WALTHAM, Mass. – Bentley University's Ashley Scholten (Brookfield, Conn./Brookfield HS) and Frankie Tossona (Lansdale, Pa./North Penn HS) were recently named Zag Field Hockey/NFHCA Division II Scholars of Distinction by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association for maintaining a cumulative grade point average of 3.90 or higher through the first semester of the 2017-18 academic year.

Tossona, a junior back, started 16 of the Falcons' 17 games during the 2017 season. A two-time Academic All-Northeast-10 selection, she scored one goal and recorded a pair of defensive saves.

Scholten, a sophomore, was also a defensive player for the Falcons. She saw action in 12 games, including four as a starter, and had one assist.

Scholten and Tossona were two of 20 Falcons who were named to the Zag Field Hockey/NFHCA Division II National Academic Squad for achieving a cumulative GPA of 3.30 or higher through the first semester of the 2017-18 academic year. The Falcons' 20 honorees was tied for the third most nationally.

Topping the list were seniors Katie Quilty (Marstons Mills/Barnstable HS) and Rebecca Schroder (South Windsor, Conn./South Windsor HS), who were both honored for the fourth consecutive year.

Making their third appearance on the National Academic Squad were Tossona, junior back Jackie Martin (Canton/Canton HS) and senior back Claire Virkler (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa HS).

Scholten was a second-time honoree, along with senior Caitlin Derrickson (Wilmington/Central Catholic HS), juniors Mikayla Ullrich (Montclair, N.J./Montclair HS) and Morgan Van Epps (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa HS), and sophomores Abby Adams (Longmeadow/ Longmeadow HS), Keally Ingersoll (Ellicott City, Md./Marriotts Ridge HS) and Christa Knell (Watertown/Watertown HS).

First-time honorees were sophomores Tess Anderson (Stow/Nashoba Reg. HS), Julia Earley (Howell, N.J./Howell HS) and Sarah Rockwood (Walpole/Walpole HS), along with five freshmen. They are Samatha Brown (Byfield/Triton Reg. HS), Samantha D'Aquila (Brookfield, Conn./Brookfield HS), Dimitra Efremidis (North Easton/Oliver Ames HS), Tatiana Naclerio (Easton, Conn./Joel Barlow HS) and Sam Simione (Cheshire, Conn./Cheshire HS).

Coach Jessica Spencer's team was also recognized with a Zag Field Hockey/NFHCA Division II NationaL Academic Team Award for having a team GPA of 3.0 or higher during the fall semester.