Contact: Christina Cracolici

Phone: (315) 228-6761

April 14, 2002

Hamilton, N.Y. - The Colgate University women's basketball team held its annual awards banquet Saturday night at the Colgate Inn to celebrate and acknowledge the team's achievements during the 2001-02 season.  

Colgate Athletic Director Mark Murphy opened the banquet congratulating the Raiders on a successful season while looking forward to the upcoming seasons. Murphy also recognized the achievements of the Raiders' lone senior on the 2001-02 women's basketball squad Sarah Parks (Wilmington, Del./Urusline Academy) .  

"I don't think there has ever been a more hard-working Colgate women's basketball player than Sarah Parks," said Murphy. 

Parks, who ended her career as the Raiders 11th all-time leading scorer with 1,063 points, garnered three awards throughout the evening.  Parks was named the Colgate Strength and Conditioning Athlete of the Year by Head Strength and Conditioning Coach T.J. Ragan and earned the Raiders Sixth-Player Award.  

Parks also earned her fourth consecutive Hustle Award, earning the honor each of her four years at Colgate.  It was announced that the Raiders' Hustle Award will now be call the Sparks award in recognition of Parks'  contribution to the Colgate University women's basketball program over the past four years. 

"Sarah's intensity, personality and talent have made her a special person since the first day she arrived on campus," said Raider head coach Beth Spycher.  "Her career has been marked by continual effort, improvement and enthusiasm.  Her senior season was one of the best in her four."  

Colgate freshman Milaina Lagzdins (Oakville, Ontario/Nelson), who led the Raiders'  in rebounds per game at 7.4 per game was awarded the Spirit Award, while sophomores Vicky Briscoe (Landover, Md./Riverdale Baptist) and Bridget Blot (Albany, N.Y./Colonie Central) shared the Coaches Award for Commitment to Excellence.  

The Raiders finished the 2001-02 season with a 14-17 overall record and a 7-7 mark in Patriot League play and advanced to the semifinals of the Patriot League Tournament with a 79-68 win over American in quarterfinal action. The Raiders 14 overall wins are the most since the 1990-91 season (14) while their seven Patriot League wins are the most since the 1994-95 season (nine).