Just when you thought there were no more possible awards that Dartmouth women's lacrosse standout Kate Graw '00 could receive, someone goes and creates one to fit her perfectly. The three-time All-American, three-time first team All-Ivy, two-time captain of the Dartmouth women's lacrosse dynasty has been named the first-ever CollegeLacrosseUSA.com's Sportswoman of the Year.
"Kate Graw epitomized what it means to be a student-athlete," a statement from CollegeLacrosseUSA.com read. "The three-time All-American has done it all, on and off the field. Graw's commitment to excellence, athletic ability, scholarship and character make her the ideal choice for the inaugural CollegeLacrosseUSA.com's Sportswoman of the Year."
The award came as a complete shock to Graw, who had forgotten she was even nominated.
"I was so surprised," Graw said. "When I heard I was nominated, I forgot about the award for about a month and a half. But receiving it is a great honor for both me and my teammates who helped me get here."
Graw finished her storied Dartmouth career seventh in career points (157), fourth in assists (46), seventh in goals (111) and one of four members of the Class of 2000 who tallied four Ivy League Championships.
But what is so special about this award is that it represents more than just extraordinary lacrosse talent, it reflects what a student-athlete should be: hard-working, intelligent, athletic and filled with character. Perhaps these qualities were best exemplified during her senior season when she was sidelined by an appendectomy and came back to play in the final two games of the year. After that, it is easy to see why her teammates voted her captain her junior year, a position traditionally filled only by seniors.
"Kate Graw is one of the most impressive people I have had the pleasure of knowing," teammate Sarah Gregg '02 said. "Besides being a gifted lacrosse player, she is an incredible leader. Always upbeat and giving she consistently thought of the team before herself. Playing and practicing with her was always a joy."
Gregg wasn't alone in her praise of Graw, in fact Graw was unanimously chosen by her teammates as the recipient of the Patty Pierce Award, which is given to the Big Green player who has contributed the most to Dartmouth women's lacrosse on and off the field during her career. This was the second team accolade that Graw accepted, the first coming in 1998 in the form of the Radasch Award, given for coachability and sportsmanship.
"People just love Kate Graw," Coach Amy Patton said. "She just gives off really great energy She is just really fun to be around. She was really respected by her teammates and this [coaching] staff."
Her hard work paid off not only on the field, but off it as well. While at Dartmouth, she was Kappa Delta Epsilon's representative to the Panhellenic Council, a member of the Dartmouth Photography Club and a member of the Granite of New Hampshire Investment Club.
Her degree in biology spawned her interest in the medical field and she is even taking pre-med classes this summer at Harvard to work towards medical school. But she has plans before she joins the ranks of the medical field.
"I'm going to come back and coach here at Dartmouth for a year," Graw said, "Dartmouth is important to me and I wanted to coach, so when a position opened up here, I knew I had to take it."
"Kate 'breathes Green,'" Patton said of her new assistant, "She is a hard-worker, and that, combined with her knowledge of the game, will make our coaching staff that much better. She has been a member of this team and brings that invaluable experience to recruiting and coaching."
So, Graw will return to Dartmouth next year as the Attack Coach for the women's lacrosse team and with her she brings her dedication to Dartmouth and her enthusiasm for everything that is Green. She will also be bringing back the CollegeLacrosseUSA.com Sportswoman of the Year award -- but that is the farthest thing from her mind.
Winning the award was great, but I am so, so excited to be coming back to Dartmouth," Graw said. "I'm excited to give others the educational and athletic opportunities that Dartmouth has given me."
