WASHINGTON - Thanks to the generosity of alumna Kathleen Plunkett O'Connor (C'93) and her husband, Kevin O'Connor, Georgetown has received its first scholarship endowment in support of the field hockey program.

"This is an important and truly impactful gift," said Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Lee Reed. "It is the first of its kind for the program, and we hope it inspires the Georgetown Athletics community to see what a difference this type of gift can make in the lives of our student-athletes. We are truly grateful for the O'Connor family's vision and their dedication to Georgetown."

When Kathleen looks back on her days on the Hilltop, she fondly remembers the positive experience and warm camaraderie she had as a student-athlete and member of the field hockey team. She is a member of an extended Hoya Family. Kathleen and her three siblings, Erin (C'91), Timothy (C'97), and Patrick (C'00), all attended Georgetown. Her brothers Tim and Patrick were also student-athletes and both members of the first Georgetown men's lacrosse team to earn an NCAA berth (1997), and her husband, Kevin, played lacrosse while at Notre Dame. The value of collegiate athletics is deeply woven into their family's DNA.

"I am one of four children in my family that attended Georgetown," she said. "We all had different and very positive experiences so it is great that we can all share that common bond. The student-athlete experience really does connect you to the university in a different way for a lifetime. You are representing your school because you want to be a part of something larger than yourself."

Field hockey became a varsity sport at Georgetown in 1979. When Kathleen joined as a freshman in 1989, she immediately started in goal, and helped a young program build a strong foundation. Kathleen remains a record holder in the program's history books. A goalkeeper for the Hoyas with a 0.841 save percentage, O'Connor ranks second in Georgetown field hockey's all-time records. She still holds the all-time career record in saves with 872 during her time on the Hilltop, and three of her four season save totals still rank in the top 10 of all-time.

Kathleen and Kevin were looking for a way to make a lasting impact on both the program and the university she loves. By endowing the Kathleen Plunkett O'Connor Field Hockey Scholarship she is doing just that.

In making this gift, Kathleen not only sets a first for her program, but also becomes just the third former Hoya female student-athlete to establish an endowed scholarship for the varsity sport in which they played. While many Georgetown parents have supported the women's athletics programs in which their children participated, few former female student-athletes have stepped up in this way.

It is Kathleen's hope that this gift will inspire others to do the same.

Head Coach Christy Longacre is in her first season at the helm of the field hockey program, and is thrilled to share the news of this gift. She hopes to use this endowment as an opportunity to show her student-athletes the impact of philanthropy and to honor the legacy that Kathleen and her teammates worked to build for them 25 years ago.

"Thank you to Kathleen, her husband and their children for this generous gift to our program," said Head Field Hockey Coach Christy Longacre. "This will help our program tremendously as we continue to build in the coming years so our student-athletes can reach their ultimate potential and thrive here at Georgetown."

Kathleen's optimism is infectious as she thinks about the bright future of Georgetown field hockey and women's athletics at Georgetown.

"The Georgetown student-athlete experience needs to be supported to allow our programs to thrive and succeed. Our gift acknowledges the positive experience I had as a student-athlete at Georgetown and I hope, in some way, this gift can help future student-athletes reach their ultimate potential at Georgetown."