GORHAM, Maine – Thirteen members of the University of Southern Maine Huskies' field hockey team have earned academic distinction from the National Field Hockey Coaches' Association (NFHCA) with their selection to the 2020 NFHCA National Academic Squad. 
            The NFHCA's National Academic Squad recognizes student-athletes who have achieved a cumulative grade point average of 3.30 or higher through the first semester of the 2020-2021 academic year.  The NFHCA will announce two more Division III academic awards later this month: the NFHCA Division III Scholars of Distinction will be announced on March 23, and the NFHCA Division III National Academic Team Awards will be released on March 29.
            Seniors Julia Nicol (Augusta, Maine/Cony)  and Hayden Spencer (Sabbattus, Maine) highlight the Huskies' lengthy list of award recipients, earning National Academic Squad honors for the fourth time in her career (2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020).  A Health Sciences major, Nicol is a three-time William B. Wise Scholar-Athlete and three-time LEC All-Academic team selection.  A member of the Huskies' defense, Nicol has played in 62 career games, and has started 52.  She has a pair of defensive saves to her credit.  Over her career, USM has a record of 23-12 against Little East Conference opponents and 32-30 overall.  During the 2019 season, Nicol was a member of the Huskies' defense that allowed just 1.18 goals per game.  Spencer, a Nursing major, is also a three-time William B. Wise Scholar-Athlete and LEC Academic team member.  A forward for the Huskies, Spencer has played in 60 games and has started 28.  Over her career, Spencer has five goals and two assists for 12 points, including the game-winning goal in a 3-0 win over UMaine Farmington on September 5, 2018. 
             Junior Samantha Ellis (New Vineyard, Maine/Mt. Blue) and sophomore Julianna Kiklis (York, Maine) are two-time recipients.  Kiklis, a Business Management major, is a goalkeeper for the Huskies.  Ellis, a two-time All-Little East Conference forward, was the 2018 conference Rookie of the Year, is a Nursing major.  Playing and starting in 43 games in her career, Ellis has 22 goals and 10 assists for 54 career points.  She tallied 11 goals and five assists in 2019 with three game-winning goals, including the decisive marker in USM's 2-0 win over Castleton (November 5, 2019) in the LEC quarterfinals.  Ellis is tied for 18th in the USM record books for career goals scored and is tied for 19th in assists.
            Nine members of the Southern Maine squad are first-time recipients: freshmen Chloe Arsenault (Boothbay, Maine), Hannah Banks (Belfast, Maine), Brooke Carson (Woodstock, Maine/Oxford Hills), Kailee Cummings (Auburn, Maine/Edward Little), Johanna Daigle (Ashburnham, Mass./Oakmont), Mary Keef (Westbrook, Maine), sophomore Mackenzie Banks (Belfast, Maine), and juniors Jenna House (Buffalo, N.Y./Kenmore West) and Maddie Pullen (Levant, Maine/Hermon). 
            Arsenault and Cummings are Health Science majors, Mackenzie Banks is studying Sports Management, Carson is studying Marketing and Keef is earning a degree in Finance.  Daigle is pursuing a degree in Biology, while House is working towards a degree in Exercise Science.  Pullen is a Nursing major and Banks is presently undeclared.
            The Huskies did not play a traditional 2020 schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  In their last official season, 2019, the Huskies finished the regular season tied for second in the Little East with a record of 10-2, and 13-9 overall. 
 

2021 NFHCA National Academic Squad Recipients

Name	Class	Hometown/High School	Major
Chloe Arsenault	Fr.	Boothbay, Maine/Boothbay Regional	Health Science
Hannah Banks	Fr.	Belfast, Maine/Belfast	Undeclared
Mackenzie Banks	So.	Belfast, Maine/Belfast	Sports Management
Brooke Carson	Fr.	Woodstock, Maine/Oxford Hills	Marketing
Kailee Cummings	Fr.	Auburn, Maine/Edward Little	Health Science
Johanna Daigle	Fr.	Ashburnham, Mass./Oakmont	Biology
Samantha Ellis	Jr.	New Vineyard, Maine/Mt. Blue	Nursing
Jenna House	Jr.	Buffalo, N.Y./Kenmore West	Exercise Science
Mary Keef	Fr.	Westbrook, Maine/Westbrook	Finance
Julianna Kiklis	Jr.	York, Maine/York	Business Management
Julia Nicol*	Sr.	Augusta, Maine/Cony	Nursing
Maddie Pullen	Jr.	Levant, Maine/Hermon	Nursing
Hayden Spencer *	Sr.	Sabattus, Maine/Oak Hill	Nursing