COLONIA, NJ – The East Coast Conference has announced that Kitsa Scime (Williamsville, NY) of Daemen women's tennis and Kathleen Healy (Malverne, NY) of Molloy women's cross country and track & field have been selected as the 2024-25 winners of the ECC's Dr. Robert Dranoff Excellence in Community and Character Award. Recipients of the ECC's most prestigious award are student-athletes who have distinguished themselves through positive actions and behaviors that are consistent with the NCAA Division II attributes of learning, service, passion, sportsmanship, balance, and resourcefulness.
The award is named after former ECC Commissioner Robert Dranoff, whose relentless work at the helm of the ECC for 16 years enhanced the student-athlete experience, made athletic competition accessible to thousands of friends and families, and showcased the positive impact student-athletes have on colleges and communities.
Kitsa Scime
Daemen | Senior | Women's Tennis
Scime concluded her academic career at Daemen with a 3.89 GPA, graduating this spring with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a specialization in Human Resource Management. Over the course of eight rigorous semesters in which she also pursued four minors, she consistently demonstrated academic excellence, earning a perfect 4.0 GPA in three semesters and a near-perfect 3.9 GPA in two others. Remarkably, she maintained this high level of performance while taking more than 15 credit hours each semester, highlighting her dedication to her academics.
Scime's academic success, paired with her dedication to athletics, demonstrates her strong focus, discipline, and time management skills. On the court, Scime exemplified true passion for her sport and her team through her unwavering commitment, leadership, and the example she set both on and off the court. As a captain of the women's tennis team, she led with integrity, setting the tone for her teammates through her work ethic, positive attitude, and relentless drive to improve. A vocal encourager, she constantly supported those around her and helped to cultivate a strong, team-first culture.
The team leader in singles wins this past season with 10, Scime bookended her Daemen career with College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District honors for the third time. A recipient of the prestigious C.L.A.W. Award for Character, Leadership, Academic Achievement and Work Ethic from the Daemen night of honors, Scime opened her 2024-25 season with six wins in her first seven matches at No. 2 singles and seven matches in doubles. The two-time ECC All-Conference selection ends her Daemen career ranked second all-time in singles wins (48), fourth in combined career singles and doubles wins (82), and as the program record holder for singles winning percentage (.631).
Beyond the classroom and the court, Kitsa is actively engaged in campus life, serving as an executive board member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and participating in several other student organizations as an active and engaged member of the Daemen community. As a member of SAAC, she consistently took part in numerous community service initiatives, demonstrating a deep commitment to service and leadership.
In addition to official SAAC events, Scime enthusiastically participated in team-led outreach efforts. Notably, she volunteered with Leveling the Playing Field, an organization dedicated to redistributing donated sports equipment to under-resourced youth. She also contributed her time to a campus-led park clean-up initiative in partnership with the Veterans Affairs department and took part in the Winter Clothing Drive, during which over 1,300 items were collected and donated to a local mission to support those in need.
Scime also served as a peer mentor, a role in which upperclassmen provide guidance and support to first-year students as they transition to college life. Through her mentorship, she helped new students navigate the academic, social, and emotional challenges of their first year, further showcasing her leadership, empathy, and dedication to the success of others.
"Receiving this prestigious award is an incredible honor and reminds me that hard work, dedication, and commitment truly pay off," said Scime, who also represented the ECC at the 2024 NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum. "It reflects the journey I've taken and the values I've strived to live by throughout my time as a Wildcat. I'm deeply grateful to my family, friends, coaches, and mentors for their unwavering support and guidance in shaping who I am today, and I also want to thank Daemen and the ECC for the opportunities they've provided me. As I move into coaching, I'm excited to share my experiences and help the next generation of athletes grow into the best versions of themselves, both on and off the court."
Kathleen Healy
Molloy | Junior | Women's Cross Country + Track & Field
Healy carries a 3.86 GPA while pursuing an accounting dual degree at Molloy. She has been recognized on the Molloy Athletic Director's Honor Roll and the ECC Commissioner's Honor Roll in each of her last two years and is a member of Sigma Beta Delta, Molloy’s Business Student Honor Society, and Chi Alpha Sigma, Molloy’s Student-Athlete Honor Society.
Healy also excelled in her cross country and indoor and outdoor track and field seasons, earning All-ECC honors in all three seasons, which including silver medals in the outdoor 10,000m and 4x800m relay and a bronze medal in the indoor 5000m. She also earned three US Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-East Region accolades while setting six Molloy school records on the year, in the indoor 3000m (10:28.37), 5000m (18:30.77), and Distance Medley Relay (13:05.86) and outdoor 3000m (11:04.26), 10,000m (39:45.39), and 4x800m relay (9:56.57).
Serving as president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) at Molloy, Healy is responsible for helping to arrange service opportunities for student-athletes on campus. She led the planning for Molloy’s part in ECC Mental Health Awareness Week and gathered gifts to recognize the Lions’ athletic trainers during Athletic Training Month. She also helped the cross country and track and field teams in a number of service projects this year including TSATF Long Island clinics and Cycle for Survival events and providing a helping hand at the LI Marathon.
This year, Healy and Molloy SAAC partnered with the Molloy Student Counseling Center and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention to hold the Out of the Darkness Suicide Prevention Campus Walk. Over 100 student-athletes and dozens of other students and staff participated, raising $1,120 to support suicide prevention efforts. The event included resources and giveaways provided by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. This initiative earned an at-large finalist nod for the NCAA 2025 Division II Award of Excellence, which recognizes the NCAA Division II philosophy of community engagement and student-athlete leadership.
Healy has a love for being a part of the student-athlete community both at Molloy and in the ECC. She is always one of the first to volunteer for any opportunities, such as the ECC Leadership Series this spring, but also one in activities that serve others. She has reached out to members of the Molloy athletics administration on behalf of student-athletes to ensure their wants and needs are being advocated for.
Healy spent the spring semester interning with Molloy’s Associate Athletic Director for Operations Brian Lima. As a business major, Healy thought it would be beneficial to see the inner workings of the department in order to gain experience not just as a student-athlete but as a member of the staff. Her internship gave her the chance to be more involved in the Department of Athletics and learn why and how a number of decisions are made including scheduling, equipment ordering, and staffing; she is now able to use this knowledge in her position as SAAC President while serving as an intermediary between the administration and student-athletes.
"I am incredibly honored to be recognized with this award by the East Coast Conference, and for the support of the incredible athletic and coaching staff at Molloy who work tirelessly to ensure the success of their student-athletes," said Healy. "They have empowered me to be the best version of myself by seeing and believing in me. Being a student-athlete at Molloy has been a privilege that has provided me with many incredible experiences and moments which have helped shape me and that I will cherish forever. The opportunity to compete within the ECC has set the bar high and has helped push me athletically and improve myself and the Molloy community as co-chair of the ECC SAAC presidents. It means so much to me to be recognized not just for what I have accomplished on the track but for all the additional work I have done outside of athletics. This award is not just a reflection of what I have accomplished but also of all that my community at Molloy has helped me to achieve!"