Photo Courtesy of Susquehanna Athletics
By Logan Moyer, Sports Editor
For Susquehanna Field Hockey, Sunday afternoon’s contest against Lynchburg is so much more than a game.
It’s an opportunity. A chance to honor somebody who gave so much of herself for a program, school, and local community. It’s a way to give back.
On Sunday, the River Hawk field hockey team will host its annual Connie Harnum Memorial Game, honoring the late coach who headed the program for 27 seasons.
“Tradition and legacy are very important to this program,” said SU head field hockey coach Allison Fordyce. “To be able to honor her legacy and have this tradition of giving back is really great.”
Harnum led the field hockey program from 1974-2002, compiling a career mark of 195-159-23 while making three trips to the NCAA Division III tournament. She is also the most successful women’s tennis coach in school history, posting a record of 95-51-1 and winning two Mid-Atlantic Conference titles in her 16 years at the helm.
Susquehanna’s Female Athlete of the Year award is named in her honor. Harnum passed away in 2011 at the age of 68 following a courageous battle with ovarian cancer.
Every year, the field hockey team picks a cause to raise both money and awareness for. Last year, it was ovarian cancer. This year, alopecia areata is the cause.
The autoimmune disease, which causes rapid hair loss, was picked because it directly affects one member of the team who wishes to remain anonymous.
“I think the team rallies around a cause that’s personal to one of their own,” Fordyce said. “So we always allow the team to kind of generate the idea.”
September is alopecia areata awareness month, which raises awareness and celebrates those who have been affected by the disease.
The team will be selling t-shirts and taking donations, all of which will be directly given to the National Alopecia Areata Foundation (NAAF) and Wigs For Kids.
“This game means a lot to me because we’re bringing a group of girls together,” said senior forward Sophia Prata. “It’s important to us that we support the person (that has been affected).”
Coaching aside, Harnum was very involved both around campus and in the community. She served as assistant marshal to the faculty for 13 years. Additionally, she was also the wife of Don Harnum, who coached two varsity sports and was the athletic director at SU for 24 years.
Sunday’s game is notable for what will occur on the turf as well. Lynchburg is ranked 11th in the nation by NFHCA. Still, what happens off the field will be what sticks around in the heads of the River Hawks.
“It’s about more than sports,” Prata said. “It shows more of women in the sports community, rather than just two teams playing against each other.”