Women's Basketball Standout Simonds Featured In Sports Illustrated's Faces In The Crowd Column, Becomes Fourth Skyhawk Honored In National Publication In Last Three Years

January 18, 2006

A face that is rapidly becoming familiar in women's basketball circles around the region will be featured in this week's issue of Sports Illustrated, as Stonehill College women's basketball freshman forward Kelsey Simonds is one of six individuals featured in the magazine's "Faces In The Crowd" column in the January 23rd issue with Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck on the cover.

Simonds, a native of Bridgewater, Mass. and a graduate of Cardinal Spellman High School, becomes the fourth Stonehill student-athlete to be featured in Sports Illustrated's "Faces In The Crowd" in the last three years, as she joins women's lacrosse standouts Katie Lambert '03 and Lauren Stone '06 as well as ice hockey standout Rob Pascale '04 in holding that distinction. Lambert was the first-ever Stonehill student-athlete to be featured in "Faces In The Crowd" in the June 16, 2003 issue in recognition of her NCAA Division II goal scoring record as well as leading the Skyhawks to their first NCAA Division II national championship in May 2003. Pascale, the 2003-2004 Northeast-10 Conference of the Year, was featured in the December 28, 2003 edition of the magazine for his accomplishments in setting the Stonehill career records for goals, assists and points in being named as the ECAC Northeast Player of the Week three times in a four week span. Stone was honored by Sports Illustrated in the May 16, 2005 issue after setting a school single-season record for most wins by a goalie and for being named as the Northeast-10 Goalkeeper of the Week eight times in nine weeks on the season, as she helped lead the Skyhawks to their second NCAA national crown as well as a perfect 21-0 campaign.

Simonds was honored by Sports Illustrated after being named as the Northeast-10 Freshman of the Week four times already this season, as she is averaging 11.1 points and a team-high 8.5 rebounds and has helped lead Head Coach Trisha Brown's Skyhawks to the best start in school history at 16-0 to date as well as the #11 ranking in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association Division II national poll in each of the last two weeks. Simonds, whose father Charlie is a member of the Stonehill Athletic Hall of Fame after a standout basketball career as well, leads the conference as well in defensive rebounds and recorded three double-doubles in her first nine collegiate games.

Simonds, Lambert, Pascale and Stone are the only four student-athletes in Stonehill history to be featured in Sports Illustrated's "Faces In The Crowd" column. To view Kelsey's achievement in this week's edition on-line, log-on to www.si.com/faces for a "sneak peek" at Faces In The Crowd for January 23rd.