Galloway, NJ – Nineteen members of the Stockton University field hockey team qualified for the
Zag Field Hockey/NFHCA Division III National Academic Squad as compiled by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association. The requirement for the award was a cumulative grade point average of 3.30 or higher through the Fall 2017 semester.
Over 1,700 players from 149 schools qualified for the National Academic Squad. Stockton was one of just 11 teams out of that list of 149 with at least 19 qualifiers. Haverford led the way with 23 selections.
Seniors
Caroline Bowman (Ocean City/Ocean City),
Leah Davies (Ocean City/Ocean City),
Sarah Gawrysiak (Haddon Twp./Haddon Twp.),
Alexa Massa (Moorestown/Moorestown),
Emily McNeill (Blackwood/Paul VI) and
Katie O'Brien (Mt. Laurel/Lenape) became four-year members of the Zag Field Hockey/NFHCA Division III National Academic Squad.
Emily Sorochynskyj (Boonton/Boonton) also qualified in her senior year. Three juniors who earned the academic honor were
Victoria Caiazzo (Manahawkin/Southern Regional),
Sarah Fisher (Monroeville/Woodstown) and
Lauren Sontupe (Bordentown/Bordentown).
Niya Calloway (Matawan/Matawan),
Emily Gilligan (West Deptford/West Deptford),
Jennelle Long (Matawan/Matawan),
Rebecca Moya (Ramsey/Ramsey) and
Harlee York (Riverdale/Pompton Lakes) were the sophomores to earn spots on the National Academic Squad.
Freshmen
Casey Cordonna (Barrington/Haddon Hts.),
Lauryn Flynn (Warren Grove/Southern Regional),
Britney Stein (Ocean City/Ocean City) and
Kassidy Wentzell (Hammonton/St. Joseph's) qualified in their first semester of college.
As a team, Stockton qualified for a Zag Field Hockey/NFHCA Division III National Academic Team Award for the seventh straight year. That honor went to teams that produced a team grade point average of 3.0 or higher during the Fall 2017 semester. Gilligan and York earned spots as NFHCA Scholars of Distinction for registering GPA's of 3.90 or higher.
On the field, second-year head coach
Sarah Elleman helmed Stockton to an 11-9 record in 2017 to post the second-best win total in school history and come within one victory of the school record (12 wins in 2013). The Ospreys played in the ECAC Tournament for the second time and finished with a winning record for the third time in 15 seasons.
