Eight Cardinals Named to ACC Academic Field Hockey Team

The University of Louisville field hockey team placed a program-record eight student-athletes on the 2019 All-Atlantic Coast Conference Academic Field Hockey Team, as announced Wednesday by the conference office.

Carter Ayars, Hollyn Barr, Alli Bitting, Erica Cooper, Mercedes Pastor, Bethany Russ, Meghan Schneider and Madison Walsh represent Louisville on the league's academic team. The Cardinals eight selections are tied with Virginia for the most among conference schools.

Minimum academic requirements for selection to the All-ACC Academic Team are a 3.0 grade point average for the previous semester and a 3.0 cumulative average during one's academic career. Athletic achievements during the most recent season are also considered in selecting the All-ACC Academic Team.

Ayars, (Wilmington, Del.) is coming off of a career-best senior season in which she earned National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) All-America honors after tallying five goals and 12 points. The three-time NFHCA All-Region honoree and 2019 All-ACC selection was a valuable part of the Cardinals' defense which produced eight. The exercise science major also represented the Cardinals in the NFHCA Senior Game. Ayars was recently named to the USA Field Hockey Development Squad after spending two seasons on the U21 Team and a two-year stint on the U-19 team.

Bar, a redshirt junior from Lancaster, Pa., started every game in 2019 and produced a 1.06 goals against average while recording 7.5 shutouts this season. She earned ACC Co-Defensive Player of the Week honors on Oct. 22. The English major earned her undergraduate degree in December.

Bitting, a defender from Hummelstown, Pa., garners all-ACC academic team honors for the second time after starting every game for the Cardinals during her junior campaign. The sport administration major earned also earned NFHCA All-America second team honors and is a two-time All-ACC team member. She helped the Cardinals to eight shutouts on the season and registering one goal and four assists and was recently selected to USA Field Hockey's Under 21 Team

Cooper picks up her second all-ACC academic nod. The early elementary education major forward from Louisville, Ky., was a 2019 NFHCA All-West Region honoree. She finished her sophomore year with a pair of goals while playing in all 22 games with 16 starts. The midfielder was instrumental on both offense and defense as the Cardinals outscored opponents 49-26. She was recently selected to USA Field Hockey's Under 21 Team.

Pastor, a junior midfielder from Buenos Aires, Argentina turned in a stellar career on the field which culminated in being named a finalist for the Honda Award for Field Hockey. The industrial engineering major was a first team NFHCA all-American after registering a career-high season with nine goals and four assists to stand tied for second on the team with 22 points. She is a two-time NFHCA All-America, All-West Region and All-ACC first team honoree.

Russ (Melbourne, Australia), earns her second all-ACC academic team nod. The accounting major was an NFHCA all-region honoree after leading the Cardinals with 11 goals and 24 points – both career highs. After being sidelined by injury last season, the redshirt sophomore forward returned to form with six of her 11 goals standing as game-winners, placing her second in the ACC in that category.

Schneider, a junior defender from San Diego, Calif., is making her first all-ACC academic team appearance after starting all 22 games and dishing out a career-high five assists while leading the Cardinals to eight shutouts. The biology major earned NFHCA All-West Region honors after starting all 22 games and dished out a career-high five assists while helping lead the Cardinals to eight shutouts. She was recently named to USA Field Hockey's Under 21 Team for the third year. She had previously spent two years as a member of USA Field Hockey U19 team.

Walsh, a junior forward from St. Louis, Mo., takes home her second all-ACC Academic team selection. The political science major earned NFHCA all-region honors after registering a career-best season in goals (8), assists (3) and points (17). She played in all 22 games with 20 starts and led the team with four game-winning goals.

About Louisville Field Hockey
The 2019 Cardinals posted a 16-6 overall record, tying a program mark for wins and earned the overall No. 4 seed in the NCAA tournament, serving as a host site for the first time in program history. Louisville also made its first foray into the NCAA quarterfinals after defeating Michigan 2-1 in double-overtime in its first-round matchup.

UofL finished the season at No. 5 in the NFHCA Coaches poll after reaching as high as No. 5. The Cardinals spent the last 10 weeks of the season ranked among the top 10 in the nation.

Fans can follow Louisville Field Hockey on Twitter (@ULFieldHockey) at https://twitter.com/ULFieldHockey and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ULFieldHockey

University of Louisville Athletics

Eight Cardinals Named to ACC Academic Field Hockey Team

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Players Mentioned

Carter Ayars

Hollyn Barr

Alli Bitting

Erica Cooper

Mercedes Pastor

Bethany Russ

Meghan Schneider

Madison Walsh

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