CAPE COD, Mass. (May 6) -- Commissioner of the ECAC Rudy Keeling announced Tuesday that 10 members of the Nichols College women’s ice hockey team have been named to the ECAC Women's East All-Academic team for the 2009-10 season. This marks the ninth year that the conference has named an All-Academic team. Nichols led the league with the most selections based on outstanding performance in the classroom. A total of 69 student-athletes representing 10 of the 12 ECAC East teams earned the honor.
Seniors Melisa Bianchi (North Reading, Mass.), Candice Ellis (Gloucester, Mass.) and Ashley Nolan (Manassas, Va.) were all named to the team for the second year in a row. Juniors Sue Ellen Nault (Goffstown, N.H.) and Christine Rigosi (Ridgewood, N.Y.) picked up first-time honors. Sophomores Courtney Carey (Belmont, Mass.), Haylie Carter (Forney, Texas), Mandy Manopla (West Palm Beach, Fla.), Cheryl Pitts (Wakefield, Mass.) and Hannah Tardif, So. (Laconia, N.H.) were also named to the team for the first time.
To be named to the All-Academic team, the student-athlete must have completed at least one academic year, have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.00 on a 4.00 scale, and have competed in at least one-half of her team’s contests during the current season or at least 33 percent of her team’s minutes for a goaltender.