Those who had the pleasure of watching Kelsey Cutchins on the playing fields and admiring her accomplishments in the classroom at Lakeland High School a few years ago won’t be surprised to learn that she’s been a smash success at the college level.

Cutchins, the daughter of Suffolk residents Kevin and Rosalind Cutchins and a field hockey standout at James Madison University, has added two more honors to her crowded trophy case.

Cutchins, a rising senior goalkeeper, has been named an ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America selection by the College Sports Information Directors of America and the Colonial Athletic Association Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year. She was selected as a second-team Academic All-American in the women’s at-large category after being chosen a third-team honoree as a sophomore.

Cutchins is the first JMU athlete ever to earn CAA Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors. She is already the two-time reigning CAA Scholar-Athlete for field hockey as well as JMU’s Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

Our sports page regularly features Suffolk athletes who are succeeding on collegiate playing fields. The list is impressive, and all are richly deserving of the accolades that come their way. It’s refreshing, though, to read about a college athlete whose success in the classroom is just as impressive as her athletic exploits.

Cutchins, a psychology major who minors in geographic sciences, has been named to the JMU President’s List all six semesters and has been honored all three seasons as a JMU Athletic Director Scholar-Athlete, a CAA Commissioner’s Academic Award winner, and a National Field Hockey Coaches Association National Academic Squad member.

Along the way, she has made her hometown proud. We look forward to her senior year at JMU and watching her add to an impressive athletic and academic resume.