The Longwood University field hockey team, a top-three finisher in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) this past season, was honored by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) with the Zag Field Hockey/NFHCA National Academic Team Award, the organization announced Tuesday. This is the fifth consecutive time the Lancers have earned this NFHCA award, and it comes on the heels of a strong 2017 season in which they advanced to the MAC Championship tournament for the second time in program history. The Lancers posted a team GPA of 3.37 during the fall semester, surpassing the NFHCA criterion of 3.00 for the award. Longwood was one of 74 Division I programs to earn NFHCA Academic Team Award recognition this year. The academic honor follows an accolade-filled 2017 for the Lancers, who finished 11-6 overall and 4-2 in the MAC in their fourth year as a conference member. Longwood team members pictured include, from left, front row, Maddie Kendrick, Sarah Vrhovac, Abbey Ripley, Sophia DeFeo, Brenna Kinzel, Clara Meschini, Cammy Toddy, Briana Greene, Brooke Lesh; middle row, Head Coach Iain Byers, Abigail Goldberg, Charlotte Wilm, Lorissa Morton, Kate Colley, Lea Van Luvender, Edel Nyland, Mia Leeman, Katie Wyman, Assistant Coach Chaney Manganello; back row, Athletic Trainer Ian Walker, Karly Harwood, Kourtney Landis, Leonie Verstraete, Elle Richardson, Olivia Wawrzyniak, Lil-Sophie Achterwinter and Assistant Coach Taylor Herold. (To nominate your favorite team or standout group for High Five!, email a photograph and names of people pictured to HighFive@FarmvilleHerald.com.)