By Sarah Frohnapfel ’14

Photo by Teddy Weiss

When the Lafayette Field Hockey Team won the Patriot League Championship this past fall, it was a defining moment. Fond memories of the clock-hitting zero, Bucknell sulking off the field in defeat and the post-game celebration will never be lost. This past weekend, the team added a new memory to that list when they received their championship rings.

The Lafayette athletic department and Friends of Lafayette Field Hockey, along with a number of donors, made it possible for the team to experience its first ever ring ceremony.

The team was given their rings during halftime of the men’s basketball game last weekend. “We were really happy to be able to share the experience with the Lafayette fans at the game,” Hanna Sotiropolous’14 said. “Our recruits for next year were there for the ceremony too. Hopefully it showed them what our expectations are and got them excited to get their own rings next year.”

“The ceremony was a nice way to top off the win,” co-captain Colleen McGowan ’12 said. “It was a special moment for our team to be recognized in front of such a large crowd for the hard work we put into the season. It’s always a good feeling when your effort pays off, and this was just another example of that. ”

The rings display a large ‘L’ on the front and are engraved with the athletes’ name, position and year.

“I’m so excited about the ring,” Maria Machalick ’13 said. “I think we’re all really happy with them.”

“The rings were actually a surprise,” McGowan said. “We were perfectly happy with the Patriot League gifts and the trophy, but the program and our donors made the rings possible. It’s something I’ll keep forever.”