Wheaton College women’s basketball head coach Melissa L. Hodgdon has been honored with a Presidents’ Award for Outstanding Service from the college.

"We are very proud of coach Hodgdon in being honored by the Wheaton College community with the Presidents' Award for her work on and off the basketball court," said said Wheaton College Director of Athletics and Recreation John Sutyak '00. "I am proud of the work Melissa and her team does in the community and how they represent Wheaton College and the department of athletics on a daily basis. This award is a well earned honor for Melissa."

Currently in her 11th year as the women’s basketball head coach at Wheaton in Norton, Mass., Hodgdon was honored for her leadership in the numerous community service initiatives that she and the women's basketball team have taken on over the past few years.

The Lyons work with the Heller’s Angels Special Olympics team has also garnered special recognition from the NCAA and the Connecticut Sun of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), while local basketball organizations have made many connections to the campus through their community service efforts.

In addition, Hodgdon has been active in the Play4Kay campaign and supported numerous other local initiatives over the years. Play4Kay is a fund that aims to raise money to further cutting-edge research conducted by the nation's top doctors and medical experts to allow more and more cancer patients to have access to experimental drugs and clinical trials. To date, the fund has raised over $8 million in support of women's cancer research.

Wheaton wrapped up its 2013-14 campaign with a 20-8 record overall and program best 14-6 New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) mark. The Lyons began the season on a 12-game winning streak spanning from November 16 to January 7. Wheaton’s streak during the 2013-14 season ranks second all-time in program history and also garnered the Blue and White a No. 22 ranking in the USA Today Sports/Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Division III Top-25 poll, their first appearance in the poll since 1995. At the conclusion of the season, Hodgdon was awarded NEWMAC Coach of the Year laurels for the second time in her career for her efforts.

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