COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Three members of the Christopher Newport field hockey team were named Scholars of Distinction by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association as Caroline Hughlett, Courtney Hughlett, and Brylee Johnston were recognized for their tremendous work both in and out of the classroom during the 2025 campaign.

Earning the award for the third straight year, Caroline Hughlett became the first three-time honoree in school history. Meanwhile, Courtney Hughlett was celebrated for the second straight year, joining former teammates Katie Abendschoen and Sierra Pratzner as the only two-time recipients in program lore.

Rounding out the award-winners, Johnston became just the fifth freshman in school history to receive the prestigious honor. In that club, she added her name alongside Rachel Cooke (2016), Caroline Hughlett (2023), Lindsey Loar (2023), and Sierra Pratzner (2023).

Overall, the three honorees marked the third-most in program history.

In order to receive the academic honor, student-athletes must have a cumulative GPA of 3.9 or higher through the fall semester. Earlier in the week, each of the three Captains were selected to the NFHCA National Academic Team for their scholarly achievements as well.

Celebrated as a first-team NFHCA All-American, Caroline Hughlett was a spark plug on the offensive side of the ball during a standout junior campaign. During the year, she established a new career-high with nine assists, which also ranked in the top-50 on the national charts. Meanwhile, she landed seven goals, including three on penalty strokes. Among her efforts, she handed out four helpers in the opener against Bridgewater on August 29 and had another four-point eruption at Montclair State on September 27. Later in the year, she also sank the double-overtime dagger against No. 3 Salisbury on October 8 and returned with an assist on the lone goal against the Sea Gulls in the NCAA Elite Eight on November 16.

Stockpiling awards for her work in the fall, Courtney Hughlett was a consensus first-team All-American and the Synapse Sports National Defensive Player of the Year. Also named the NFHCA Region VI Player of the Year, she handed out 15 assists, which established a new school record and marked the fifth-most by anyone in the entire NCAA during the 2025 campaign. Seven of her helpers came on game-winning goals, while 13 of her 27 points came against nationally-ranked competition. Just as effective on the defensive end, she led the Captains with 10 blocked shots. Six of her deflections came on penalty corners, including a game-saving stop in double-overtime against Messiah on September 20.

Making a seamless transition to college, Johnston stepped right in as a key contributor throughout her debut campaign. A standout on the defensive end, she ranked second among first-year competitors with 18 appearances while helping the Captains rank first in the nation in scoring defense. She took part in all three games during the NCAA Tournament, including a 19-minute run against No. 17 Lynchburg on November 15 which saw her break up a pair of second-half threats by the Hornets on the way to the overtime victory. During the regular season, she also eclipsed 20 minutes on two occasions, including a thrilling 2-1 victory at No. 10 Stevens on September 28.

In the end, Christopher Newport advanced to the Final Four for the second time in school history while finishing with a stellar 19-1 record in the fall. The Captains also spent seven weeks ranked first in the NFHCA National Coaches Poll, including six as the unanimous top team in the country.

---ISH---