NORTHBOROUGH, MASS. – The IWLCA announced on Wednesday that the Lee Lady Flames received the prestigious 2022 IWLCA Division II Community Awareness Team Award.

The Lady Flames made great efforts in supporting the Lee University campus community while also making a local impact through numerous acts of service. Operation Christmas Child gave the Lady Flames an opportunity to pack Christmas boxes for the community. They also wrote Christmas Cards for cancer patients in an initiative sponsored by Austin Hatcher Foundation. In the Great Strides 5K, the team assisted in the setup, breakdown, and cleanup of the event. To support local business owners, the team facilitated a Community Showcase, a platform that allowed local business owners to display and sell their products. Sponsored by Student Engagement, the Lady Flames also put on the One Love Escalation workshop for the Lee University athletic department, which in turn was supported by community members.

"We are extremely honored to be recognized by the IWLCA for our team's efforts in the community. We really drive home being 'All In' in all we do as a program and serving is part of that," said Lee assistant coach Megan Smith. "The team has dedicated many hours giving back to the community which has given and supported us in so much. We are thankful for all the lives we can impact and in turn have impacted us greatly as people and as a program."

Emily Lortz of the University of Florida, Camryn Wales of Converse University, and Rachel Huebler from York College of Pennsylvania were named individual award winners. Kent State University (D1), Marymount University (D3), and St. Ambrose University (NAIA) were also recognized as IWLCA Community Awareness Team Award winners.