May 12, 2009
Michelle Harrington (Rockport, MA), a senior on the field hockey team, and Maury Edwards (Rocky Rapids, ALTA), a sophomore on the hockey team, were named the female and male recipients of the Lester H. Cushing Award for the Female and Male Athletes of the Year Tuesday night at the 2009 UMass Lowell Athletic Awards Night.
The award, named after the former director of athletics at Lowell Technological Institute, is the latest for Harrington, who enjoyed a magnificent career as a midfielder; and Edwards, who received a plethora of honors following a stellar sophomore campaign.
Harrington led the field hockey team to a 20-5 record (17-1 in the Northeast-10 Conference) which included its third NE-10 regular season championship and NCAA Championship match appearance in four years.
A defenseman, Edwards helped lead the hockey team to a 20-16-2 record (14-11-2 in Hockey East) which included a spectacular run to the Hockey East Tournament championship game where it suffered a 1-0 loss to eventual national champion Boston University.
Michelle Harrington, Field Hockey
Michelle Harrington was not UMass Lowell's leading scorer, but the team's offense revolved around her. Over the course of her four years, she led the field hockey team to a sterling 77-16 record which included three NE-10 regular season and tournament titles, as well as three appearances in the NCAA Championship match, including the 2005 title.
She was the recipient of several top honors in 2008, earning her place on the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Division II All-America Team for the second straight year.
Perhaps equally impressive, Harrington was named the NE-10 Player of the Year and a NE-10 First Team member by the Conference coaches, following second team honors a year ago. She was also voted the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Player of the Year and a First Team selection.
"Michelle is one of the most competitive players I have ever had the opportunity to coach," said UML Head Coach Shannon Hlebichuk. "She competed with the highest intensity level throughout every minute of every game and practice as well. Her ability to beat defenders one-on-one completely set her apart from the rest of the league's players. She possessed speed, skills, and strength which we will miss on the right side of the field."
Harrington's 2009 stats - two goals and 18 assists - typified her style of play.
"Losing two of the best players in the league (NE-10 Defensive Player of the Year Missy Seeley and Harrington) will be difficult because of what they did not only in games, but more importantly how they challenged the team in each and every practice."
A psychology major with a 3.07 grade point average, Harrington is the daughter of Laurene Wessel and Kevin Harrington of Rockport, MA.
Maury Edwards, Hockey
Perhaps the greatest part about Maury Edwards is his year of eligibility. It was only a year ago that he was named to the Hockey East All-Rookie Team.
Only a sophomore, Edwards was named to the American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) All-America Second Team, the highlight of a plaudit-filled season. He is UMass Lowell's first All-American since the 2000-01 season when former standout Ron Hainsey, currently with the Atlanta Thrashers, was cited.
Edwards was also named to the Hockey East First Team as he led all league defensemen in scoring with nine goals and 16 assists (25 points) in 27 games. He also ranked eighth in power play points (12, six goals, six assists).
"Maury Edwards had a spectacular season and garnered worthy recognition as a first team Hockey East all star and an All-American," said Head Coach Blaise MacDonald. "He also made the All-Tournament Team at the Hockey East championship but he would be the first to tell you it is all about team success and that leads to individual recognition."
Edwards was also held in high regard by the New England Hockey Writers Association, which voted him to its 2008-09 all-star team.
Edwards spearheaded a defense which ranked tops in Hockey East on the penalty kill (.878), third in goals allowed (66), and scoring defense (2.26 goals per game).
"Maury has great work habits and a passion for the game," MacDonald added. "He will play a huge roll in our continued climb to a championship season next year."
Edwards emerged in big games, evidenced by his inclusion on the Hockey East All-Tournament Team.
He scored the game-winning goal with two seconds remaining in the 4-3 victory at Vermont in the Tournament opener. He also set up Scott Campbell's game-tying goal with 20 seconds in regulation in the 3-2 overtime triumph over Northeastern in the semifinal.
A marketing major, Edwards has maintained a 3.39 average. He is the son of Jack and Noreen Edwards of Rocky Rapids, ALTA.
