NEWPORT NEWS, VA – Christopher Newport field hockey players Ashley Hay and Ashley Traylor became the first two Division III players ever selected to the Thundersticks Field Hockey Team.

The team is part of the United States Field Hockey’s High Performance Training Centers which identify and train potential National Team athletes through comprehensive training/skill enhancement sessions and premier level competitions.

The Center allows athletes to train in regional areas close to their homes by some of the country’s top coaches. The next two months, Hay and Traylor will work towards making the final roster to compete in the National Championship in Virginia Beach, VA. During their last final week of training, the National Team players will help prepare them.

Hay was a Second Team All-American choice by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association. She was also a First Team All-Region selection. Hay was also selected to play in the NFHCA Senior All-Star game. She was also named First Team All-State. Hay scored five times and added four assists and was instrumental in leading the team to back-to-back NCAA appearances, including a spot in the Elite 8 in 2006.

Traylor scored nine goals, including two game-winners in 2007. In 2006, Traylor led the Captains in goals with 19, points with 45 and game-winners with four. She, too, was one of the many reasons CNU advanced to the Elite 8 in 2006 and helped Christopher Newport to two straight at-large bids into the NCAA Tournament.