Baltimore -- It was announced on Wednesday afternoon that senior midfielder Delaney Jackson was named the Diane Geppi-Aikens Award Recipient for the 2026-27 season. 

"She is a positive, hardworking, passionate, selfless, disciplined, deeply loyal, proud Greyhound" said Deputy Athletic Director and Senior Women Administrator Teddi Burns ('86). "Delaney is the kind of person our culture is built around, and she is someone I know Diane would have loved to coach."

The Diane Geppi-Aikens Endowed Scholarship was established through donations from a group of women's lacrosse alumnae and is the first endowed scholarship for a female student-athlete at Loyola. Established in 2014, the scholarship will be presented annually to a senior on the women's lacrosse team who shares the values, characteristics and traits that Geppi-Aikens did for family, competitiveness, advocacy for sports and lacrosse, and toughness.

Geppi-Aikens was born in Baltimore and attended Parkville High School before attending Loyola College on a volleyball and lacrosse scholarship. An All-America goalkeeper, Geppi-Aikens went on to become Loyola's women's volleyball head coach and five years later, the women's lacrosse coach, a position she held until her death in June of 2003.

A courageous, enthusiastic, compassionate, approachable inspiration to all who knew her, Geppi-Aikens led the women's lacrosse team to 10 NCAA Tournaments in her 15 seasons as head coach, including seven national semifinals and one NCAA title game. She was named the National Coach of the Year on three occasions and was inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame in October 2015.

In 1995 though, she started getting seizures and was diagnosed with brain cancer. She went on to have three brain surgeries, but in December 2002, her cancer became terminal. Even though she was partially paralyzed, she continued to Diane Geppi-Aikens Award Winner 1 coach, including coaching her last year from a wheelchair while leading her team to a No. 1 ranking in the country.

This years award was presented to Delaney Jackson a senior midfielder from Marlton, New Jersey.  Much like Geppi-Aikens, who was the heart and soul of our team in the late 90's early 2000's, Jackson is the heart and soul of our locker room and culture today.

"It is such an honor to receive this award" said Delaney Jackson. "Diane's legacy is deeply rooted in our program's culture, and to be a part of this amazing group of women who continue to carry on her legacy is something I am incredibly grateful for. I feel lucky everyday to be apart of the hound family. There truly is no place like Loyola!"

Diane Geppi-Aikens Endowed Scholarship Recipients

2014-15: Hannah Schmitt

2015-16: Molly Wolf

2016-17: Bailey Mathis

2017-18: Margaret Filippelli

2018-19: Kristen Yanchoris

2019-20: Holly Lloyd

2020-21: Liz Scott

2021-22: Shay Clevenger

2022-23: Anna Ruby

2023-24: Sydni Black

2024-25: Ellie Wiechert

2025-26: Emily Scorcia

2026-27: Delaney Jackson