As we reach the end of the 2021 calendar year, we pause for the holiday break to reflect on the challenges and successes of Westfield State athletics and our student athletes.

We will release one story a day as we play out 2021, and look forward to another great year for Westfield State athletics in 2022.

There were so many accomplishments that we could not fit them all of neatly into a top ten list, so we round up the 2021 recognizing that women's basketball senior Melissa Gray passed the 1,500-point career mark in last weekend's victory over Western New England; for the first time in three years, Westfield State University hosted the 24^th Athletics Hall of Fame Banquet on October 15; and Westfield State student athletes were a part of many different community service opportunities such as hosting the Western Mass Special Olympics football tournament, participating in the Walk to End Alzheimer's, and our traditional Secret Santa program to help families in Westfield at the holidays.

Now, with out further ado, we start the top 10 !

Top Stories of 2021: #10 – United as One

At number ten, an important message of unity and respect was echoed throughout the Westfield State campus community.

Westfield State athletic teams and the student-athlete advisory committee have taken a pledge to be United as One to ensure a diverse and welcoming environment for student-athletes, and all students in the Westfield State community. Together as one, the goal of the initiative is to educate one another through guided conversations, shared experiences, and not just listening, but truly hearing one another. Teams have signified their unity through wearing the NCAA Unity Patch on all team uniforms.

Westfield State student-athletes, coaches, and staff have also developed a United as One video to reinforce the message of being Champions of Unity on their teams, the campus, and in their communities.