RIT women’s hockey team gets keys to the city

RIT and East High School women honored for excellence in athletics

Ken Huth

The RIT Tigers made history by claiming their first NCAA Division III Women’s Ice Hockey National Championship March 17.

“Girl Power” ran the show today in Rochester, as Mayor Thomas Richards presented two local sports teams with keys to the city for record-breaking seasons.

Rochester Institute of Technology women’s hockey team and East High School girls’ varsity basketball team were honored at a ceremony in the City Hall Atrium.

The RIT Tigers made history by claiming their first NCAA Division III Women’s Ice Hockey National Championship March 17. The team defeated former national champion Norwich University at RIT’s Ritter Arena and set a Division III single-season record with 28 wins.

“Not only did these women win a national championship, they also recorded a 3.17 GPA as a team during their busy season,” says Mary-Beth Cooper, RIT’s senior vice president of student affairs.

RIT applied to move its nationally recognized Division III women’s hockey program to Division I and will join College Hockey America for the 2012-2013 season. The team will play a Division I full-league schedule next season and is eligible for NCAA post-season play in 2014-2015.

The city also honored the girl’s varsity basketball team from East High. The East High Orientals defeated the Averill Park Warriors March 17 at Hudson Valley Community College in Troy to become the first girl’s team within the Rochester City School District to win the basketball Section V Class A Championship.

“It’s not every day that one of our local teams makes history,” Richards says. “When two of our local teams make history on the same day, we must celebrate and commend those who admirably represent our community.”


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