Heidi Hershberger becomes the first AU field hockey player to earn First team Academic All-America Honors.

Field Hockey Standout Heidi Hershberger Named First Team Academic All-America

Hershberger becomes the first AU field hockey player to ever earn the honors

June 14, 2007

WASHINGTON - American University field hockey forward Heidi Hershberger (Davis, Calif./Davis) has been honored for her outstanding academic and athletic achievements, being named to the 2007 ESPN The Magazine Women's At-Large Academic All-America First Team, the College Sports Information Directors of America announced Thursday.

Hershberger, a graduate student in the International Affairs: Foreign Policy program, was named to the University Division's First Team, earning a 4.0 grade point average during the 2006 field hockey season and currently sporting a 3.833 cumulative GPA. The Davis, Calif., native was initially named to the ESPN The Magazine First Team Academic All-District to advance on to the national ballot and earn a spot on the 2007 First Team Academic All-America.

"Heidi is a remarkable person, student and player and is someone who always gets the best out of herself in every endeavor she pursues," said Head Coach Steve Jennings. "She makes graduating magna cum laude in three years (with a semester abroad) and pursuing a master's degree in a competitive program look easy!"

The Women's At Large Academic All-America team strives to honor the best student-athletes from the following sports: bowling, crew, fencing, field hockey, golf, gymnastics, ice hockey, lacrosse, rifle, skiing, swimming, tennis and water polo. Hershberger becomes the first American University field hockey player to earn Academic All-America Honors and just the 18th AU student athlete to earn the award.

Hershberger was equally strong on the turf this year, being named First Team All-Region and Second Team All-Patriot League. The dominant forward was a four year starter for American University, who won its fourth-consecutive Patriot League Championship. Hershberger was one of six seniors in AU Field Hockey history to end their career undefeated in league play. In the 2006 season, Hershberger recorded 11 goals, one assist and led both the Eagles and the Patriot League in game-winning goals with five. She ends her career as an Eagle with 72 points, coming off of 33 goals and six assists.

"This is the art of an exceptional person...they establish a baseline at a ridiculously high level and yet everyone around them sees it as simply the `norm,' said Jennings. "The same can be said for her as a player, I think she was often flying below most people's radar but in the process of her career, she scored some of the biggest goals in program history and ended up 11th all time in points."

Hershberger finished her four years as an Eagle with an exceptionally decorated resume. In 2006, the First Team Academic All-American has also earned ESPN The Magazine First Team Academic All-District honors, was been named the Patriot League Woman of the Year, the PL Field Hockey Scholar Athlete of the Year, and earned a spot on the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll and the NFHCA National Academic Squad for four consecutive seasons.

"We are so proud of her accomplishments and know that this latest well deserved recognition is just the tip of the iceberg," said Jennings.