WILLIMANTIC Conn. – Eastern Connecticut State University volleyball student-athletes and student-athletic trainers Valencia McClendon (Meriden) and Sierra Orr (Woodland, WA) have been named co-recipients of the Holly E. Zimmerman Memorial Award for 2019-20.
 
A junior volleyball co-captain in the fall of 2019, McClendon is a three-year member of the program while Orr, a senior, lettered for the second season this past fall after transferring from Olympic College in Bremerton, WA.
 
They become the 46^th and 47^th recipients of the award, which has been presented annually each year beginning in 1994 – one year following the death of Holly Zimmerman. Zimmerman was an Andover native who attended Eastern between 1989 and 1993 who played basketball and served as a student athletic trainer.
 
Both recipients are Sport & Leisure Management majors concentrating in sport science and human performance and are pursuing careers in the athletic training field. Both were members of Eastern's 2018 Little East Conference tournament championship team.
 
Orr was a four-year volleyball athlete, playing two seasons at Olympic and two at Eastern. She also served as head coach for the U15 and assistant coach for the U16 Husky Volleyball Club. In 2019, Orr appeared in 23 of 26 matches and was second on the team with 256 assists to go along with 25 service aces and 94 digs.
 

"Sierra is a loyal, dedicated student and student worker," offered athletic trainer Julie Alexander, a friend and co-worker of Zimmerman during their undergraduate years at Eastern. "She is a bright, intelligent young professional who learns quickly. She is not only thoughtful and intentional about her work, she is thoughtful about the way that her work impacts others. She is often found doing the little things that make the certified athletic trainer's work a bit easier. She is often seen doing the little things that make the student-athletes situation a bit better or a bit easier."
 
Head women's volleyball coach Megan Silver-Droesch notes that upon meeting Orr in the fall of 2018 "she immediately impressed me with her maturity and kindness. Her attitude was contagious. She made an effort to foster relationships with each of her teammates, regardless of their class. I will forever be thankful to her for helping to foster an environment of kindness and optimism."                      

Plagued by injury throughout her three-year career, McClendon is an LEC All-Academic and Eastern Scholar-Athlete recipient, a volleyball representative to the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and a member of the SLM/KPE Club.  Before her most recent injury ended her junior season this past fall, the middle hitter came off the bench to see time in nine matches with eight digs and four kills.
 
A two-year member of the student athletic training staff, McClendon "is an outstanding young professional who never needs to be asked twice to complete a task," says Alexander. "She absorbs all learning experiences and has a positive personality." Adds Droesch, "As a captain and teammate, Valencia leads by example. Her efforts are beyond reproach, she goes out of her way to be inclusive of her teammates, and addresses conflict with thoughtful rationality.
 
Following a serious injury as a senior in high school, Valencia was cleared to play at Eastern the day prior to pre-season camp in the summer of 2017.At that time, she expressed to Droesch feelings of isolation and loss of identity while injured and stated that her goal was "to help fellow and future athletes prepare to overcome this identity conflict," remembers Droesch. "She realized that the best place for her to do this was in the athletic training room."
 
 "Female athletes or student-athletic trainers majoring in Physical Education or Sport & Leisure Management with an overall GPA who have reached junior academic status with an overall GPA of 2.70 are eligible for the award. Recipients exemplify Zimmerman's personal characteristics of  loyalty, thoughtfulness and academic determination, her love of competition and her zest for life and her qualities of honesty, humbleness and work ethic.
 

Recipients

2020:       Valencia M. McClendon
2020:       Sierra N. Orr

2019:       Mckenzie I. Maneggia

2019:       Nina M. Pasqua

2018:       Michele N. D'Agata
2018:       Kayla R. Labrecque

2017:       Rachel S. Berkowsky

2016:       Margaret E. Sayers

2015:       Erin C. Miller

2015:       Victoria A. Pfohl

2015:       Jill A. Ritrosky

2014:       Morgan T. Charlow

2014:       Taylor R. McBride

2013:       Brittany A. Garnelis

2013:       Stephanie L. Johnson

2013:       Julie E. Pietrycha

2012:       Mackenzie A. MacLeod

2012:       Katherine A. Sokoloski

2011:       Stephanie J. Noheimer

2010:       Stephanie K. Norell

2010:       Brittany N. Whiteley

2009:       Ashley N. McFetridge

2008:       Christina I. Amato

2008:       Amy E. Lampe

2007:       Colleen Devine

2007:       Bridget A. Durette

2007:       Kristen L. Fallo

2006:       Lindsey A. Karsmarski

2006:       Jennifer C. Orme

2006:       Laura E. Tignonsini

2005:       Lauren A. Proniewych                                                           

2005:       Megan A. Williamson

2004:       Rachel M. Albino                  

2004:       Erika M. Blozie                      

2004:       Shari L. D'Amico                  

2003:       Danielle G. Olivier                 

2002:       Robyn L. Danahy                   

2001:       Julia Neilson                                          

2000:       Amy E. Larkin                       

2000:       Melanie L. McIlmail              

1999:       Cynthia P. Baker

1999:       Anne E. DiFranco

1998:       Cheryl J. Odierna

1998:       Sara L. Suitor         

1995:       Cynthia L. Claffey

1995:       Jana E. Galloway

1994:      Jennifer B. Flyntz