HAVERFORD, Pa. – Sophomore co-recipients Caitlin Gallagher and Casey Fox were presented the 2012 Archibald MacIntosh Award during an on-campus ceremony in their honor Thursday evening.
Gallagher is the just the third women's tennis player to receive this honor in the award’s 48-year history. Fox, the starting third baseman for the reigning Centennial Conference champion baseball team, is the 11th baseball player to accept the award but the first since 1999. The Beta Rho Sigma alumni society has presented the award in MacIntosh’s honor to the top scholar-athlete in the first-year class at Haverford since 1964.
Gallagher was a valuable contributor on the 2012 squad that secured Haverford’s first postseason triumph in program history as she led the team in singles victories with 15 and tied for the team lead in doubles wins with 10.
"I am truly honored and humbled to be the co-recipient of this year’s Archibald MacIntosh award," reflected Gallagher. "While I appreciate that the award recognizes my individual achievements, I could not have been considered for this prestigious award without the assistance and support of my family, coach and teammates, as well as the faculty and administration here at Haverford, all of whom were instrumental in allowing me to achieve the goals that I have set for myself. I also believe the close-knit and caring nature of the Haverford community has brought out the best in me both academically and athletically. I am truly lucky to have the opportunity to attend Haveford, which is not just a college, but an extended family."
Gallagher, a second-team All-Centennial Conference honoree in singles and doubles, ended the season on a 10-game singles win-streak on her way to registering the second-best winning percentage (.900) in conference action among all singles players.
"Caitlin Gallagher has been a coach’s dream since she arrived at Haverford and made her way to the tennis courts," said head coach Ann Koger. "She has demonstrated leadership on and off of the court and has a good common sense approach to the life of a student-athlete at Haverford. Caitlin is a true team player."
Fox started 42 games for the conference-champion Fords and was a key contributor on a team that made its first NCAA tournament appearance.
"Haverford provides a rare opportunity to avidly pursue excellence both in the classroom and on the playing field," said Fox. "The entire support system here from my teachers, to my coaching staff, to my teammates and classmates all push me to be the best that I can be in all arenas. No one expects me to take it easy in the classroom to play well, or to give up opportunities to improve on the field due to academic concerns. As a result, Haverford provides a nurturing environment in which excellence is fostered in all areas of my day to day life. I am very honored to have won this award and represent Haverford and my class, and I can’t thank my coaches, teachers and peers enough for helping me receive this recognition."
Fox finished third on the team in runs scored and tied for fourth on the team in hits with 35 and 52, respectively. Just the fifth freshman in Centennial history to earn first-team recognition, Fox was a perfect 10-for-10 in steal attempts during the regular season and his three home runs tied for second-most on the squad. The third baseman also drove in 27 runs on the season.
"Casey is a sterling example that academic excellence and athletic achievement aren’t mutually exclusive," said head coach Dave Beccaria. "His ability as a freshman to be one of the best students in his class at Haverford and one of the best baseball players in the Centennial Conference is an impressive accomplishment and a tremendous sign of his potential as a student-athlete. Casey is a great teammate and a talented individual who is certainly worthy of this special honor."