MANSFIELD, Mass. – Matt Ward '21 and Ally Irish '21, recent graduates of Saint Anselm College and members of the Hawks lacrosse teams, were nominated for the Man and Woman of the Year awards issued by the Northeast-10 Conference on Monday.

Ward, a Finance and Business major at Saint Anselm, competed for the nationally-ranked men's lacrosse team, while Irish, a psychology major, played for the nationally-ranked women's lacrosse squad. The NE10 bestows its prestigious Man and Woman of the Year awards upon graduating student-athletes who have exhausted their athletic eligibility and exhibited sustained excellence in competition, the classroom, and in their community service endeavors.

The league's two winners are set to be announced the night of Monday, June 7 as a part of a pre-recorded live awards show on the NE10 Now Network.

A six-time NE10 Commissioner's Honor Roll selection, Irish has excelled in the classroom and on the field, helping her team to the NE10 Divisional Finals against Bentley in the 2021 postseason. Irish has also earned spots on the institution's Dean's List for the past three years, while also earning the Division II Athletics Directors Association (ADA) Academic Achievement Award as a sophomore.

In 2021, Irish played in six games for the Hawks, totaling one ground ball and one caused turnover. Irish has made a key impact on the Saint Anselm Athletics community, co-founding the Head Game Project, an initiative intending to support Saint Anselm student-athletes and help them to understand the importance of their psychological well-being. It also establishes a culture of openness and support for student-athletes struggling with mental health issues.

Irish was most recently featured the NCAA Social Series, hosted by Andy Katz, to talk about different topics around the NCAA and all of its member schools. Ultimately, the Head Game Project exists to have the discussions surrounding mental health as it relates to on-field and off-field performance. She is also a member of the National Society of Leadership and Success.

Ward finished a historical season for the Hawks men's lacrosse team with 43 goals and eight assists for 51 points, leading the Hawks to their first appearance at the NCAA Division II Tournament in program history. Ward's 43 goals on the season ties for the third-most by a Hawks student-athlete in team history and, in the classroom, he has earned spots on the NE10 Commissioner's Honor Roll six times throughout his career and is a four-time selection to the school's Dean's List.

Ward was also selected to the First Team All-Conference roster for the NE10 as one of the team's co-captains. He was selected to the NE10's All-Tournament Team after tallying nine goals and four assists for 13 points (9-4=13) across the five-game league postseason. He is just the fifth student-athlete in team history to have scored 40 or more goals in a season and prior to the 2021 season, he was named United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) Pre-Season All-American Honorable Mention.

Off the field, Ward was honored as one of two recipients of the College's prestigious Thomas A. Melucci Jr. Memorial Scholarship, an award that annually provides full tuition to two seniors who have demonstrated significant spiritual and personal growth throughout their time on the Hilltop. Ward currently serves as the president of the Red Key Society, works as an Orientation Leader, and is a member of the College's and the NE10's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.