[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 92 (Thursday, May 26, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S2750]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        RECOGNIZING BENEDICTINE COLLEGE RAVENS WOMEN'S LACROSSE

 Mr. MORAN. Mr. President, today, I would like to congratulate 
the Benedictine Ravens on a wonderful 2022 season and their NAIA 
National Championship victory.
  Winning a national championship is no easy feat. It takes years of 
dedication, and this championship is the result of that dedication. You 
have made your school, as well as our entire State, proud. This 
national championship is particularly special as it is the first ever 
for the Benedictine Women's Lacrosse team and the first for the college 
since 1967.
  I know many of you came here to play lacrosse, but along the way, I 
hope you have made lifelong friends, learned valuable lessons about 
hard work and determination, and given back to this community.
  What makes this victory even more special is the adversity these 
women had to overcome. Senior Natalie Wechter, the reigning NAIA 
National Player of the Year, injured her knee in the semifinals. 
Despite this setback, through persistence and grit, the Ravens edged 
out their opponents by a score of 9-8.
  Winning a national championship is also a full team effort. I would 
like to recognize a few outstanding members of the team: Ms. Wechter, 
as well as Clare Ryan, Aiden McEnerney, Erica Odell, and Rianna 
England, who received All-American honors. Additionally, Ms. Odell was 
named the tournament MVP.
  It is also worth mentioning that this was head coach Clare Hanson's 
first year in the position. I congratulate all on these 
accomplishments.
  Winning this tournament is one of those things small colleges 
remember and discuss for decades. It is a shared win that the whole 
Benedictine and Atchison community gets to appreciate and take pride 
in.
  I commend you and the entire team for your hard work and dedication. 
Congratulations to the 2022 NAIA women's lacrosse champion 
Ravens.

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