Fairfax, Va. — Mason Athletics will celebrate Sue Collins National Girls & Women in Sports Day (NGWSD) by honoring former women's basketball standout Jennifer Surlas ('01), and Mason track & field throws coach Michelle (Wallerstedt) Hodge ('17) at the women's home basketball game against St. Bonaventure on Wednesday, Feb. 8.
The Sue Collins NGWSD celebration begins with a pregame reception in the Gold Hospitality Room at 6 p.m. The basketball game tips at 7:00 p.m.
Surlas is one of the all-time greats in women's basketball history to don the Green and Gold. The former guard is the eighth all-time leading scorer for the Patriots with 1,492 points and is second in three-point field goals with 213, just five short of leader Keri Chaconas.
The Mount Pleasant, Pa. native earned first-team All-CAA honors twice. She was named to the All-Virginia First Team her last three seasons. As a senior, she was a second-team All-CAA selection earning CAA All-Tournament honors to lead the Patriots to their first-ever postseason appearance, a WNIT game against Georgetown University.
A 2001 Mason graduate with a bachelor of arts in sociology, Surlas continued her basketball career playing professionally for three years, including one season each in Holland, Turkey, and the NWBL.
Upon returning from overseas, Surlas served as the color analyst on George Mason men's basketball broadcasts during the 2005-06 season, including NCAA postseason games in the Patriots' historic run to the 2006 NCAA Final Four.
Jennifer has been serving a dual role in the real estate industry as a licensed Virginia Realtor and a licensed Settlement agent in the DMV with Engel and Völkers.
Hodge, who competed for the Patriots from 2012-17, returned to Mason to coach the throws group.
The Omaha, Nebraska native earned NCAA Second Team All-America honors in her five-year career at Mason, after placing 15th in the discus at the 2017 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. She was a two-time Atlantic 10 champion in the discus and a four-year outdoor ECAC qualifier. She still holds the school record in the discus (55.16m).
In addition to her athletic accomplishments, Hodge was a semifinalist for 2017 NCAA Woman of the Year award. She was awarded the Sue Collins Leadership Award for Women in Sport in her senior year. She was named Academic All-America three times and served as president of the Student Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC).
Mason Athletics dedicated its annual NGWSD celebration in 2019 after Sue Collins, longtime George Mason Senior Woman Administrator. Retiring in 2015, Collins worked at Mason for 34 years, pioneering many initiatives and programs at George Mason and the NCAA level, especially in academic and eligibility policy.
Tickets for NGWSD can be purchased here. Tickets are at a special rate of $10 for a VIP floor seats or $5 for General Admission. Those who purchase with the promo code will be invited to the pregame NGWSD reception. Please contact, Taylor Bosket, tbosket@gmu.edu or 703-993-4112 with any questions on ticketing for NGWSD.
About National Girls and Women in Sports Day
NGWSD began in 1987 as a special day in our nation's capital to recognize women's sports. The day united premiere organizations and elite female athletes to bring national attention to the promise of girls and women in sports. NGWSD is celebrated annually across all 50 states with community-based events, award ceremonies, and other celebratory activities. NGWSD is organized by the members of the National Girls & Women in Sports Day Coalition.
