Words Unlimited bestows honors on Seahawks
NEWPORT, R.I. - For the first time in the 67-year history of the organization, Words Unlimited has chosen a non-Division I athlete as its female athlete of the year. Rhode Island's organization of sportswriters, sportscasters, and publicists, Words Unlimited holds its annual banquet and awards ceremony on Sunday, February 24, 2013, with two Salve Regina University entities earning significant honors.
MARION PERKINS MEMORIAL AWARD (Female Athlete of the Year)
Kaitlyn Birrell (Hope, R.I./Scituate HS)
Birrell arrived on the Newport campus in 2009 after leading the Scituate High School Spartans to success in two sports – soccer and basketball. Her respective Seahawk head coaches in those two sports – Kerri Scroope and Cori Hughes – knew they were getting a talented athlete with exceptional qualities.
Qualities that her former basketball coach at Scituate, Jean Angell, can readily describe: "Her leadership, her calmness, her confidence, knowledge of the game. She’ll see things before I will then she’ll throw the ball and I’ll ask myself, ‘Where is that going?’ and all of a sudden it’s in somebody’s hands."[1]
In 2012, the Marion Perkins Memorial Award winner as the Words Unlimited Female Athlete of the Year excelled at both sports at both ends of the pitch/court for Salve Regina.
In soccer, she broke records – her own. Already established as the school’s career scoring leader by her junior season, Birrell elevated the all-time marks for goals, assists, and points during her senior campaign while earning Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Offensive Player of the Year honors for the second straight season. The school’s top four marks for goals in a single season all have Birrell’s name next to them, with her best season saved for last – 21 goals in 2012.
Birrell earned additional accolades from the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) and the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA). The CCC’s leading scorer also ranked 20th in the nation in goals per game while being selected to the NSCAA All-Region Team for the third straight year.
Also in 2012, Birrell helped lead the Salve Regina women’s basketball program to its second straight conference championship and NCAA appearance while earning Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Defensive Player of the Year honors. She now owns the school’s all-time record for steals and assists.
"It’s pretty amazing that somebody at the Division III level is being recognized with this (Words Unlimited Female Athlete of the Year), but there’s not a more deserving person than Katie Birrell," says Coach Hughes. "She’s been able to achieve at such a high level at two sports, sports that overlap."
"There is no rest for her," says Coach Scroope. "What she does on and off the court and the field is amazing. Most kids that play two sports have the fall and the spring, but Katie doesn’t have the winter break; she goes back-to-back. She does amazing things on the soccer field then I watch her do the same on the basketball court."[2]
A member of the conference’s all-academic team as well, Birrell’s philosophy for success comes from her family. “My dad always says, ‘If you go out there and play your hardest, no matter if you win or lose, then you’ll look back and have no regrets.’”
The only regret for Hughes and Scroope is that graduation comes this May.
VIN CULLEN AWARD (Small College Achievement)
Salve Regina University Men's Rugby - 2012 National Champions
The Salve Regina University men’s rugby team accomplished
something last season that very few teams can say they have done.
The Seahawks won the Small College National Championship. What is
even more extraordinary about this feat is that Salve Regina did
this with no athletic department budget and fundraised its entire
season and postseason.
Every team at every level in collegiate athletics has to do some sort of fundraising but for the Salve Regina University ruggers, their program relies solely on their fundraising efforts to be able to even compete week to week. The Seahawks have a fantastic alumni base that supports the club program and helps with fundraising while the team on campus participates in various activities to promote the program.
"Our biggest fundraiser is the Rent-a-Rugger event in the fall," explained senior forwards' captain Andrew Baik. "The student body really gets into it and enjoys helping the team. People can place bids on every rugger, from the freshmen to the seniors, and have them help out for four hours one day. Guys have been enlisted to do everything from yard work to helping with laundry, even making dinner for the winner."
The Seahawks made the 1,988-mile trip, the longest out of any team competing, to Glenside, Colo., for the Final Four. In its second-straight trip to national semifinals, Salve Regina played Franciscan University of Steubenville in the opening round. After falling behind early to the Barons, the Seahawks took a 29-8 lead in the 41st minute. Franciscan made a comeback to pull within nine, 29-20, but each side battled in the final 20 minutes to keep opposing teams off the board.
"We are two very similar schools so it was like playing ourselves which helped boost our play," commented Baik. "The come-from-behind win only fueled us and we knew we could win it all at that point."
The Seahawks had one team in their way to the national championship, California Maritime. According to Baik, "Cal was a very physical team, they were big and hit hard but there was no way we were coming in second, so we stepped up our game to play hard with them."
Step up and play hard is exactly what the Seahawks did. Salve Regina held a 22-10 lead with five minutes to play before Cal Maritime got through the Seahawk defense for a try to cut the lead to 22-15. As the referee blew the final whistle, the third time was the charm for the Seahawks as they brought home the national championship.
"A lot of hard work and determination has been put into this program to have a rugby team at all and to win it all validates the hard work we have put into this team. I am excited to see where it goes from here."
More about Words Unlimited:
The organization began in 1945 when 12 sportswriters and
sportscasters joined to honor those individuals who made
extraordinary contributions to the state's sports scene. In
February 1946, a sellout crowd packed the Biltmore Hotel's ballroom
for the first of what was to become an annual dinner. This year,
Words Unlimited will host the 67th edition of the Rhode Island
sports awards dinner, running the total number of honorees to more
than 700 athletes, coaches, organizations, and sports figures.
The organization is pleased to present its third annual silent auction to help benefit the Words Unlimited Scholarship Fund. The auction will take place during the 67th Words Unlimited Awards Banquet on Sunday, February 24, 2013, at the Radisson Airport Hotel in Warwick.
[1] 2009 Interview with Melanie Pellowski on Turnto10.com “Varsity Life”
[2] 2012 Interview with Sarah Hogan for wpri.com “Cardi’s Hometown Sports Hero”