Wednesday, April 28, 2004

Deedra Boudreau, Meg Cressler Share Hodgdon Award

     GORHAM, Maine  --  University of Southern Maine seniors Deedra (Beveridge) 
Boudreau (Camden, Maine) and Meg Cressler (Appleton, Maine) have been selected by 
the coaches and staff of the Department of Athletics as the 2003-2004 recipients 
of the Paula D. Hodgdon Leadership Award.  The awards were presented at the 
Athletic Department's recent Senior Awards Night banquet.
     The award is given annually to the female student-athlete who exemplifies the 
qualities of Hodgdon, a former member of the faculty and field hockey coach who 
was a pioneer in women's athletics. The recipient must have played at least three 
years on an intercollegiate athletic team, been a valuable member of that team, 
and is a woman who displays loyalty, dedication and commitment to the team, the 
sport and USM.
     A four-year standout for the Huskies' field hockey program, Boudreau also 
played lacrosse the past two spring seasons.  She ran indoor and outdoor track her 
first two years in school.
     Boudreau enjoyed the best season of her field hockey career this past fall, 
scoring five goals, including two game-winning goals, and being credited with four 
assists for 14 points.  A tri-captain, she helped the Huskies to a record-setting 
17-6 season that included the team's first Little East Conference title and a 
berth in the NCAA Division III tournament.
     She was recognized for her outstanding play with a spot in the All-Little 
East first team and a second team spot on the NFHCA All-Region team for the New 
England West Region.  She also was selected to play in the NFHCA Senior All-Game.  
She concluded her career with 11 goals and 10 assists for 32 points in 89 games.
     A two-time All-Little East Conference second team selection, Cressler had a 
standout career on the basketball court.  She became the 14th player in the 
history of the women's basketball program to score 1,000 points when she reached 
that milestone against Gordon College at the Grand Canyon Classic in late 
December.
     During the 2003-04 season, Cressler, the team's captain, averaged 8.3 points 
and 5.4 rebounds in 13 games before a knee injury sent her to the sidelines.  For 
her four-year career, the 5-foot-8 shooting guard averaged 11.0 points and 5.2 
rebounds in 95 games.
     Among the many basketball honors she received, Cressler was named the Most 
Outstanding Player of the 2002 Little East Conference championship tournament.  
She also was named to the New England Women's Basketball Association (NEWBA) 
second team in 2001-02, the MWBCA All-State first or second team on two occasions 
and the MWBCA All-Rookie team in 2000-01.  
     Boudreau and Cressler are the first co-recipients of the award since it was 
established in 1993-94.


                  Past Paula D. Hodgdon Leadership Award Winners
            Year        Recipient, Sport(s)
          1993-1994     Melissa Emery, Field Hockey
          1994-1995     Rhonda Benner, Women's Track/Cross Country
          1995-1996     Lori Towle, Women's Basketball
          1996-1997     Mandy King, Women's Basketball
          1997-1998     Heather Gilmour, Field Hockey
          1998-1999     Alison Drury, Field Hockey
          1999-2000     Michelle Cloutier, Softball
          2000-2001     Rachel Drury, Soccer
          2001-2002     Tina West, Women's Soccer and Softball
          2002-2003     Jessica Libby, Women's Basketball
          2003-2004     Deedra Boudreau, Field Hockey and Women's Lacrosse
                        Meg Cressler, Women's Basketball