MSU Honored for Team Academic Excellence by NFHCA
2/18/2025 8:07:00 PM | Field Hockey
East Lansing, Mich.. -- The National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) has announced its list of National Academic Team Award honorees, granted to program that have achieved an exceptional team grade-point average of 3.5 or higher during the fall semester of the current academic year.
Â
MSU was not only one of just four Big Ten institutions to earn this accolade but was tied for second among all programs with a 3.79 cumulative grade point average. Monmouth led all of Division I with a 3.84, followed by MSU and  Virginia Commonwealth (3.79), Harvard (3.78) and Quinnipiac (3.77)
Â
Complete NFHCA ReleaseÂ
Â
A total of 51 programs qualified for the National Academic Team Award, including fellow Big Ten institutions Indiana, Rutgers, and Iowa.Â
Last week, a total of 18 Spartans earned NFHCA National Academic Squad honors, achieved  by maintaining a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher through the fall semester.  Additionally, 11 of those players qualified for Scholar of Distinction accolades, Michigan State boasts the second-most honorees among the NFHCA Scholars of Distinction, who achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.9 or better through the fall 2024 semester.   In addition, three seniors -  Jillian Bonczewski, Emma O'Neill, and Ellie Rutherford – are among the field hockey student-athletes nationwide to earn these honors for the fourth consecutive season.
Â
2024 Individual Spartan Honorees - National Academic SquadÂ
Nina Angeli     Â
Jillian Bonczewski * # Â
Mora Cavazza     Â
Mia Corbo     Â
Katelyn Dulin #   Â
Grace Fronczak #    Â
Lyra Gavino #   Â
Lilian Knorr #    Â
Serena Mailhe    Â
Carmen Maudlin     Â
Emma O'Neill   * # Â
Bianca Pizano     Â
Carmen Pucheta #  Â
Ellie Rutherford *#    Â
Skylar Santucci     Â
Caro Schafer #
Alexa Shaffer #   Â
Brynn Shaffer    Â
# - Scholars of Distinction in addition to National Academic Squad
*Â Four-time honoree for both awards
Â
Â
MSU was not only one of just four Big Ten institutions to earn this accolade but was tied for second among all programs with a 3.79 cumulative grade point average. Monmouth led all of Division I with a 3.84, followed by MSU and  Virginia Commonwealth (3.79), Harvard (3.78) and Quinnipiac (3.77)
Â
Complete NFHCA ReleaseÂ
Â
A total of 51 programs qualified for the National Academic Team Award, including fellow Big Ten institutions Indiana, Rutgers, and Iowa.Â
Last week, a total of 18 Spartans earned NFHCA National Academic Squad honors, achieved  by maintaining a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher through the fall semester.  Additionally, 11 of those players qualified for Scholar of Distinction accolades, Michigan State boasts the second-most honorees among the NFHCA Scholars of Distinction, who achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.9 or better through the fall 2024 semester.   In addition, three seniors -  Jillian Bonczewski, Emma O'Neill, and Ellie Rutherford – are among the field hockey student-athletes nationwide to earn these honors for the fourth consecutive season.
Â
2024 Individual Spartan Honorees - National Academic SquadÂ
Nina Angeli     Â
Jillian Bonczewski * # Â
Mora Cavazza     Â
Mia Corbo     Â
Katelyn Dulin #   Â
Grace Fronczak #    Â
Lyra Gavino #   Â
Lilian Knorr #    Â
Serena Mailhe    Â
Carmen Maudlin     Â
Emma O'Neill   * # Â
Bianca Pizano     Â
Carmen Pucheta #  Â
Ellie Rutherford *#    Â
Skylar Santucci     Â
Caro Schafer #
Alexa Shaffer #   Â
Brynn Shaffer    Â
# - Scholars of Distinction in addition to National Academic Squad
*Â Four-time honoree for both awards
Â
Players Mentioned
Spartans All-Access | Senior Reflections
Tuesday, November 12
Inspiring The Spartans | Spartans All-Access
Wednesday, September 18
Spartans All-Access | Making Each Other Better
Wednesday, August 21
Spartans All-Access: Ashley Harlock
Thursday, November 02