Hall of Fame
Katherine Caveny ’88 – Class of 1998
Confidence and Responsibility…
Teammates say she was quick to laugh; that they never saw her down; that around her the team coalesced into a supportive unit that stuck together – win or lose. They recall being able to take risks that allowed them to perform beyond their own skills – because she was capable of backing them up.
She was fast and she was strong. She was what coaches call a “player.” And she knew it. Without arrogance or conceit, but with the self-assurance and poise that comes from demonstrated ability, diligent preparation and practice.
She had confidence in her own ability; the sort of confidence that can inspire a group of athletes to become a team whose capabilities exceed the sum of its parts. Her presence as a four-year starter at midfield in soccer and in the outfield on the softball diamond was an integral factor in earning Dolphin teams post-season play and making them worthy opponents of nationally-ranked programs.
Confidence brings responsibility. In a time when few precedents existed in the women’s athletic program, she was at the core of a group of student-athletes who solidified an enduring tradition based on hard work in athletics for the simple joy of competition and a commitment to leadership in all phases of the life of the college. As outstanding students, resident advisors, and in a host of roles on campus, they earned distinction beyond the athletic arena and set a pattern of service that has become a hallmark of the program.
As a senior, her contributions were recognized through the Rev. John J. O’Brien, S.J. Award as Le Moyne’s Athlete of the Year.
After graduation, she applied her academic training and ability to aspire others to achieve their own potential to her career as a special education teacher. She has continued to demonstrate the athletic ability, self-assurance and poise displayed at Le Moyne in the most glaring spotlight, as a basketball referee on the high school and major college level, officiating at both men’s and women’s games.
For performing with distinction throughout a four-year, two-sport varsity career; for serving as a catalyst in building the tradition of service associated with women’s athletics on the Heights; and for reminding us that confidence and responsibility are two sides of the same coin, Katherine E. Caveny ’88 is inducted to the Le Moyne College Athletic Hall of Fame.
February 7, 1998
