CLIFTON PARK, N.Y. — The Sarah Devens Award committee announced Monday that the 2021-22 recipient of the award is Yale senior goaltender Gianna Meloni.
Presented annually to a player who "demonstrates leadership and commitment both on and off the ice," the Devens Award is given as a joint honor between ECAC Hockey and Hockey East and aids a deserving student-athlete with a post-graduate scholarship of $15,000. The award is named in honor of former Dartmouth Big Green ice hockey player Sarah Devens, who died in 1995 prior to her senior year.
The 26th recipient of the award, Meloni is the fourth Yale student-athlete to be honored. Former Bulldogs standouts Jackee Snikeris, Aleca Hughes and Alyssa Zupon were the recipients in 2011, 2012 and 2013, respectively.
A native of Washington, D.C., Meloni enjoyed a remarkable campaign in 2021-22, helping Yale attain numerous program firsts, culminating with the Bulldogs' first NCAA Women's Frozen Four berth in school history. Yale also finished second in the ECAC Hockey regular-season race, the highest finish in program history. Meloni was instrumental in the Bulldogs' success, setting team records for wins in a season (16), lowest goals-against average (1.50) and shutouts in a season (5). A third-team all-ECAC Hockey selection, she was a semifinalist for national goaltender of the year, and a finalist for ECAC Hockey goaltender of the year.
Beyond her on-ice accomplishments, Meloni is very involved in the New Haven community, volunteering with the local Book Bank for "New Haven Reads"; serving as a volunteer crisis counselor to better serve those in both the local community and nationwide; and giving back to local youth hockey organizations in the New Haven area.
After graduation, Meloni will pursue a doctorate in nursing, as she will enroll in a three-year Doctor of Nursing Practice PMHNP Program at Boston College.
Past recipients of the award include: 1997 -- Kathryn Waldo (F), Northeastern; 1998 -- Sarah Hood (F), Dartmouth; 1999 -- Jamie Totten (D), Northeastern; 2000 -- Carrie Jokiel (F), New Hampshire; 2001 -- Christina Sorbara (F), Brown; 2002 -- Dianna Bell (F), Cornell; 2003 -- Rachel Barrie (G), St. Lawrence; 2004 -- Lindsay Charlebois (F), St. Lawrence; 2005 -- Nicole Corriero (F), Harvard; 2006 -- Karen Thatcher (F), Providence; 2007 -- Lindsay Williams (F), Clarkson; 2008 -- Lizzie Keady (F), Princeton; 2009; -- Marianna Locke (F), St. Lawrence; 2010 -- Laura Gersten (F), Rensselaer; 2011 -- Jackee Snikeris (G), Yale; 2012 -- Aleca Hughes (F), Yale; 2013 -- Alyssa Zupon (F), Yale; 2014 — Vanessa Gagnon (F), Clarkson; 2015 — Chelsea Laden (G), Quinnipiac; 2016 — Alison Rolandelli (D), Brown; 2017 — Paula Voorheis (G), Cornell; 2018 — Taylor Willard (D), Vermont; 2019 — Kenzie Lancaster (F), Quinnipiac; 2020 — Sammy Davis (F), Boston U.; 2021 — Grace Markey (F), Quinnipiac.
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