Worcester, MA --- For the fourth-consecutive season, the Worcester State field hockey team has been lauded by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) for their work in the classroom.
With a fall grade point average of 3.29, the Lancers were one of 106 institutions who sponsor field hockey to be distinguished for having a GPA over a 3.0. There were also 30 schools from the New England region who were distinguished and 19 who were public institutions including LEC members Keene State, Plymouth State and Western Connecticut State.
Last fall the Blue and Gold led all three NCAA divisions with a stellar GPA of 3.57. This year Vassar led the way with a 3.52 GPA for the top spot in Division III
11 of the squads 22 members were also on the NFHCA SGI/Gladiator All-Academic Squad for earning a GPA of 3.30 or above during the 2011-12 semster.
They included seniors Sarah Cozzens (Lancaster, MA) and Samantha Janda (W. Boyslton, MA), juniors Nicole Harvey (Attleboro, MA), Torey Kuchachik (Ashland, MA), Rebecca Mullen (Peabody, MA) and Ally Valencia (Foxboro, MA), sophomores Lindsey McGeary (Foxboro, MA) and Amanda Turnbull (Rochdale, MA) and freshman classmates Katelyn Androwski (Oxford, MA), Katherine Bitters (Greenfield, MA) and Jessica King (Newton, NH).
Cozzens and Janda have been recognized in each of the last four seasons; Harvey, Kuchachik and Mullen were each distinguished in the last three campaigns and McGeary was honored last year.
The Lancers under the direction of first-year head coach Susie Whelan went 10-9 and 6-5 in LEC play. They would earn their first LEC Tournament berth in three seasons and their first ECAC Division III New England Tournament bid since 2008.