February 8, 2012

22 Wheelock Student-Athletes Named to 2011 NECC Fall Academic All-Conference Team

ATTLEBORO, MA - Wheelock College placed 22 student-athletes on the 2011 New England Collegiate Conference Fall Academic All-Conference Team, it was announced today by the league. 

A total of 171 student-athletes from the member institutions were named to the NECC Academic All-Conference team for the 2011 fall semester. To be eligible for the NECC Academic All-Conference squad, a student-athlete must post a minimum grade point average of 3.40 on a scale of 4.00 and must be a sophomore or higher in class standing. Student-athletes who competed in men's and women's cross country, men's golf, field hockey, men's and women's soccer, women's tennis and women's volleyball were eligible for fall NECC academic honors.

Wheelock saw eight field hockey players named NECC Academic All-Conference to lead all member schools in the conference, while the total of four Wheelock men's soccer players, who earned the distinction, also topped all men's soccer-sponsoring institutions in the league.  Five Wildcats each from the women's cross country and women's soccer teams also gained NECC Academic All-Conference honors.

Senior Alanna Pihl (Franconia, NH) earns the accolade for the third straight field hockey season, while senior Kylie Hefford (Exeter, NH) and juniors Taylor Rogers (Essex, MA), Chelsey Ballard (Mansfield, MA)Rachel Robohm (North Easton, MA), Nancy Unis (Hull, MA) all garnered the selection for the second straight year.  Junior MaryKate Grenier (Fitchburg, MA) and sophomore Michelle Greene (Mansfield, MA) captured the honor for the first time in their respective field hockey careers.

Junior Dan Campbell (Northborough, MA) was tabbed for the second straight season for the men's soccer team, while senior Matthew Howard (Brunswick, ME), junior Matthew Burns (Cheyenne, WY) and sophomore Ian Driscoll (Framingham, MA) were each named to the squad for the first time.

Senior Liz Connolly (Belchertown, MA) becomes a three-time honoree for the women's cross country squad, while junior Cara McAuliffe (Nashua, NH) earns a spot on the team for the second straight campaign.  Sophomores Christina Cubera (Baltimore, MD), Danielle Gaudette (Nashua, NH) and MacKenzie Sherman (East Lyme, CT) all earn the honor in their first year of eligibility for the accolade.

Women's soccer had a pair of players earn NECC Academic All-Conference laurels for the third year in a row with unrelated seniors Allison Rogers (Millbury, MA) and Kimberly Rogers (Derby, CT) being named to the team.  Junior Sarah McCaffrey (East Taunton, MA) is selected for the second time, while senior Hilary Johansen (Walpole, MA) and sophomore Jessica Ramsey (Milford, MA) were both named for the first time. 

Wheelock Student Athlete Year Sport Major
Chelsey Ballard Jr. Field Hockey Child Life
Michelle Greene So. Field Hockey Special Education
MaryKate Grenier Jr. Field Hockey Special Needs, Human Development
Kylie Hefford Sr. Field Hockey Elementary Education, Humanities
Alanna Pihl Sr. Field Hockey Elementary Education, Human Development
Rachel Robohm Jr. Field Hockey Elementary Education, Math & Science
Taylor Rogers Jr. Field Hockey Elementary Education
Nancy Unis Jr. Field Hockey Human Development, Early Childhood Education
Matthew Burns Jr. Men's Soccer Juvenile Justice, Humanities
Dan Campbell Jr. Men's Soccer Elementary Education
Ian Driscoll So. Men's Soccer Special Education, Math & Science
Matthew Howard  Sr. Men's Soccer  Social Work
Liz Connolly  Sr. Women's Cross Country  Elementary Education, Math & Science
Christina Cubera So. Women's Cross Country Child Life, American Studies
Danielle Gaudette So. Women's Cross Country Social Work
Cara McAuliffe Jr. Women's Cross Country Human Development, American Studies
MacKenzie Sherman So. Women's Cross Country Counseling Psychology
Hilary Johansen Sr. Women's Soccer Visual Arts
Sarah McCaffrey Jr. Women's Soccer Math & Science
Jessica Ramsey So. Women's Soccer Human Development, Human Life
Allison Rogers Sr. Women's Soccer Early Childhood Education, Human Development
Kimberly Rogers Sr. Women's Soccer Elementary Education, Human Development