The D'Youville College Department of Athletics hosted their first ever National Girls and Women in Sports Day on Wednesday, February 5.

The panel consisted of three prominent members of the D'Youville athletic department in head women's lacrosse coach/administrative assistant Kate Mayhook, assistant athletic trainer Krista Mau, and athletics graduate assistant/assistant softball coach Megan Asham. Each shared their experiences in collegiate athletics as well as offered insights as women in athletics.

Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) President and senior outfielder Ashley Carney of the softball team served as moderator for the event. Carney's role within the department ranges from serving on numerous committees as well a three-time AMCC all-conference player.

Dozens of student-athletes from several D'Youville athletics teams were present to take in wisdom from the panelists.

Mayhook is entering her fourth full season as head coach of the women's lacrosse program. She has helped build her program from a club team to a contender in the North Eastern Athletic Conference. An extremely successful player prior to her coaching days, Mayhook is a member of the Colgate Athletic Hall of Fame. She is a three-time Collegiate All-American as well as two-time Patriot League Player of the Year. With her playing days behind her, Mayhook has become a marathon runner as she has completed the Boston, New York City, and Berlin Marathons - amongst others.

Mau is the newest member of the department, becoming the first full-time assistant trainer in the department's history. Prior to her time at D'Youville, Mau was an assistant at Buffalo State working with the women's soccer team, men and women's swimming and diving, and the men and women's track and field teams. She graduated from Daemen College with experience at the University at Buffalo, Niagara University, and Buffalo State.

Asham is a crucial part of the department's facilities as she helps run Dobson Field and the fitness center. In addition, she is an Occupational Therapy major and an assistant coach for the softball team. However, Asham was an extremely successful student-athlete at Minnesota State University Moorhead. She was a four-year varsity player at catcher for the women, starting all 44 games her senior year and finished her career with a .278 batting average and .987 fielding percentage.

The goal of the day and panel was to inspire girls and women to play and be active, to realize their full power. The confidence, strength and character gained through sports participation are the very tools girls and women need to become strong leaders in sports and life.

More information about the day can be found at the Women's Sports Foundation website.