Weiner, Welch Headline NFHCA Academic Recognition

CHANDLER, Ariz. — The National Field Hockey Coaches Association has released its individual and team academic awards for the 2013 season, with several athletes from Goucher prominently featured.

Liz Weiner (New Bloomfield, Pa./West Perry) and Celia Welch (Arlington, Mass./Arlington) were each recognized as 2013 Gladiator by SGI/NFHCA Division III Scholars of Distinction, a prestigious accomplishment which is awarded to student-athletes with a grade-point average of 3.90 or higher.

Goucher also received the NFHCA's National Team Academic Award for having a minimum GPA of 3.0, and eight other Gophers joined Weiner and Welch on the National Academic Squad for having a cumulative GPA of 3.30 or higher.

"I am very proud that our players are able to hold themselves to a high standard both on the field and in the classroom," head coach Megan Williams said. "Goucher field hockey has a rich tradition of successful student-athletes, and this team is upholding that reputation very well."

Weiner has now been named a Scholar of Distinction in each of the award's two years of existence. The senior defender, who is majoring in sociology and anthropology, currently has a grade-point average of 3.90. She started all 17 games in her final season at Goucher, registering five shots and three defensive saves from the backline.

Welch appeared in 15 games in her debut season, making three starts for the Gophers. She finished with a GPA of 3.93 in her first semester at Goucher, and is still currently undecided on her major. A total of 131 student-athletes across Division III earned a spot on the list.

The Goucher field hockey program was one of 126 recognized by the NFHCA. The Gophers have now had a team GPA of over 3.0 in 29 consecutive semesters, dating back to the spring of 1999. The field hockey team recorded a GPA of 3.16 during the most recent fall semester.

The eight student-athletes joining Weiner and Welch on the National Academic Squad were Lizzie Barminski (Ventura, Calif./Buena), Annie Carter (Ann Arbor, Mich./Saline), Emily Gill (White Hall, Md./North Harford), Danielle Hallacker (Freehold, N.J./Freehold Twp.), Demie Huffman (Granville, Ohio/Granville), Caroline Less (Easton, Mass./Oliver Ames), Megan Meluskey (Wilmington, Del./Concord) and Justine Ruhlin (Cornish, Maine/Sacopee Valley). Weiner made the squad in each of her four seasons at Goucher, while Huffman, Less and Ruhlin have also made the list in each year they have been eligible.