BRUNSWICK, Maine - The two-time defending national champion Bowdoin College field hockey team has again earned recognition for their efforts in the classroom. The Polar Bears, who claimed their second-straight NCAA Division III championship last fall, were honored last week by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association with the 2009 Academic Team Award. In addition, nine individuals were honored as Academic All-Americans.

Coach Nicky Pearson's squad surpassed the 3.0 grade point average requirement in order to garner Academic Team Honors for the fifth consecutive season. For individual recognition, student-athletes were required to reach a minimum GPA of 3.3 or higher.

Among those honored as Academic All-Americans were seniors Kristen Veiga (Concord, N.H.), Tamlyn Frederick (Dover-Foxcroft, Maine), Kate Gormley (Chesnut Hill, Mass.) and Emileigh Mercer (Newton, Mass.). Underclassmen who were recognized were juniors Shavonne Lord (Shrewsbury, Mass.) and Megan McCullough (Springvale, Maine); sophomores Michaela Calnan (Melrose, Mass.) and Ingrid Oelschlager (Roanoke, Va.); as well as first-year Liz Clegg (Hudson, Ohio).

Bowdoin finished the 2008 season with a record of 19-2, their fourth-consecutive NESCAC Championship and became just the fourth program in Division III field hockey history to claim consecutive national titles.