Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
IWLCA Team Academic Awards
IWLCA Academic Honor Roll
Aug. 1, 2016 - For the seventh time in its eight years of varsity competition, the North Central College women's lacrosse team has been recognized as an All-Academic Team by the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA), and a record six members of the team have been selected to the IWLCA's Academic Honor Roll as well.
A total of 276 collegiate teams met the IWLCA's requirement of a 3.0 cumulative grade-point average to make the All-Academic list, including 131 NCAA Division III programs. North Central is one of five College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) teams to meet the criteria, joined by Augustana College, Carroll University, Carthage College and Illinois Wesleyan University.
North Central seniors Gina Fisher and Kailey Robbins are on the Academic Honor Roll for the second straight year, while senior Anicia Mattingly and juniors Nikki Merriss, Kat Schultz and Emily Zadny have made the list for the first time. To qualify, student-athletes must be a junior, senior or graduate student and carry a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or greater. A total of 458 student-athletes from 149 institutions made this year's Honor Roll.
Fisher, who recently graduated with majors in management and marketing, completed a four-year career as the Cardinals' all-time leader in goals scored (216), assists (107), ground balls (375), draw controls (260) and caused turnovers (205) in addition to four single-season records and four single-game records. She was a four-time First Team All-Conference selection and three-time Conference Offensive Player of the Year. This season, Fisher led all NCAA Division III players in ground balls per game (6.94) while also leading the CCIW in caused turnovers per game (3.67). As a junior, she was a Second Team All-Great Lakes Region selection and an Academic All-District At-Large Team pick by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
Robbins, who graduated with a degree in elementary education, was a Second Team All-CCIW selection this season and finished her career ranked third in the Cardinals' history in caused turnovers (57). Schultz was the Cardinals' starting goalkeeper in all 18 games, posting a 7.60 goals-against average and a .476 save percentage, while Zadny ranked fifth on the team with 22 goals scored. Merriss finished with seven goals and five assists and Mattingly ranked third on the team in caused turnovers (17) and fifth in ground balls (34).
North Central claimed six of the CCIW's 16 representatives on the Honor Roll. Augustana College put six student-athletes on the list, while Carroll University and Carthage College each had two.
The Cardinals finished the 2016 campaign with an overall record of 13-5, establishing a new school record for single-season victories.
