ALBANY, N.Y. — ECAC Hockey has announced that the winner of the 2021 Mandi Schwartz Student-Athlete of the Year award is Cornell University senior Devon Facchinato.
The Mandi Schwartz Student-Athlete of the Year award is presented annually to an ECAC Hockey women’s player in honor of former Yale University student-athlete Mandi Schwartz (1988-2011). Mandi passed away in April of 2011, but continues to inspire the entire hockey community through the memory of her courageous battle with acute myeloid leukemia.
Nominees for this prestigious award must be leaders within their teams, in the classroom, and in the community. For this season only, on-ice accomplishments were removed from consideration for this award.
Facchinato (Windsor, Ont.) is a senior Chemistry major. Since her start at Cornell four years ago, she’s been one of the top students in her class, and has established herself as one of the best teachers assistants within her major. She also serves as a tutor to fellow Cornell students.
One of Devon’s professors summed up her all-around excellence the best when he said “Devon is truly an exceptional athlete, student, and the finest young woman imaginable. I can imagine no one more better suited for this award.”
Within the Ithaca community, Facchinato has gotten involved in several areas, volunteering for Feed My Starving Children, Do It For Daron, Salvation Army, Big Sister, and the Cancer Resource Center. A diverse athlete, she’s also a volunteer soccer coach. Although many student-athletes are involved in community service efforts through their team, Devon has gone above and beyond what is expected of her, and taken on leadership roles in these efforts.
The senior boasts numerous academic honors, having been named to the ECAC Hockey All-Academic team three times, an All-American Scholar in 2018 and 2019, and an Appleby College Governor General’s Award recipient. She’s been on the Cornell University Deans list every semester since 2018, and was honored as the top Student-Athlete for the Big Red last season.
The ECAC Hockey finance and awards committee, and league staff congratulate Devon on this tremendous honor.
