HAVERFORD, Pa. - Three members of the Haverford College field hockey team were part of a grouping of more than 500 student-athletes recognized as 2021 NFHCA Division III Scholars of Distinction, the coaches organization announced in a release on Thursday morning. The Fords receiving the prestigious honor are Anna Bradley, Sophia Mercado, and Vy Le. The academic program honors student-athletes who have achieved a cumulative grade-point average of 3.9 or higher through the first semester of the 2021-22 academic year.
Senior Mercado (Wilton, Conn.) has now earned the award for the third consecutive season, becoming the first Haverford athlete to accomplish that feat since Sarah Waldis '16 captured the award in 2012-14. Sophomore Bradley (Carlsbad, Calif.) picked up the award for her second consecutive season while first-year Le (Pennsauken, N.J.) earned the plaudit after a standout first semester academically.
Haverford finished the 2021 season with a berth in the Centennial Conference tournament, returning to the postseason for the first time since the 2017 season and making a ninth playoff appearance overall. Haverford won 13 of its first 15 contests to begin the year and finished just one victory shy of matching the program's single-season wins record in an electrifying season. Field Hockey also notched a pair of ranked wins, taking down No. 8 Rowan and No. 18 Franklin & Marshall en route to joining the national rankings themselves, peaking at No. 17 in the Division III National Coaches Poll in October.
The NFHCA will wrap up its academic awards slate next week, with the Division III Academic Team Award slated to be announced on February 23.