Awards Handed Out at Annual Athletics Banquet

Banquet Program / Scholar-Athlete Reception

SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. - The Mount Holyoke College Department of Athletics hosted its annual awards celebration on Tuesday evening in Chapin Auditorium. Individuals from all 14 varsity teams were honored. Head golf coach Tim Walko served as the event’s emcee.

Among the awards handed out was the 2014 Laurie Priest Alumnae Association Scholar Athlete Award. Re-named last year in honor of MHC's former Athletic Director, who stepped down last year after 24 years, the award was presented by Jane Zachary, the Executive Director of the Mount Holyoke College Alumnae Association.

This year's Laurie Priest Alumnae Association Scholar Athlete Award was presented to Eleanor 'Nell' Maynard, a rider on the Equestrian team.

Maynard was selected by the department for her outstanding achievements as both an athlete and a scholar. The award, which is sponsored by the Mount Holyoke Alumnae Association, is considered by many to be the department’s most prestigious.

Maynard has been a member of the Mount Holyoke College Equestrian Team over the last four years. She has played an instrumental role in the team’s success during that time. Maynard’s composed demeanor on horseback, her critical thought process and outstanding execution have led her to many successes throughout her career, including qualifying for three straight IHSA National Championships. Her continued abilities have helped the squad win each of the last four Regional Championship shows as well as numerous Zone 1 Championships and Tournament of Champions. Maynard has been a part of three National teams, which finished fourth in both 2012 and 2013, with the third appearance coming on May 1-4 at the 2014 IHSA National Championships in Harrisburg, Pa.

Academically, Maynard has showed excellence as well, earning a number of prestigious awards, including the Sarah Williston Scholar for academic achievement, the Bernice MacLean Award for excellence in the biological sciences, the Louisa Stone Stevenson Prize for excellence in chemistry and most recently, the American Chemical Society, Connecticut Valley Section Student Award. Among her volunteer contributions, Maynard has served as a medical clinic volunteer, traveling to Guaimaca, Honduras as part of the Diocese of Fall River Honduran Mission, while also serving as a Student Advisor closer to home here at Mount Holyoke.

An accomplished writer and researcher, Maynard has also presented at a number of functions, including the 2012 LEAP Symposium, the 2013 Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology (SICB) Annual Conference in San Francisco, Calif., and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Summer Symposium where she shared research findings on anuran biomechanics gathered at the Gillis Lab. Maynard also co-authored a poster of the Gillis Lab research, presented at the SICB conference.

During her time at Mount Holyoke, Maynard has also been actively involved in the athletic community. In addition to her time as a member of the equestrian team, she has served on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, including the 2012-13 season in which she was the Chair of the Diversity and Inclusion subcommittee.

A total of 42 Lyons took home Senior Athlete Awards. They each participated in their sport for at least three years, including their senior year.