Four named Scholars of Distinction

NFHCA National Academic Squad (PDF)
NFHCA Scholars of Distinction (PDF)
NFHCA National Academic Team Award (PDF) 

RINDGE, N.H. (March 24, 2016) – The Franklin Pierce University field hockey team has had a program-record 14 student-athletes named to the National Field Hockey Coaches Association Division II National Academic Squad, as announced earlier this week by the NFHCA. Furthermore, freshman midfielder Sarah Bjorn (Holden, Mass.), senior midfielder Chelsey Burnell (Porter, Maine), sophomore forward Carly Canavan (Kingston, N.Y.) and freshman goalkeeper Samantha Geils (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) have all been named Scholars of Distinction by the NFHCA, while the team earned the NFHCA's National Academic Team Award.

In addition to the quartet of Scholar of Distinction honorees, the following 10 players earned National Academic Squad accolades: junior back Morgan Caisse (Westminster, Mass.), junior forward Francesca Cartee (Rindge, N.H.), junior forward Rachel Deneault (Holden, Mass.), freshman back Rachael Graves (Glenburn, Maine), sophomore midfielder Danielle Harris (Templeton, Mass.), freshman midfielder Dayna Kowesky (Leominster, Mass.), freshman midfielder Raegan Moulton (Baldwinville, Mass.), junior back Shannon O'Leary (Florence, Mass.), freshman midfielder Jessica Osterhoudt (Red Hook, N.Y.) and sophomore forward Erin Smith (Templeton, Mass.).

To be eligible for selection, a student-athlete must have posted a cumulative grade-point average of 3.30 or higher through the fall semester. In addition, this is the fourth year of the Scholars of Distinction program, which recognizes student-athletes carrying GPAs of 3.90 or higher. Franklin Pierce has now had 11 Scholar of Distinction selections over the four seasons the NFHCA has recognized them.

The 14 individual selections to the National Academic Squad eclipsed the program's previous high-water mark of 10 honorees, which had been accomplished on three occasions. The Ravens earned the National Academic Team Award -- which requires a team GPA of 3.0 or higher -- for the 10th time overall, and the first time since 2013, with a semester GPA of 3.29.

Franklin Pierce has now had 123 selections to the NFHCA National Academic Squad, all since 2000, an average of 7.69 student-athletes per season over the last 16 years. Burnell (3.92 GPA) became the 13th Franklin Pierce player to be a four-year National Academic Squad honoree and is also the first three-time Scholar of Distinction selection. Meanwhile, Caisse (3.8), Cartee (3.82), Deneault (3.54) and O'Leary (3.38) have each earned their third selection in as many years, while Canavan (4.0), Harris (3.45) and Smith (3.75) were each honored for the second time in as many years. Bjorn (4.0), Geils (3.92), Graves (3.37), Kowesky (3.33), Moulton (3.4) and Osterhoudt (3.5) were all first-time honorees for the Ravens, who have now had 61 different players honored under the National Academic Squad program.

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu). Also be sure to follow the Ravens through the Department of Athletics' official Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens), its YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/franklinpiercesports) and its Twitter feed (http://twitter.com/FPUathletics). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce field hockey apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' brand new online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).