May 15, 2009

BOSTON - On Thursday, May 14, Boston University women's soccer head coach Nancy Feldman received an Honorary Scarlet Key, which acknowledges a faculty or staff member who has made a positive influence on student life. The Scarlet Key is one of BU's highest academic honors and is handed out annually at a Tapping Ceremony in the George Sherman Union's Metcalf Hall.

Feldman, who is in her 14th season with the Boston University women's soccer team, has guided the program from club-level to a squad that is consistently competing against the nation's top squads. Recently, BU won its sixth America East Conference title in nine years and appeared in its fourth straight NCAA tournament for the first time in program history. Her 267-106-34 career record as a head coach ranks among the nation's elite as she is currently in the top 20 for coaches both active and inactive in terms of career winning percentage and all-time in wins.

Feldman's stature in the coaching profession is evidenced by the leadership roles she holds on several important national committees. She has served as the National Chairperson of the NSCAA All-America Committee (`89-95), and with the NCAA Regional Selection Committee (`92-95). She is the holder of an USSF "B" License, and has received her Advanced National Diploma from the NSCAA.

In the classroom, the women's soccer team has excelled and has traditionally been honored with numerous academic honors on the both the conference and national level. In 2008, senior Marisha Schumacher-Hodge was named to the 2008 NSCAA/adidas Scholar All-America soccer team, a prestigious honor awarded by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. Schumacher-Hodge, senior Elizabeth Speck, junior Emily Pallotta and sophomore Lina Cords earned America East All-Academic honors in 2008 for maintaining 3.30 GPA or higher, while Pallotta and Schumacher-Hodge added 2008 ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District 1 First Team recognition to their long list of accolades.

In addition to the Terriers' success on the field and in the classroom, Feldman's student-athletes have played active roles in the community by hosting youth soccer clinics at Nickerson Field, traveling to New Orleans to help in Hurricane Katrina relief and participating in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, among many other community-outreach efforts.

The Honorary Scarlet Key Award is a University honor given to a faculty or staff member who has had a positive influence on student life at the University. In addition to Feldman, Jeanne Knoxx, the Chair of the Parents Leadership Council, and Carl Sessa, the Senior Assistant Dean of MET were given Honorary Scarlet Keys.