I would like to thank the Harvard Varsity Club for this most unexpected honor. It is truly a privilege to be included in this class of inductees, and I would like to congratulate each of my fellow inductees on their many achievements. Tonight is particularly special for me, because my friend, teammate and roommate of four years, Char Joslin, is also being honored. It is hard to believe that we first met each other in Pennypacker almost nineteen years ago.

There is no question in my mind that Harvard lacrosse made me the person I am today. What made, and continues to make, Harvard lacrosse special for me are the many wonderful friendships that I developed during those four years -- friendships with my coaches, my teammates, and our families. To this day, it is these friendships that I treasure and reflect on the most; not the NCAA or Ivy championships. These friendships truly are the touchstone for my life.

I am eternally grateful to Carole Kleinfelder, our coach, mentor and friend. Carole was the one who brought us altogether and inspired us to bring out the best in each other both on and off the field. Carole was by far the most talented and gifted college coach in the country, but it is not the Xs and Os that I remember and value most. Rather, it is that, as a coach, she encouraged us to take ownership and responsibility for our team and our games. And, as a mentor and a friend, she encouraged us to laugh at ourselves and not to take ourselves and Harvard so seriously. These lessons have been invaluable to me over the years as has my friendship with Carole. I know that Carole will always have a special place in the heart of all of our families.

In addition to Carole, we had many wonderful assistant coaches over the years. My last two years, we were incredibly fortunate to have Edie Mabrey and Nikki Janus. Edie was an intense competitor who brought a lot of laughter and joy to the team. She played a far bigger role in our success both on and off the field than she probably realizes. I still don't know how she managed to juggle lacrosse, a husband and four children. Nikki ran the office (and us) with just the right amount of humor, perspective and tough love that a bunch of self-confident, ready to take on the world, college-aged women needed.

As for all of my teammates, it was and is a privilege to be associated with such a talented, hard-working, intense, competitive, never say die group of women. None of us were heavily recruited by the traditional lacrosse powers, but we certainly took great pride in giving our competitors a run for their money (much in the same way we give our significant others a run for their money today). We had a lot of fun together and, even in the tough times, we were able to make each other laugh. Thank you for your support, understanding and friendship.

While the 1990 Team is remembered for winning the NCAAs, so much of our success that year was due to the players who graduated before us. Those players were the ones that taught us about hard work, sacrifice, leadership, and leaving it all on the field. You influenced us tremendously, and I know that many of us consider you and your families as a part of that Team. It still moves me greatly when I reflect on the pride and happiness you took in our accomplishments that year.

Unfortunately, my parents and siblings are unable to be here tonight, because they are attending my brother Troudy's graduation from business school. I know that they very much wanted to be here tonight, but they have attended so many lacrosse events over the years it is as if they are here anyway. I am very fortunate to have parents that supported me every step of the way. It is staggering to think about the miles logged on the family Volvos over the years driving to athletic contests up and down the East Coast. My brother, Peter, who is sixteen years younger than me, spent all of his weekends in the back of the car. Until he has children of his own, I am not sure he can appreciate how wonderful and fun it was to have him at the games. Overlapping with Troudy for one year of college was great, even if we were never able to talk him into being our manager. My sister, Hilary, who was just a year behind me, played lacrosse at Yale. She handled all that was thrown at her, whether intentionally or intentionally, with class and grace. I know she was as proud of our teams as anyone, and I especially want to thank her for celebrating with us.

While tonight is about Harvard lacrosse, I do want to acknowledge and thank my high school coach, Kathy Jenkins. Without a doubt, she is the best high school coach in the country. Without her coaching and confidence in my abilities, I would never have dreamed that I could play college lacrosse. She has been a wonderful mentor and friend over the years, and Jack and I are honored to include her family as a part of our own.

To my husband, Jack, I am not sure you would have ever asked me out if you had known me when I was playing lacrosse at Harvard. Thank you for being here tonight and for being so supportive and understanding. Most importantly, thank you for becoming a true lacrosse groupie and sending me email updates of what is happening in girls' and women's lacrosse.

To each and everyone of you who was a part of Harvard lacrosse, I am truly grateful for the role you have played and continue to play in my life. You have done more for me than I can express. My wish for my children, Charlotte and John, is that whatever their passions may be, they will be as blessed and as fortunate as I was to be able to pursue their passions with mentors, peers, and families as wonderful as you.