Lenoir-Rhyne's Cathleen Gaffney Named 2021 IWLCA Scholar-Athlete of the Year

NORTHBOROUGH, MASS. – The IWLCA announced its 2021 Scholar-Athletes of the Year,honoring the top student-athlete in NCAA Division I, II, and III and the NAIA. Nominees for the award must be a senior or graduate student in their final year of athletic eligibility, have at least a 3.5 cumulative GPA, and be a starter or significant reserve for their team. Lenoir-Rhyne's Cathleen Gaffney earned this year's Scholar-Athlete of the Year for Division II. 

The 2021 IWLCA Division II Scholar-Athlete of the Year is Cathleen Gaffney, who recently graduated with a 4.0 GPA from her Master of Business Administration program at Lenoir-Rhyne, after completing her undergraduate degree in Finance and Marketing. She was named to the All-South Atlantic Conference Second Team three times, is the all-time leader in career assists at Lenoir-Rhyne and ranks second all-time in career points for the Bears. Academically, Gaffney was named the 2021 SAC Scholar-Athlete for women's lacrosse, received the Charles M. Snipes School of Business and Economics Honor, is part of the Lenoir-Rhyne Scholars program, and is a member of Chi Alpha Sigma Society and Alpha Lambda Delta Society.

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.

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