Sophie Dennis is a two-time ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District pick. (Photo by Kevin Colton)

May 24, 2007

GENEVA, N.Y.—William Smith field hockey player Sophie Dennis (Dana L. West/Port Byron, N.Y.) was named to the ESPN The Magazine Women’s At-Large Academic All-District second team today. She was a second-team Academic All-District last year as well.

Dennis graduated earlier this month with a bachelor’s degree cum laude in sports in society. She is a three-time National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) All-Academic Squad selection as well as a three-time Liberty League All-Academic pick.

The most dominant offensive player in William Smith history, Dennis holds the Heron career records for goals (89), assists (39), and points (217). In NCAA Division III history, she is ninth in career goals and 10th in career points.

A three-time NFHCA All-American, Dennis led the Liberty League in goals each of her four seasons, and played an integral role in leading the Herons to a 67-17 overall record and a 27-1 conference mark over the past four years. William Smith captured three straight Liberty League Championships and earned three consecutive NCAA Tournament bids, advancing to the semifinals in 2004 and the quarterfinals in 2005 and 2006.

As a senior, Dennis recorded a school record 70 points on 28 goals and 14 assists, ranking third in the nation in points per game (3.18). Her impressive resume includes the 2006 ECAC Player of the Year Award, the 2005 and 2006 Liberty League Player of the Year Award, and three straight Rochester Area College Athletics Field Hockey Player of the Year honors. Dennis was a four-time All-Liberty League, All-State, and NFHCA All-Region pick.

To earn a place on the Academic All-District teams, a student-athlete must maintain a minimum 3.2 cumulative grade point average, be a starter or significant reserve, and be at least a sophomore in academic standing. The College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) select eight Academic All-District teams and choose the Academic All-America teams from the eight District first-teams.

CoSIDA selects Academic All-America teams in 12 programs: football, women’s volleyball, men’s soccer, women’s soccer, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, baseball, softball, men’s track & field/cross country, women’s track & field/cross country, men’s at-large, and women’s at-large. A first-team and second-team are selected in both the University (Division I and I-AA) and College (Division II, III and NAIA) Divisions.

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