The field hockey team is led by 15th-year head coach Bridget LaNoir ’99 (at left).
The Rensselaer field hockey team has been recognized as one of the top academic teams in Division III by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA). The Engineers have a team grade point average of 3.29. In addition to the team award, 10 student-athletes were named to the National Academic Squad with two—Mikaela DiBello and Jena Nawfel—named to the Scholars of Distinction list. Another honoree, Celia D’Agostino, is a four-year award recipient.
One of 124 schools to be recognized with a 2015 ZAG Field Hockey/NFCHA Team Award, Rensselaer has consistently been one of the top teams over the last 10 seasons, including being named the nation’s top academic squad in both 2004 and 2005. The Engineers ranked second in 2008 and have been among the top 10 three other times. The National Academic Team Award recognizes those institutions that achieved a minimum Team GPA of 3.0 during the first semester of the 2015-16 academic year.
DiBello, a freshman, and Nawfel, a sophomore, are among those student-athletes who have achieved a cumulative grade point average of 3.90 or higher through the first semester of the 2015-16 academic year. This is the second consecutive season Nawfel has been honored. She is a biomedical engineering major, while DiBello studies chemistry.
Team members named to the Scholars of Distinction
Mikaela DiBello, freshman
Jena Nawfel, sophomore
Four-year Award Recipient
Celia D’Agostino, senior
Team members named to the Academic Squad
Kate Batzinger, sophomore
Kayla Bell, freshman
Nicole Clancy, sophomore
Casey Collette, freshman
Jena Dolinar, freshman
Jane Edgington, sophomore
Colleen Morris, junior
Both DiBello and Nawfel started all 17 games at attack for the Engineers, who were 11-6 in 2015. Nawfel earned All-Liberty League Second Team honors after leading the team in goals (7), assists (10), and points (24). DiBello scored five goals with one assist for 11 points.
D’Agostino, a senior environmental engineering major, also started all 17 games. She scored twice with two assists from her midfield position. A captain, she was All-Liberty League First Team and selected to play in the NFHCA Senior Game.
All are engineering majors with the exception of Bell, who studies science.
Fifteen of Rensselaer’s 21 team members qualified for the Dean’s List last semester, including 10 who earned at least a 3.50 GPA. There are 15 student-athletes who carry a 3.0 cumulative GPA or higher on the team.
Rensselaer is led by 15th-year head coach Bridget LaNoir ’99.