Posted: Jul 29, 2024

Paier Named 2023-2024 GNAC Women's Athlete of the Year

WINTHROP, Mass. - The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) has announced their 2023-2024 Athletes of the Year Awards Monday afternoon.

2023-2024 GNAC Women's Athlete of the Year Release - July 29, 2024

About the NCAA Woman of the Year

Senior attack Elise Paier (West Springfield, Mass.) was named the 2023-2024 GNAC Women's Athlete of the Year. Paier finished her senior season with a career-high 41 goals and six assists, scoring 47 points. She also recorded 21 ground balls, 16 draw controls, and 23 caused turnovers. With 85 shots, 61 of those shots on net, Paier would finish the season with a 48.2 shooting percentage and a 71.8 shots on goal percentage. The two-time captain broke her program's single-game goal record in a conference win this past year, scoring 11 in a nail-biting victory. Paier would cap her collegiate career with 123 goals, 42 assists, and 165 points. The Elms graduate made an appearance on the GNAC's All-Conference Team in the 2023 season and made the weekly honor roll this past season. She also placed on the conference's All-Sportsmanship Team twice (2023, 2024). Paier received the Dr. Joachim Froehlich Award for academic and athletic excellence from her institution this past year as well.

In the classroom, her efforts were exceptional. Elise graduated from Elms with a 4.00 cumulative GPA, earning her undergraduate degree in Nursing. Throughout her academic career, the student-athlete held numerous achievements in the classroom. Here is what she received for her outstanding academic performance: Valedictorian of the Class of 2024, GNAC Academic All-Conference member (2022-2024), received the Nursing Academic Achievement Award (2024), inducted into Kappa Gamma Pi Honor Society (2024), inducted into Delta Epsilon Sigma Honor Society (2024), inducted into Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society (International Honor Society of Nursing 2024), Dean's List (Fall 2020-Spring 2024), Monsignor Conaty Award (Highest Academic Achievement in the junior year 2023), inducted into Chi Alpha Sigma Honor Society (2023), Monsignor Conlin Award (Highest Academic Achievement in the sophomore year 2022) and Monsignor Fagan Award (Highest Academic Achievement in the freshman year 2021).

Her impressive student-athlete resume didn't stop just there. She was continually active in the community as well. She engaged in several community and campus activities. Some of these include volunteering at flu clinics, canned food drives on campus, coaching a West Springfield Girls Lacrosse Program, was a member of the National Student Nurse Association, and was a member of her school's Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).

As the GNAC Athlete of the Year, Paier will also be the conference nominee for the 2024 NCAA Woman of the Year award and the Division III Commissioners Association (D3CA) Women's Sport Student-Athlete of the Year award. All three awards recognize graduating student-athletes who have distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate careers in the areas of academic achievement, athletics excellence, service, and leadership.

Paier was selected amongst twelve strong candidates throughout the conference, excelling on the field, in the classroom, and in the community.

When asked about recieving the honor, Paier stated that "scholastically, I pushed myself to achieve the best grades and was honored as the Valedictorian of my class. I accomplished this as a four year student-athlete and two year captain of the Women's Lacrosse team. During my senior year, I conducted an evidence-based practice project focused on reducing the development of mental health conditions in oncology nurses, and a specific vulnerable populations project on foster children in the local community. These both emphasized how I can enhance the lives of specific patients in need. In addition, I was able to complete my rigorous clinical requirements, which included two, 8-hour days a week working side by side with nurses and clinicians at various hospitals and organizations. My patients have always had a large impact on my personal growth. I chose nursing as a profession because of my desire to make a difference and the love I have for caring for others. I want to be the positive in someone's life, no matter how short the duration of our interaction is, which has always been my motivation to have an impact on the world.

Athletically, as a two year captain, I was able to help motivate my teammates to become better players on the field, as well as focus on their academics. During my senior year, we were faced with a significant challenge, as our season was almost lost due to a roster size that was not sustainable for competitive play. My fellow captain and I took on additional roles as recruiters, and scoured the campus for female students to come join our team. We were luckily able to recruit just enough players to have a season, many of which had never played the sport before but were willing to help us out. As a leader, I helped teach these new players how to play lacrosse, along with creating an environment of positivity and encouragement. Despite the odds being stacked against us, we finished fourth in the South Division, and made it to the Play-In Round of the GNAC Tournament. This accomplishment, along with the feeling of gratitude from each of my teammates was validation that I had a positive impact on them all, and the program as a whole.

I have held many leadership roles that have empowered me to have a positive impact on my communities. Coaching young women has been so fulfilling, as I am able to see their confidence in both their talent and within themselves grow. I try to empower young women that they can achieve anything they put their mind to, and I have exemplified that in both my academic and athletic achievements. Leadership roles on campus have also greatly influenced my life because I have learned the importance of holding myself and others accountable. Being a member of three organizations on campus, along with a student-athlete has not only taught me it is crucial to communicate with others, but that I am capable of having a positive impact on the lives of others around me."

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