Iowa Earns National Academic Team, Individual Awards

March 19, 2014

IOWA CITY, Iowa — The University of Iowa field hockey team has been awarded the 2013 Gladiator SGI/NFHCA Division I National Academic Team Award. The National Academic Team Award recognizes those institutions that have achieved a team GPA of 3.0 or higher during the first semester of the 2013-14 academic year.

“This is another great academic accomplishment for our program,” said head coach Tracey Griesbaum. “We strive for academic excellence day in and day out. This is a result of the team’s hard work throughout the entire semester.”

Additionally, seven members of the Iowa field hockey team have been named to the 2013 Gladiator by SGI/NFHCA Collegiate National Academic Squad. The National Academic Squad recognizes student-athletes who achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.30 or higher through the first semester of the 2013-14 academic year.

Seniors Niki Schultheis, Danielle Peirson, and Marike Stribos, juniors Brynn Gitt and Sara Watro, and freshmen Chandler Ackers and Jessy Silfer all received the honor. Both Gitt and Watro earned the honor for the third year in a row. In addition, all three seniors earned the accolade for the fourth time in their careers. Thirty-seven percent of Iowa’s team (7-of-19 team members) were named to the National Academic Squad.