SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. - The Mount Holyoke College field hockey team has been recognized by the 2012 Gladiator by SGI/National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) as one of the top academic teams in Division III. The Lyons, who have a team grade point average of 3.17, also saw nine student-athletes named to the NFHCA National Academic Squad.

One of 125 schools to be recognized, Mount Holyoke has been one of the top squads over the last 15, earning Academic Squad honors in each year of head coach Andy Whitcomb's career.

Mount Holyoke's individuals named were Victoria Beja-Glasser (Chapel Hill, N.C./East Chapel Hill), Chrissy Boyles (Harvard, Mass./Acton Boxborough), Christine Ianni (Wilmington, Del./Tower Hill), Sarah LaQuerre (Old Orchard Beach, Maine/Cheverus), Laura Murphy (Los Altos, Calif./Los Altos), Kayla Parker (Manchester, Maine/Maranacoock Community), Emma Ross (Glenshaw, Pa./Oakland Catholic), Allison Slysz (Hatfield, Mass./Smith Academy) and Sarah Watkins (Pisgah Forest, N.C./Carolina Day).

Beja-Glasser, a junior, along with Boyles, Ianni, Murphy, Parker, Ross and Slysz – all sophomores – are making their second straight appearance on the National Academic Squad.

Of the nine student-athletes recognized to the National squad, five had a grade point average higher than 3.50. In total, 10 members of the field hockey team achieved GPA's of at least a 3.00.

This year's NFHCA Division III top five teams were NEWMAC-rival MIT (3.56), Ramapo College (3.55), Wesleyan University (3.55), Richard Stockton College (3.54) and Simmons College (3.54).

Led by 15th-year head coach Andy Whitcomb, the Lyons finished 7-10 in 2012 and advanced to the Quarterfinals of the NEWMAC Playoffs. 

To be recognized for National Academic Team Award honors, a squad must have achieved a team GPA of 3.0 or higher during the Fall Semester of the 2012 academic year. Those named to the National Academic Squad, must have achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.30 or higher through the Fall of 2012.