NEW LONDON, Conn. — Connecticut College women’s water polo driver Stephania Lopez (Sr., Chicago, Ill./St. Ignatius College Prep) received the 2021 Tammy Brown Award at the institution’s athletics award ceremony as the top female scholar-athlete in the graduating class.
Tammy Brown Award: Established by the Class of 1984 and given to the outstanding female student-athlete who best represents the graduating class in scholarship, leadership, and sportsmanship.
Head Coach Matt Anderson on Lopez: “Stephania (Nemo) is an outstanding player who has also been an outstanding captain these last three years. She has held this team together during the last two seasons since the pandemic started, and she continued to show why she is so loved and respected by many and not just her teammates.
In addition, Stephania has maintained a high level of achievement academically while also serving as the President of the Connecticut College Athletes of Color Coalition and helping the College move forward in its DEI endeavors. She has been wonderful to have around these last four years and will be greatly missed.”
Lopez’s Tammy Brown Award Bio: Stephania Lopez, who carries a 3.76 cumulative grade point average, will leave behind a lasting legacy for her efforts in the pool, the classroom, and the entire Connecticut College community.
The scholar-athlete and three-year captain has been named an Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC) Division III All-America Second Team selection three times as a driver. She led the Camels in scoring all four years, which included finding the back of the net nine times as a senior.
A Dean’s High Honors student, Lopez has been heavily involved with campus life. She is a PICA scholar and a wellbeing coach for the Office of Wellbeing and Health Promotion. Furthermore, Lopez has helped the athletic department as a front desk monitor and with sports information.
Lopez is also the co-founder and first-ever president of the Connecticut College Athletes of Color Coalition (CCACC). In addition to advocating for the group, she has organized meetings and events, engaged with other New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Coalitions, and she has served as a liaison between the Coalition and the Conn administration. Through these experiences, she has been able to bridge the gap between black, indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) athletes on different sports teams and create a space for athletes of color to connect and support one another.
A native of Chicago, Lopez will earn her degree in behavioral neuroscience and plans to pursue a Master’s in Public Health and Physician Assistant Studies after graduation.
Information courtesy Connecticut College Athletics Communications
