Lakeland grads earn more collegiate honors
Published 10:23 pm Tuesday, May 5, 2009
James Madison junior Kelsey Cutchins (Lakeland) is JMU’s co-Female Athlete of the Year. Cutchins, a first-team All-American goalie for JMU’s field hockey team, won the award along with teammate Lauren Walls.
In the third season with Cutchins starting as the Dukes’ goalkeeper, JMU won the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament for the third straight year. JMU finished 18-3 overall, which is the best winning percentage in a season in program history, and ranked no. 4 in the nation by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association poll.
Cutchins led NCAA Division I this season in goals against average (0.72) and save percentage (.824).
Cutchins was a unanimous first-team All-American, the CAA Player of the Year and the Virginia Player of the Year. She’s a member of the U.S. U-21 National Team.
In addition to the long list of athletic accolades, Cutchins is the two-time CAA Field Hockey Scholar-Athlete of the Year. She has a 3.90 GPA as a psychology major.
Old Dominion senior Katelyn Smither (Lakeland) is ODU’s Female Athlete of the Year. Smither’s played defense and forward during her four seasons on the ODU field hockey team. She’s earned first-team All-CAA honors and first-team all-state honors each of the last two seasons.
This season, Smither led the Monarchs with 11 goals while at the same time being first in the conference in defensive saves, or shots on goal blocked by a player other than a goalie.
Smither has been a National Field Hockey Coaches Association Academic Team selection every year since her sophomore year.