DUDLEY, Mass. – The Nichols College field hockey team placed eight student-athletes on the 2021 National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Division III National Academic Squad. Graduate student Liza Phillips was joined by juniors Erin Anthony, Mackenzie Doran, Abigail Karalus, and Hailey Meader, and freshmen Emily LeBlanc, Sophia Venable, and Callie Worthington.

"Nicole (Simeone) and I are very proud of these women for earning the GPA required to be named to the NFHCA All-Academic Team," said second-year head coach Laura-Ann Lane. "Coming off a long COVID year, combined with having a small roster and playing down for many games, this team stuck together, persevered, and held themselves accountable in the classroom and on the pitch. We spoke about setting the standard for the program and what that means, and they did it! We're both very proud of them!"

Phillips received her undergraduate degree in Sport Management last spring and began working as a graduate assistant in the Athletic Communications Department at Nichols in January, 2022. A four-time NEFCA honoree and three-time Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Academic All-Conference pick, the Simsbury, Conn. native started all 17 games on defense for the Bison in 2021. This summer, she will compete at the 21st Maccabiah for the Open Women's Field Hockey Team.

Doran – a two-time CCC Academic All-Conference selection – finished second in both goals (eight) and points (18) for the Bison in 2021. A two-time NEFCA Scholar of Distinction honoree (2019-20), the Wolfeboro, N.H. native is a management major who collected her first collegiate hat trick in a win over Clark (MA) on October 12.

Meader started all 15 games she appeared in for Nichols this past fall, recording a defensive save against Gordon on September 18. She is a psychology major form Vineyard Haven, Mass., a two-time CCC Academic All-Conference pick (2020-21), and a double major in psychology and criminal justice.

Karalus is a marketing major from Dudley, Mass. who finished third on the team in goals (five) while started all 16 games she played in. Last year, she was named to both a CCC Academic All-Conference and NFHCA Division III National Academic Squad. Karalus scored a pair of goals in a home win over Lasell on Sept. 21.

A native of Somers, Conn., Anthony started all 17 matches for the Bison in 2021 and collected 10 points on three goals and seven assists – including two against both Elms (Sept. 15) and UNE (Oct. 30). The general business major was named to the CCC Academic All-Conference team this past fall and, in 2019, the NFHCA Division III National Academic Squad.

LeBlanc is an HR management / personnel administration major who started all 17 games as a freshman. The Manchester, New Hampshire native collected her first collegiate point – an assist – in a win over Anna Maria on Sept. 8.

Venable started 10 games in goal in 2021 and posted a 6-5 record with a .727 save percentage. The Troy, N.Y. native notched a season-high 12 saves against both Wheaton (MA) (Sept. 11) and Roger Williams (Sept. 25). Venable is majoring in sport management.

Worthington started all 17 games as a freshman and led Nichols with three defensive saves. The Stafford Springs, Conn. native has not yet declared a major.

The Division III National Academic Squad program honors student-athletes who have achieved a cumulative grade point average of 3.3 or higher through the first semester of the 2021-22 academic year.