ECAC Hall of Fame Release | Live Video of Induction Ceremony

DANBURY, Conn. -- Former Elmira College women's ice hockey star Laura Hurd '05 will be honored by the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) as the first-ever Soaring Eagle to be inducted in the ECAC Hall of Fame, as announced by the organization last Friday.

Hurd, and the entire induction Class of 2017, will be enshrined on Friday, April 28, at the third annual ECAC Hall of Fame Gala and Induction Ceremony at the Matrix Conference & Banquet Center in Danbury, Connecticut.

Arguably the greatest to ever play NCAA Division III women's ice hockey, Hurd helped turn a first-year program into a national powerhouse while donning the Purple and Gold during Elmira's first varsity seasons from 2001-05. During her time, she established a multitude of program and national records, most of which still stand 12 years after her graduation.

As a freshman in EC's inaugural season, Hurd solidified her legacy as the most prolific scorer of all time with 77 points and 40 goals, figures that still stand as the highest single-season totals in Division III history – no other player has amassed more than 68 points in a season. Her record-setting performance led the Soaring Eagles to their first NCAA Division III National Championship, as EC went 26-1-1 that year with one-goal wins over Plattsburgh State (4-3, 2OT) for the ECAC West Conference Championship and over Manhattanville College (2-1) to hoist the NCAA trophy. Hurd tallied one of her many game-winning goals in the third period to guide the Soaring Eagles past the Valiants in front of 1,100 fans at the Murray Athletic Center.

Fueled by Hurd's tenacity, scoring prowess, and will to win, the Soaring Eagles repeated as both conference and national champions the following season, once again earning victories against Plattsburgh State and Manhattanville. As a sophomore, she tallied 33 goals, second-most in program history behind her rookie total.

Hurd was a four-time All-American, four-time ECAC West All-Conference First Team honoree, two-time ECAC West Player of the Year, and at the conclusion of her senior campaign in 2004-05, she was recognized as the American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) National Player of the Year. Following an automobile accident that claimed her life on June 23, 2006, at the age of 24, that award – the highest honor annually given to a Division III women's ice hockey player – would be renamed the Laura Hurd Award in her memory.

To this day, the Kingston, Ontario, native remains atop the national leaderboards for career points (237), points per game (2.15), assists (117), assists per game (1.06), and she's tied for first in goals scored (110). She's the only player in Elmira's history to accumulate over 200 points and 100 goals in a career, and is one of just two Soaring Eagles to dish out over 100 assists.

Established in 2015, the ECAC Hall of Fame recognizes former student-athletes, coaches, administrators, teams, officials, and support staff for outstanding achievements, service, dedication, commitment, and contributions to ECAC. The ECAC Hall of Fame selection committee, comprised of representatives from a variety of different ECAC constituency groups, meets annually to determine the year's induction class.

The cost to attend the induction ceremony is $175 per person, or $1,700 to reserve a table for 10. The deadline to RSVP and to purchase tickets is Friday, April 21. To purchase tickets for the third annual ECAC Hall of Fame Gala and Induction Ceremony, click here.

ABOUT THE ECAC
In the 77 years since its inception, the ECAC has emerged as the nation's largest Conference, ranging in location from Maine to Georgia, and westerly to Missouri. In 2015-16, the ECAC hosted nearly 100 championships in men's and women's sports as the sponsors of over 5,800 varsity teams and 111,000 student-athletes. For more information, visit www.ecacsports.com.

ECAC HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2017
Jamaal Branch (Athlete), Colgate University, Football
Bob Deming (Administrator), Ithaca College
Jennifer DiMaggio (Athlete), Pace University, Women's Basketball
Laura Hurd (Athlete), Elmira College, Women's Hockey
Fredina Ingold (Administrator), Penn State University – Altoona
Gordie Lockbaum (Athlete), College of the Holy Cross, Football
Noreen Morris (Administrator), Northeast Conference, Northwestern University, Conference USA, University of Connecticut
Jim Nelson (Administrator/Coach), Suffolk University
Shana Williams (Athlete), Seton Hall, Track and Field
1970 Cornell Men's Hockey Team