by the SAC's Faculty Athletic Representatives Committee. The winners are selected based on their achievements in academics, athletics, service, and leadership.

Gaffney, a graduate student from Allentown, PA., has earned a 4.0 GPA while getting her Master of Business Administration degree. She was able to achieve many academic accolades including, the Charles M. Snipes School of Business and Economics Honor, Lenoir-Rhyne Scholar awards, Chi Alpha Sigma Society member and Alpha Lambda Delta Society member. She was named to the SAC All-Conference Second Team for three years, was an all-time leader in career assists at Lenoir-Rhyne, was second all-time in career points for the Bears and set a single-season record for most assists her sophomore season.  

"I am incredibly proud and so happy for Cat to be receiving this honor. She exemplifies the true meaning of being a student-athlete and has made such a positive impact on our program, our athletic department, and our university – both on and off the field.  Cat's commitment to leadership, personal development, and community engagement is unmatched and are just a few of the reasons why she is so very deserving of this recognition," said Head Coach Carlee Buck.

During her first year with the Bears, she played in 19 games and finished with 14 goals, she then went on to double her goals during her sophomore season with 33 and 76 points. Also, in that season she was named to 2018 All-SAC Second Team and helped lead her team to a SAC Regular Season Championship. In her junior season she finished second on the team with 59 points and led the team in assists with 38, only trailing her best 43. She ranks seventh in program history after the 2019 season with 150 career points. Gaffney's senior season was one for the books as she was Lenoir-Rhyne's all-time leader in assists with 128, second in career points with 229, tied in single game points with 11 points in one game and was named to Second Team All-Conference.

Gaffney was heavily involved in service and leadership opportunities in her time at Lenoir-Rhyne. Starting with a leadership role in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, while also volunteering every summer and fall at Discovery Church Retreats for the youth. She was also involved in Lunch Buddies which helped to counsel adolescents and volunteered at a local soup kitchen preparing meals for the homeless.  

SAC Women's Lacrosse Scholar-Athlete Finalists

Cathleen Gaffney (LRU)

Kayleigh Hiles (Wingate)

Kiersten Foust (MHU)

Olivia Fladung (Coker)

Rachel Perrett (Queens)

Sophie Moore (Newberry)

-#MakeSACYours-