Erin Berger

Springfield, Ohio — On the field, the Wittenberg University field hockey team enjoyed a successful season, placing second in the North Coast Athletic Conference before falling in the conference tournament semifinals. However, it was the team's performance in the classroom that really made this team remarkable.

The Tiger field hockey team recently was honored with a National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Academic Team Award. The award, given to teams with a cumulative 3.0 grade point average (GPA), puts Wittenberg in some fine academic company as approximately 80 of the NCAA Division III women's field hockey programs, and just two NCAC schools, earned the honor. Click Here to view the complete list of teams to earn the award.

As a team, Wittenberg posted an outstanding 3.15 GPA, a mark in which Head Coach Diana Kuser takes great pride.

"When I first arrived here, the field hockey team had a 2.75 GPA, which wasn't satisfying anyone's standards," Kuser said. "With study sessions, team study tables and the recruitment of hard-working student-athletes, it has enabled the field hockey program to reach its goals of establishing, and surpassing, a team GPA of 3.0. The players know they need to work hard to be recognized, whether it's on the field or in the classroom."

Individually, Rachel Dunn, class of 2007 from Pittsburgh, Pa., Whitney Marshall, class of 2009 from Barre, Mass., Holly McHugh, class of 2007 from Randolph, NJ, Erin Berger, class of 2010 from Louisville, Ky., and Tori Vogelgesang, class of 2010 from Cincinnati, Ohio, were selected to the NFHCA National Academic Squad, which is comprised of student-athletes earning a 3.3 GPA or better through the first semester of 2006. Click Here to view the complete list of individuals to earn the award.

Dunn, Marshall and McHugh were also members of the 2005 academic squad, and they were key starters in the field each of the last two years. Berger was the team's leader in the classroom as she posted a perfect 4.0 GPA.