COLONIA, NJ – The East Coast Conference has announced that Kitsa Scime (Williamsville, NY) of Daemen women's tennis and Kathleen Healy (Malverne, NY) of Molloy women's cross country and track & field have been selected as the 2024-25 winners of the ECC's Dr. Robert Dranoff Excellence in Community and Character Award. Recipients of the ECC's most prestigious award are student-athletes who have distinguished themselves through positive actions and behaviors that are consistent with the NCAA Division II attributes of learning, service, passion, sportsmanship, balance, and resourcefulness.
The award is named after former ECC Commissioner Robert Dranoff, whose relentless work at the helm of the ECC for 16 years enhanced the student-athlete experience, made athletic competition accessible to thousands of friends and families, and showcased the positive impact student-athletes have on colleges and communities.
Scime concluded her academic career at Daemen with a 3.89 GPA, graduating this spring with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a specialization in Human Resource Management. Over the course of eight rigorous semesters in which she also pursued four minors, she consistently demonstrated academic excellence, earning a perfect 4.0 GPA in three semesters and a near-perfect 3.9 GPA in two others. Remarkably, she maintained this high level of performance while taking more than 15 credit hours each semester, highlighting her dedication to her academics.
Scime's academic success, paired with her dedication to athletics, demonstrates her strong focus, discipline, and time management skills. On the court, Scime exemplified true passion for her sport and her team through her unwavering commitment, leadership, and the example she set both on and off the court. As a captain of the women's tennis team, she led with integrity, setting the tone for her teammates through her work ethic, positive attitude, and relentless drive to improve. A vocal encourager, she constantly supported those around her and helped to cultivate a strong, team-first culture.
The team leader in singles wins this past season with 10, Scime bookended her Daemen career with College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District honors for the third time. A recipient of the prestigious C.L.A.W. Award for Character, Leadership, Academic Achievement and Work Ethic from the Daemen night of honors, Scime opened her 2024-25 season with six wins in her first seven matches at No. 2 singles and seven matches in doubles. The two-time ECC All-Conference selection ends her Daemen career ranked second all-time in singles wins (48), fourth in combined career singles and doubles wins (82), and as the program record holder for singles winning percentage (.631).
Beyond the classroom and the court, Kitsa is actively engaged in campus life, serving as an executive board member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and participating in several other student organizations as an active and engaged member of the Daemen community. As a member of SAAC, she consistently took part in numerous community service initiatives, demonstrating a deep commitment to service and leadership.
In addition to official SAAC events, Scime enthusiastically participated in team-led outreach efforts. Notably, she volunteered with Leveling the Playing Field, an organization dedicated to redistributing donated sports equipment to under-resourced youth. She also contributed her time to a campus-led park clean-up initiative in partnership with the Veterans Affairs department and took part in the Winter Clothing Drive, during which over 1,300 items were collected and donated to a local mission to support those in need.
Scime also served as a peer mentor, a role in which upperclassmen provide guidance and support to first-year students as they transition to college life. Through her mentorship, she helped new students navigate the academic, social, and emotional challenges of their first year, further showcasing her leadership, empathy, and dedication to the success of others.
"Receiving this prestigious award is an incredible honor and reminds me that hard work, dedication, and commitment truly pay off," said Scime, who also represented the ECC at the 2024 NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum. "It reflects the journey I've taken and the values I've strived to live by throughout my time as a Wildcat. I'm deeply grateful to my family, friends, coaches, and mentors for their unwavering support and guidance in shaping who I am today, and I also want to thank Daemen and the ECC for the opportunities they've provided me. As I move into coaching, I'm excited to share my experiences and help the next generation of athletes grow into the best versions of themselves, both on and off the court."
Daemen University features the premier NCAA Division II athletics program in the Buffalo-Niagara region, sponsoring 17 intercollegiate teams. For the latest information on Daemen Athletics, follow the Wildcats via social media on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram, or sign up to receive customizable news alerts, e-mail newsletters and weekly schedule alerts.
