FARMVILLE, Va. – After making the program's second Mid-American Conference semifinals in a many seasons, seven Longwood field hockey athletes were named Academic All-MAC performers, as announced Wednesday by the conference office.

Headlining the group are All-MAC first team selections Edel Nyland, Lil-Sophie Achterwinter and Leonie Verstraete. Joining the three All-MAC selections are seniors Kate Colley, Brenna Kinzel, Abbey Ripley and Lorissa Morton who all earned their second and third academic honors while playing major roles in the Lancers' 11-6 record and second straight MAC semifinals appearance.

An Academic All-MAC honor is for a student-athlete who has excelled in athletics and academics. To qualify, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.20 cumulative GPA and have participated in at least 50 percent of the contests for that particular sport.

Earning the honor for a third time were seniors Achterwinter, Colley, Kinzel, Morton and Nyland while Verstraete and Ripley earned their second Academic All-MAC honors.

Wednesday's announcement marks the fourth time Longwood has earned at least four Academic All-MAC honors in a single season.

A native of Dusseldorf, Germany, Achterwinter earned her third honor with a 3.7 GPA. She started all 17 games for the blue and white while setting career marks in goals (7), assists (4) and points (18) from her center back position. Achterwinter was also named to the All-MAC first team at the end of the regular season.

Colley, a midfielder from Fredericksburg, Va., earned her third Academic All-MAC honor after a stellar 3.92 GPA as a chemistry major. Colley scored a goal this season and was a vital part of the midfield and defense that led the MAC in goals against average (1.64) and scoring margin (+1.39). Colley also made history earlier this fall as she became the first student from Longwood University to apply for the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship – a two-year apprenticeship at the University of Oxford in England.

A midfielder hailing from Virginia Beach, Va., Kinzel posted a GPA of 3.87 while starting all 17 games this season and dishing out two assists. Just like her classmate Colley, Kinzel played a vital role in the Lancer midfield providing a spark on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball with timely tackles and perfectly-placed passes.

A defender from Yorktown, Va., Morton stepped up in her elevated role this season on the Lancer backline helping the MAC's best defense while hitting the books for a 3.45 GPA. Throughout her time in the blue and white, Morton has earned Academic All-MAC three times and been part of a stingy defense that has gotten better every season she was on campus.

Nyland, a native of Tipperary, Ireland, finished her Lancer career with a third All-MAC first team selection as she turned in a 3.79 GPA while scoring 11 goals and assisting on four more. Nyland was an exceptional goal-scorer throughout her career as she finished sixth on the program's all-time scoring list with 38 career marks.

Ripley, a Midlothian, Va. product, turned in a 3.71 GPA as she tallied her first career hat trick in the Lancers' 5-1 win over Dartmouth, part of a 4-0 start to the historic season. A starter in all 17 games on the front line, Ripley sent 11 of her 17 shots on goal while helping the MAC's second-best offense torch opposing defenses.

The lone junior to be recognized, Verstraete earned her second Academic All-MAC honor with a 3.64 GPA while leading the team with 14 goals and six assists. A native of Utrecht, Netherlands, Verstraete made her first appearance on the All-MAC first team after finishing second in the conference in goals scored.

2017 Mid-American Conference Academic All-MAC

Appalachian State
Rachel Gains, R-Sophomore, 3.96, 
Rebecca McLean, Senior, 3.74, 
Melissa Nobile, Sophomore, 3.80, 
Kaley Seiner, Sophomore, 3.79, 
Savanna Sheridan, Senior, 3.64,
Michelle Taylor, R-Freshman, 3.48, 
Ali Williams, Sophomore, 3.82,  

Ball State
Beth Barnes, Junior, 3.511
Hannah Bohn, R-Sophomore, 3.209
Anya Eicher, Junior, 3.900
Sierra Jefferson, R-Freshman, 3.838
Haley Jolly, Sophomore, 3.500
Abbey Main, Senior, 3.865
Merinda Morley, R-Senior, 3.772
Rachel Pereira, R-Freshman, 3.500
Michelle Shampton, R-Sophomore, 3.745
Carley Shannon, Senior, 3.990
 
Central Michigan
Lily Amadio, Junior, 3.34
Emily Barber, Senior, 3.54
Carly Brengosz, Senior, 3.59
Anna Forry, Junior, 3.46
Kady Gurtis, Junior, 3.25
Addy Marshall, Senior, 3.45
Kayla McClure, Junior, 3.81
Georgina Minta, Sophomore, 3.94
Leah Umberger, Junior, 3.96
 
Kent State
Ines Delpech, Sr., 4.0
Silvia Figa Malgosa, Sr., 3.919
Shannon Talbot, Sr., 3.758
Jessica Apelt, Jr., 3.597
Melanie, Scibilia, So., 3.513
Jessica Nesbitt, Sr., 3.46
Jamie Fries, Sr., 3.387
Madison Pope, So., 3.347
 
Longwood
Kate Colley, Senior, 3.92
Brenna Kinzel, Senior, 3.87
Edel Nyland, Senior, 3.79
Abbey Ripley, Senior, 3.71
Lil-Sophie Achterwinter, Senior, 3.70
Leonie Verstraete, Junior, 3.64
Lorissa Morton, Senior, 3.45
 
Miami
Estel Roig, Junior, 3.65
Avery Sturm, Junior 3.51
Brie Stahl, Senior, 3.47
Marie-Claire Gorner, Sophomore, 3.41
Makenna Colby, Senior, 3.35
Kendall Hunker, Junior, 3.35
Henni Otten, Senior, 3.21
 
Ohio
Karynne Baker, Sophomore, 3.33
Kendall Ballard, Junior, 3.77
Amy Edgerton, Sophomore, 3.92
Emma Eggleston, junior, 3.42
Illona Hartman, Junior, 3.73
Brittany Keen, Sophomore, 3.374
Gabby Lorenzo, Sophomore, 3.81
Alex Pennington, Junior, 3.35
Maria Russell, Senior, 3.53
Megan Silveira, Sophomore, 3.59

#GoWood