EAST STROUDSBURG - East Stroudsburg University honored five members of the athletic department, along with 2006 Division II field hockey player of the year Ashley Kocis, at a luncheon to celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports Day on Wednesday.

Administrative assistant Donna Johnson-Davis, track & field and cross country coach Joe Koch, field hockey coach Sandy Miller, swimming coach Lisa Pizzuto and Associate Athletic Director Dr. Carey Snyder were recipients of plaques commemorating their contributions to women's athletics at ESU.

Sharon Taylor, the Director of Athletics at Lock Haven University since 1987 and a pioneer of women's athletics, was the keynote speaker.

Taylor recounted her own experiences in athletics, which include six national championships as a field hockey coach, during a career that began before the passage of the Education Amendments of 1972 which increased opportunities for women to participate in high school and college sports.

Kocis was selected as the Honda Broderick Award winner as the most outstanding Division II field hockey player after leading the nation with 29 goals during the 2006 season. She was also the first ESU player to earn the PSAC Field Hockey Athlete of the Year Award.

Kocis set both single season and career school records for goals with 56, and was a first team CFHCA All-America selection as a senior. Ashley followed her sister Nicole as an All-American in field hockey at ESU, and her younger sister Brittany was a freshman on last year's team.