General 4/28/2017 10:21:00 PM Lea Sobieraski, Athletics Communications Graduate Assistant

Pawlak Named 2016-17 C.L.A.W. Award Recipient

AMHERST, N.Y. – Senior Rachel Pawlak (North Tonawanda, N.Y./Niagara-Wheatfield) of the Daemen College women's basketball team was named the recipient of the 2016-17 C.L.A.W. Award at the Daemen ESPY's, the Athletic Department's end of the year awards gala held in Lumsden Gymnasium this evening. The C.L.A.W. Award, which is presented annually to the senior student-athlete who best exhibits excellence in the traits of character, leadership, academic achievement and work ethic, was announced at the end of the evening and was presented by former men's basketball player Mark Coppola, the 2013-14 C.L.A.W. Award recipient.

Athletically, Pawlak has been a contributing member for the Daemen women's basketball team since her freshman campaign in the 2013-14 academic year. Pawlak appeared in all 107 possible games throughout her four-year career, for a total of 903 minutes played. As a sophomore, Pawlak played a pivotal role off the bench to help the Wildcats win the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) Division I national championship in the team's final year of its transition to NCAA Division II. She concluded her career by averaging 8.4 minutes and 1.7 points per game, while shooting 32.1 percent from the field, 32.5 percent from three-point range, 66.7 percent from the free throw line.

On top of her athletic achievements, Pawlak has also left an unforgettable mark on Daemen College away from the field of competition, and on the greater community as a whole. She is the current president of Daemen's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, engaging in several community service projects with that group. She is also a literacy volunteer as an ESL assistant teacher, along with other volunteer events including the St. Vincent DePaul clothing donation, the Make-A-Wish foundation, and Dreams for Drake. Furthermore, Pawlak was one of four student-athletes chosen from the East Coast Conference to participate in the NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum last spring.

In the classroom, Pawlak has been a member of the Dean's List during all eight semesters of her time at Daemen, and she will graduate with a Bachelor's Degree in Sport Management and a professional certificate in Paralegal Studies. "In the classroom, Rachel is mature and takes on leadership roles. Her attendance is outstanding and her work products are professional and sophisticated," said Carol Bartlo, Daemen's athletics academic support coordinator, who nominated Pawlak for the C.L.A.W. award.

"There is so much to say about Rachel. I can't think of a better candidate for this award," said Bridget Niland, Daemen's director of athletics. "We have so many fabulous student -thletes deserving of this award, and to shine above Daemen's incredible student-athletes says a lot about the person Rachel is."

In accepting the award tonight, Pawlak became the second women's basketball player to be named the C.L.A.W. Award recipient. Instituted in 2012, previous winners of the award include the afore-mentioned Coppola, men's tennis player Gregory Lowe (2015-16), men's soccer/track and field athlete Sam Rugg (2014-15), women's basketball player Courtney Donovan (2012-13), and women's volleyball player Joanna Fretthold (2011-12).

Nominations for the award are made by Athletic Department staff members and nominees are then voted on by the department's head coaches and other full-time staffers. Additional nominees this year included women's basketball players Natalie Galus (Hamburg, N.Y./Frontier) and Leah McDonell (North Tonawanda, N.Y./Cardinal O'Hara), women's cross country and track and field athlete Morgan Urbanek (Webster, N.Y./Webster Schroeder), women's tennis/bowling player Hayle Scanlan (Indianapolis, Ind./Perry Meridian), and men's golfer Max Winterburn (Harrogate, England/Boroughbridge).

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Players Mentioned

#33 Natalie Galus: F; 5' 11"; Senior

#25 Leah McDonell: G; 5' 6"; Senior

#3 Rachel Pawlak: G; 5' 6"; Senior

Players Mentioned

#33 Natalie Galus
: 5' 11"; Senior
: F

#25 Leah McDonell
: 5' 6"; Senior
: G

#3 Rachel Pawlak
: 5' 6"; Senior
: G

Players Mentioned

#33 Natalie Galus

#25 Leah McDonell

#3 Rachel Pawlak

Players Mentioned

#33 Natalie Galus

#25 Leah McDonell

#3 Rachel Pawlak