WORCESTER, MASS – Recent graduate of the Holy Cross women's ice hockey team, Carly Beniek, has been chosen as the recipient of the 2023 Sarah Devens Award.
 
The award honors former Dartmouth ice hockey player Sarah Devens, who passed in 1995 before her senior year. It is presented as a $15,000 scholarship for post-graduate education to a student-athlete who "demonstrates leadership and commitment both on and off the ice."
 
The Sarah Devens Award is a joint honor between ECAC Hockey and Hockey East. Quinnipiac's Kate Reilly receives this award alongside Beniek, marking the first time the award has been presented to multiple student-athletes.

"It is an absolute honor to receive an award in Sarah Devens' name," said Beniek. "She is the kind of person every athlete strives to be like. She was an incredible athlete, leader and teammate, so it means so much to me to receive this award. I want to thank my amazing coaches and teammates for supporting me and pushing me to be my best self and teammate the last four years; I could not have done it without them. I, also, want to thank my family for supporting me throughout my hockey journey and showing me what it means to be a good leader. Lastly, I want to thank the Devens family for providing such an incredible gift for college athletes. This scholarship is going to help me so much in my postgraduate journey and I am eternally grateful for your family's generosity."

Beniek graduated on Saturday with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, Health Professions Advisory Program and was awarded the Presidential Service Award for service and contributions to the college and greater Worcester community.
 
During her time on the Hill, Beniek served as a sports medicine EMT, head resident assistant and site coordinator for Big Brother Big Sister, all while collecting multiple research and clinical experiences.
 
Most recently, Beniek worked as an undergraduate research intern for UMass Medical School conducting literature review on Atrial Fibrillation. She assisted research coordinators and postdoctoral research associates with writing and editing an abstract. In November 2022, Beniek presented the abstract at the American Heart Association Scientific Session in Chicago, Ill. 
 
On the ice, Beniek tallied 114 career games with 16 points from seven goals and nine assists. This season, she posted two goals in key moments against ranked Hockey East opponents. She scored the game-winning goal against No. 14 Vermont and started the scoring against No. 15 Connecticut. Beniek assumed a leadership role as her dedication and passion showed through on and off the ice.

"It is such an honor for Carly to receive the Sarah Devens award," said head coach Katie Lachapelle. "She exemplifies what it means to be a leader on the ice, in our Holy Cross community and throughout Worcester. She made a huge mark on all of us and we know that she will continue to lead and effect positive change in the world."
 
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