March 5, 2012

AMHERST, Mass. - A school record 10 UMass field hockey student-athletes were recognized for their work in the classroom when the National Field Hockey Coaches Association announced the 2011 Gladiator by SGI / NFHCA Division I National Academic Squad on Monday. The team was also one of 60 squads to receive The National Academic Team Award, which honors those institutions that have achieved a Team GPA of 3.0 or higher during the first semester of the 2011-12 academic year.

Freshman Lauren Allymohamed, junior Kate Heineman, junior Elizabeth Karns, freshman Mariajose Rodriguez, sophomore Alexa Sikalis, sophomore Mel Sutherland, redshirt junior Callie Sweigart, senior Alesha Widdall, junior Kim Young and junior Thando Zono were all recognized for having cumulative GPAs of 3.30 or higher.

Sweigart and Widdall were both honored for the fourth time in their careers. Karns, Sikalis, Young and Zondo all received their second Academic Squad recognitions, while Allymohamed, Heineman, Rodriguez and Sutherland all earned the recognition for the first time.

Ten National Academic Squad members surpasses the program's previous high of eight in 2005. As a team, the Minutewomen posted a collective 3.108 grade-point average.