November 2 , 2005

Brooke Atwood	Sophie Dennis
Melissa Fitch	Lauren Fuller
Sue Jordan	Katelin Nickerson
Liz Saucier

GENEVA, N.Y.—Seven players on the 11th-ranked William Smith field hockey team earned a spot on the Liberty League All-Academic team this season. Junior Brooke Atwood (Marathon/Marathon, N.Y.), junior Sophie Dennis (Dana L. West/Port Byron, N.Y.), senior Melissa Fitch (Oyster River/Durham, N.H.), senior Lauren Fuller (Shaker/Loudonville, N.Y.), senior Sue Jordan (Boothbay/Boothbay, Maine), junior Katelin Nickerson (Yarmouth/Yarmouth, Maine) and junior Liz Saucier (Old Town/Old Town, Maine) represented the Herons based on their academic and athletic excellence.

A starter in all 16 games, Atwood is third on the team in assists (5) and tied for fifth in points (11). She tallied her first goal of the season during a 3-0 whitewash of Oswego State. Atwood is majoring in mathematics.

In just her third season, Dennis ranks among the all-time scoring leaders in William Smith history, ranking third in career points (136), fourth in career goals (56), and tied for fifth in career assists (24). On Sept. 17, she recorded two goals and an assist to become the 10th Heron to eclipse the 100-point barrier. Dennis leads the Liberty League in points (46) and assists (12) and is tied for the lead in goals (17). She is a sports in society major.

An aggressive defender, Fitch has played in nine games this season, starting two. The William Smith defense is one of the stingiest in the Liberty League, ranking second in goals against average (1.39). Fitch is double majoring in international relations and Spanish.

A three-year starter, Fuller is a tough defender and key member of the Herons’ offensive penalty corner unit. She has 10 points (3-4) and two defensive saves this season. Over the past four seasons, Fuller boasts 42 points (17-8) and four defensive saves. She is an art history major.

In 16 games this season, Jordan leads the Liberty League in wins (14) and is second in goals against average (1.35). She recorded a season-high nine saves against Messiah. Jordan is double majoring in Russian area studies and history and society.

Nickerson is in her first season as a starter on defense for the Herons. She has played in all 17 games and is second on the team and third in the conference in defensive saves with three. Nickerson is an environmental studies major.

A versatile player, Saucier has contributed to the Herons’ success as a defender, a midfielder, and at forward. She has eight points this season, including a two-goal effort in a 5-2 win over Union. She is a psychology major.

Student-athletes earn a place on the Liberty League All-Academic Team based on the following criteria: at least a sophomore academic standing and a minimum 3.2 cumulative grade point average.

William Smith (14-3) is the host of the 2005 Liberty League Championship Tournament. The top-seeded Herons will face No. 4 Union (10-8) in the first semifinal at 11 a.m. on Nov. 4. No. 2 Skidmore (13-4) will square off with No. 3 Rochester (10-8) at 2 p.m. The championship match is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. on Nov. 5. All three games will be played on McCooey Field.

Admission to the tournament is free. Fans unable to make the trip to Geneva can follow all of the action via real time statistics on the Liberty League Tournament Web site.

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