Laura Hurd

Laura Hurd registered 120 goals and 117 assists in 100 NCAA DIvision III contests. She was a four-time All American and AHCA National Player of the Year. In addition, she led the Elmira College Soaring Eagles to two national championships. After her hockey career had finished, she had settled in New York state, and taken a job with Corning, Inc. She finished her career with 237 career points in only 110 games played. On June 23, 2006, she passed away in an automobile accident when her car went off road and struck a culvert in Watkins Glen, New York at around 6 a.m. The Laura Hurd Award is named in her honor.

Playing career
When Hurd joined Elmira College, the women’s ice hockey program was only in its inaugural season. As a freshman, she registered40 goals and 37 assists (77 points) in 28 games and helped Elmira win a national title. She would score the game winning goal in the NCAA Division III championship versus Manhattanville. In her senior season, she would attempt to win her second NCAA Division III title. Middlebury led 4–3 in the third period when Hurd intercepted the puck with 24 seconds left. Her backhanded shot beat the goaltender but went a few inches wide of the net. In a two game series versus Chatham (Oct 29-30, 2004), Hurd would accumulate twelve points (a goal and four assists in the first game, two goals and five assists in the second game). Hurd was the first player ever to receive AHCA First Team All-American honors at the D-III women’s level She helped lead Elmira to the first two NCAA D-III women’s titles in the program’s inaugural seasons.

Awards and honors

 * AHCA National Player of the Year, 2004-05
 * ECAC Div. III Player of the Week (Week ending October 31, 2004)
 * Elmira College record, Most Goals in one season (40), accomplished in 2004-05
 * Elmira College record, Most Goals in career (120)
 * Elmira College record, Most Points in one season (77), accomplished in 2001-02