School-Record Eight Players Named to ZAG/NFHCA National Academic Squad

W&M earned the ZAG/NFHCA Division I National Team Award along with the eight players being selected to the National Academic Squad.

03/11/08 4:45PM

Williamsburg - The William and Mary field hockey team received a ZAG/NFHCA Division I National Academic Team Award on March 10, while also having eight student-athletes placed on the ZAG/NFHCA Division I National Academic Squad. The Tribe earned in the team accolade after earning a team grade point average of 3.0 and was one of four CAA schools to earn the distinction. Seniors Jessica Kacerek and Gwen Hunter earned the National Academic Squad distinction for the fourth and third times, respectively, while freshmen Jenna Cinalli, Camila Hill, Elizabeth Loudy, Kelsey Nawalinski, Danielle Scissom and Rebecca Wagner were selected for the first time in their careers.

The eight National Academic Squad honorees were the most in school history, bettering the previous mark of five set in 2005. Since 1994, head coach Peel Hawthorne has seen the Tribe garner 38 National Academic Squad selections. Kacerek is only the second W&M player to earn the NFHCA National Academic Squad honor on four occasions, while Hunter became the seventh Tribe player to receive the honor on three occasions.

Hunter started every game in goal for the Tribe over the last three seasons and started the most games (60) ever for a Tribe goal-keeper. She ranks fifth in W&M history in career shutouts (13) and saves (309), while also ranking among the top 10 in career goals against average. During the 2007 season, Hunter garnered CAA Player of the Week honors after leading the Tribe to a 1-0 win over Northeastern. She had a goals against average of 1.80 to go along with 90 saves during her senior campaign in 2007.

Kacerek ranked second on the team in points (13) and assists (5), while ranking third in goals with four in 2007. As the playmaker in the midfield, she started all 19 games as a senior, bringing her career totals to 67 games played with 55 starts. During her final campaign, she scored her first career game-winning goal to lead W&M to a 3-0 win over VCU. Following her junior season, she was named the William and Mary Martha Barksdale Award winner, given annually to the rising senior female athlete who has excelled in the classroom and on the field.

Cinalli earned CAA All-Rookie Team honors, while ranking second on the team with five goals. She led the College with a trio of game-winning markers, which also ranked third in the CAA. The Fredericksburg, Va., native played in 18 matches for the College and started the final 12 contests of the season.

Wagner played in 18 contests and started five during her rookie campaign with the College. She finished the year with eight points on three goals and two assists. She opened the year earning womensfieldhockey.com National Rookie of the Week honors as well as the CAA Rookie of the Week distinction on Aug. 27, scoring the game-winning goals in the Tribe’s season opening wins over Lock Haven and Fairfield.

Loudy and Scissom both gained valuable experience during their freshmen seasons. Loudy played in 13 matches and earned three starts in the Tribe midfield despite battling injuries for part of her rookie year. Scissom appeared in 12 matches earning one start on the Green and Gold backline. Both Hill and Nawalinski redshirted their first seasons with the Tribe program.