NEW PALTZ, NY — Former SUNY New Paltz field hockey standout Heather Downey is one of six student-athletes who will receive the prestigious Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Robbins Scholar Athlete Award. Downey will be recognized at the ECAC Fall Convention Honors Dinner on September 30 in Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
The award annually honors the outstanding academic and athletics achievements of student-athletes representing ECAC schools in Division I, II, and III.
A four-year member of the field hockey program, and a resident of Scotia, New York, Downey graduated from New Paltz with a degree in psychology with a concentration in industrial and organizational psychology in 2003. Throughout her career, Downey received numerous academic honors, including being listed in Who’s Who Among American Scholars and Who’s Who Among Students at American Colleges and Universities.
A member of the Psi Chi National Honor Society for Psychology, Downey served as the organization’s president. She was also a two-time participant in the Student Research Symposium. Downey received the State University of New York s system-wide Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence in 2003 and was an All-New Paltz Scholar-Athlete all four years. She was named to the Commissioner’s Scholar- Athlete List in 2001, 2002 and 2003.
A member of the Dean’s list every semester since enrollment, Downey was named to the National Field Hockey Coaches Association All-Academic Squad and New Paltz All- Academic Squad in 2002 and was a member of the Athletics Honor Society. A two-time captain of the field hockey team, Downey was a Second Team All-SUNYAC selection in 2002. She was the recipient of New Paltz’s Kenneth F. Burda Sportsmanship Award in 2001 and 2003 and represented New Paltz at the NCAA National Leadership Conference in 2002. Downey was active as a member of the Intercollegiate Athletic Board, a student-athlete mentor, a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and as a volunteer at the Oasis Crisis/Non-Crisis Phone and Walk-in Center. Three committees consisting of athletics administrators selected one male and one female athlete from each division. Votes are based on extraordinary achievements in academics, athletics and community service. Downey and Todd Matukaitis, a cross country and track & field athlete, from The College of Misericordia are this year’s Division III recipients.
Lafayette College’s Herb Kennedy and Meghan Ramsey have been selected for Division I and Jennifer Walker of Bentley College and Ryan Weathers of West Chester University of Pennsylvania were selected for Division II.
