National Academic Squad List
Millersville, Pa. – After producing its most successful season on the field in more than a decade, the Millersville field hockey program earned recognition Tuesday with the Gladiator by SGI / NFHCA Division II National Academic Team Award for ranking first among all NCAA Division II field hockey teams in GPA.
Millersville, under the direction of second-year coach Shelly Behrens, posted a team GPA of 3.41, edging Bentley and Slippery Rock, which tied for second with a 3.38 GPA. Millersville made the jump to No. 1 after ranking fifth during Behrens’ first season. The team’s GPA boosted from 3.31 to 3.41 in 2009.
Only five teams in Division II posted a GPA above 3.30 and 18 finished above 3.0.
Additionally, 14 individual Marauders were named to the Gladiator by SGI / NFHCA Division II National Academic Squad for achieving a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or higher during the 2009 field hockey season.
The honorees included: freshman
Brittany Anderson, junior
Casie Baer, freshman
Lauri Blessing, senior
Nicole Rayson, senior
Krista Bupp, sophomore
Sara Dickinson, freshman
Kirsten Dively, senior
Meredith Dolinger, freshman
Chelsey Herbine, freshman
Alexia Lampo, freshman
Melissa McCarthy, freshman
Paige Morrison, freshman
Maria Thompson, and junior
Emily Woodland.
Rayson became one of just 16 athletes in Division II to land on the team for the fourth time. Bupp was named first team All-America by womensfieldhockey.com, and McCarthy was named to the organization’s All-Rookie Team. Dolinger joined Bupp as All-PSAC East First Team honorees, and McCarthy and Thompson was named All-PSAC East Second Team.
Millersville finished the 2009 season ranked No. 10 in Division II with a 9-10 record.