Lirange Earns Capital One Academic All-America® Honors
WALTHAM, Mass. – Nearly seven months after she played her final game for the Falcons, the honors continue to come in for former Bentley University field hockey standout Gina Lirange (Auburn/ Auburn HS).
The latest came out Wednesday when Lirange was selected for the 2015 Capital One Division II Women's At-Large Academic All-America® second team by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
The Women's At-Large program includes student-athletes competing in bowling, crew, fencing, golf, gymnastics, ice hockey, lacrosse, rifle, skiing, swimming and diving, tennis and water polo, as well as field hockey.
In the last seven weeks, Lirange has previously been recognized as Bentley's Outstanding Female Senior Athlete and as the co-Woman of the Year in the Northeast-10 Conference. She also graduated Summa Cum Laude with a grade point average north of 3.8, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in accountancy.
Lirange, Bentley's team-leader in goals, assists and points each of the last two seasons, finished her career with 33 goals and 15 assists for 71 points with a third of her career goals game-winners. In 2014, she earned Division II All-America second team honors from the National Field Hockey Coaches Association after providing ten goals, five assists and three game-winners.
Lirange never missed a game during her four seasons with 71 of her 75 appearances coming as a starter. The two-year captain was twice an All-Northeast-10 Conference first-team selection and also received second-team Division II All-America recognition from Synapse Sports two times.
Lirange's resume also included four appearances on the NFHCA Division II National Academic Squad and three on the Academic All-Northeast-10 team.
Lirange is the fourth Falcon field hockey player to earn Academic All-America honors, joining Nicole Dion (2012, 2013), Alyssa Sliney (2010) and Jennifer Walker (2005). Bentley has had a total of 21 Academic All-America selections over the last four academic years and its all-time total of 67 ranks tenth in Division II history.
Lirange was one of five Division II field hockey players to earn Academic All-America kudos this year with the list of honorees also including LIU Post's Dani Crouse (first team), Shippensburg's Lucy Kauffman (first team), Millersville's Rachel Dickinson (second team) and St. Michael's Jackie Chisholm (third team).
The Capital One Division II Academic All-America® program is being financially supported by the NCAA Division II national governance structure to assist CoSIDA with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2014-15 Division II Academic All-America® teams program.