Babson Field Hockey Participates In First Annual Mighty Meehan 5k Road Race

BABSON PARK, Mass. -- The Babson College field hockey team took some time off from its 2008 season to help support the fight against cancer this weekend, as the entire team and coaching staff participated in the first annual Mighty Meehan 5K Road Race/Walk in West Dennis, Massachusetts.

Taking advantage of a rare weekend off in their hectic schedule, all 19 members of Babson's nationally-ranked squad ran in the event, which was held in support of acute lymphoblastic leukemia and other childhood cancer research at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. The race was organized in memory of Turlough Meehan, who passed away at just six months of age this past December after being diagnosed with infant ALL.

"I am thrilled that our entire team could be a part of this special event," said second-year head coach Julie Ryan, who walked the 5k with her husband, Patrick, and her mother, Dee Smith. "It is a great feeling for all of us to give back and know that we made a difference on Sunday."

Ryan was also extremely appreciative of the other participants at the event, many of whom went out of their way to thank her team for its efforts.

"I was overwhelmed by the number of people who came up to me to thank us for being there. Just knowing that our presence had an impact on so many people is really a great feeling. I'm extremely proud of our team and their willingness to help others."

This weekend marked the second time in less than a year that members of the Babson field hockey squad participated in an event against cancer. Last spring, Ryan, current junior Jess Paladino (Turner, Maine), sophomore Colleen Kelly (Milton, Mass.), and senior co-captain Megan Paglialunga (New Canaan, Conn.) donated eight inches of their hair to the Panteen Beautiful Lengths program, which uses the hair to make wigs for cancer patients.

The members of the team who ran on Sunday included Paladino, Kelly, Paglialunga, seniors Nicole Cemelli (Towaco, N.J.) and Karin Dietz (Troy, Mich.), juniors Lindsay Peterson (Marshfield, Mass.), Alyssa L'Bassi (Shrewsbury, Mass.), and Emily Cohen (West Grove, Pa.), sophomores Sarah Fredlund (New Preston, Conn.), Erin Campbell (Arlington, Mass.), Lindsay Sard (West Hartford, Conn.), and Sam Sulliman (Harrison, N.Y.), first-years Christy Hawkes (Cumberland, Maine), Kristen Steigerwald (North Andover, Mass.), Corinne Hopkins (Simsbury, Conn.), Annaliese Brosch (Essex, Mass.), Erika Hansen (Marston Mills, Mass.), Kimberly Calhoun (Holliston, Mass.), and Jessica Pashos (Winchester, Mass.), and student assistant coach Sebastian Florez.

Through their first four contests, the Beavers are a perfect 4-0 and are ranked 16th in the nation by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA). Their toughest test so far this season will take place on Tuesday night, when they host #12 Tufts University at 6 p.m.