COLCHESTER, Vt. - Seven members of the Saint Michael's College field hockey team qualified for the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Collegiate Division II National Academic Squad for this past fall, all registering the minimum 3.50 cumulative grade-point average necessary to land the accolade.
 
The laurel was earned by at least seven Purple Knights for the 16th straight season. Saint Michael's was among 13 Northeast 10 Conference programs to claim at least six honorees. Purple Knights have now landed the award 311 times during head coach Carla Hesler's 27 seasons guiding the program.
 
Senior Kathleen Dean (Auburn, Maine/Saint Dominic Academy) earned her fourth career honor, while sophomores Ruby Harrington (Barre, Vt./Spaulding), Ellie Newton (Silver Lake, N.H./Kennett) and Melanie Snell (Fayston, Vt./Harwood Union) were all recognized for the second time. First-years Ronia Foecking (Antrim, N.H./ConVal Regional), Sophie Noyes (Canaan, Maine/Skowhegan Area) and Lexi Sylvia (Fitchburg, Mass./Saint Bernard's Central Catholic) each claimed their initial accolades.