CENTER VALLEY, Pa. – American University senior forward Natalie Konerth was selected as the Corvias Patriot League Field Hockey Scholar-Athlete of the Year for the second-consecutive season, in addition to being named one of 11 members of the Field Hockey Academic All-Patriot League Team on Thursday afternoon.
Konerth, her teammate senior forward Jess Davis and Bucknell senior defender Anna Wills each earn Academic All-Patriot League honors for the third time during their careers. They expand the small group of three-time field hockey academic honorees to seven. Lafayette senior goalkeeper Katelyn Arnold and Holy Cross junior forward Maureen Connolly both earn the honor for the second-consecutive season, while American sophomore goalkeeper Maura Jacobs, Boston University senior defender Ellie Landsman, Bucknell sophomore forward Nicole Rupnik, Colgate senior midfielder Kayla Robinson, Lafayette senior forward Amanda Magadan and Lehigh junior midfielder Jackie Renda round out the selections.
To be eligible for the Scholar-Athlete of the Year award and the Academic All-Patriot League Team, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.20 cumulative grade point average and be a starter or key player in his/her sport. Freshmen or students in their first academic year at their school are not eligible for the honor.
Konerth, a unanimous First Team All-League selection, has excelled on the field and in the classroom with the Eagles. She is second in the Patriot League in points (25) and goals (12), helping her team to a 5-1 record and No. 2 seed in this week’s Patriot League Championship. The senior applied mathematics major carries a 4.0 cumulative grade point average (4.0) and was a NFHCA Scholar of Distinction and Phi Beta Kappa member.
Connolly, Landsman and Magadan were also unanimous First Team All-League selections. Landsman earned Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year honors, in addition to carrying a 3.72 GPA, while majoring in business administration and management with a minor in marketing and finance. She is also a three-time NFHCA National Academic Squad member. Connolly, the League’s leader in points (37) and goals (15) helped Holy Cross advance to the postseason for the first time since 2006. In the classroom Connolly carries a 3.31 GPA, while majoring in chemistry. Magadan finished among the League leaders in points (18) and goals (8), while keeping a 3.25 GPA as a double major in psychology and economics.
Wills also earned First Team All-Patriot League honors, while carrying a 3.86 GPA as a double major in political science and English-film studies. She has been a study group facilitator for Bucknell’s Teaching and Learning Center and is a three-time NFHCA Division I Academic Squad member. On the field Wills helped lead Bucknell to the program’s ninth-straight Patriot League Field Hockey Championships, beginning on Friday.
Renda, an All-Patriot League Second Team selection for the Mountain Hawks, makes her first appearance on the academic team with a 3.60 GPA, as a finance major. She is also an NFHCA DI National Academic Squad selection.
Arnold makes the team for the second year after carrying a 3.94 GPA as a government & law and economics double major. She was also a three-time Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Week for the Leopards.
Bucknell’s Rupnik finished among the League leaders in points (18) and goals (8), while carrying a perfect 4.0 GPA as a biology major. She is an NFHCA Scholar of Distinction and also National Academic Squad member. American’s Davis finished among the Patriot League leaders in assists (6) and carries a 3.95 GPA in accounting. She is also a three-time member of the NFHCA DI National Academic Squad. Her teammate sophomore Maura Jacobs is the third Eagle to make the squad after allowing just 2.03 goals per game and holding a .681 save percentage during the season. She also holds a 3.97 GPA as a public relations and strategic communications major and is an earned NFHCA DI Scholar of Distinction.
Colgate’s Robinson earns a spot on the Academic All-Patriot League team, carrying a 3.9 GPA, while majoring in sociology. She is an NFHCA Scholar of Distinction and a member of the DI National Academic Squad.
The Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year for each individual sport comprises the pool of nominees for the Patriot League Male and Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards given out over the summer. One male and one female are selected for this honor.
Corvias Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Natalie Konerth, American (Sr.)
Field Hockey Academic All-Patriot League Team
Natalie Konerth, American (Sr.)
Jess Davis, American (Sr.)
Maura Jacobs, American (So.)
Ellie Landsman Boston University (Sr.)
Anna Wills, Bucknell (Sr.)
Nicole Rupnik, Bucknell (So.)
Kayla Robinson, Colgate (Sr.)
Maureen Connolly, Holy Cross (Jr.)
Katelyn Arnold, Lafayette (Sr.)
Amanda Magadan, Lafayette (Sr.)
Jackie Renda, Lehigh (Jr.)