Five Owls Earn Placement on CSC Academic All-District At-Large Teams

WESTFIELD, Mass. – Westfield State student-athletes' Megan Bailey (Quincy, Mass.), Cooper Board (Salem, Mass.), Natalie DeMaio (Westwood, Mass.), Paige Jelliffe (Monroe, Conn.), and Morgan Wichmann (Granby, Conn.) were named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District At-Large Team, recognizing the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performance in competition and in the classroom.

To achieve All-District honors, a student-athlete must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.50 or higher, have reached their sophomore year at their institution, and needed to be a key contributor to their team's athletic season by playing in 90 percent of total games or have started in 66 percent of such games.

Bailey, a fifth-year midfielder for the women's lacrosse team, was named a finalist for CSC Academic All-America status and will advance to the national ballot for a final round of voting from CSC members for a potential spot on the Academic All-America team.

In her final season with the Owls, Bailey displayed were two-way ability in the midfield, leading the Owls with 48 goals and 84 draw controls. She was second in points (56), caused turnovers (25), and ground balls (37). Bailey was named the 2024 MASCAC Tournament MVP nabbed a spot on the MASCAC All-Conference First Team for her efforts this past year. She finished her Westfield State career as a three-time MASCAC Champion and the all-time program leader in draw controls with 230.

Board, a forward for the Owls ice hockey team, was named to the all-district team as a sophomore. He was fifth on the Owls in points last season, netting seven goals and nine assists for 16 points. In two seasons with the Owls, Board has piled up 22 goals and 16 assists and last year was named to the Krampade/AHCA All-American Scholar Program for his academic excellence.

DeMaio, a senior attacker for the women's lacrosse team, capped an impactful four-year career for the Owls with all-district honors. The Westwood native tallied 40 goals for the Owls this past season and has now buried 40 or more goals in three straight seasons for Westfield. A three-time MASCAC Champion and two-time MASCAC All-Conference First Team selection, DeMaio sits fourth in Owls history with 154 career goals and is seventh in career points at 174.

Jelliffe was named to the CSC all-district team as a senior from the women's lacrosse team. The three-time MASCAC All-Conference First Team defender started 19 games for the Owls this season, forcing 16 turnovers and gathering 22 ground balls. Jelliffe was a key contributor for an Owls defense that allowed just 9.02 goals per game against conference opponents. In four seasons with Westfield, she started in 66 career games, collecting 72 ground balls and 44 caused turnovers.

Wichmann earned placement on the academic all-district team as a senior defender for the Owls field hockey team. She was named to the MASCAC All-Conference First Team last year, starting all 20 games in the back for the Owls where she also registered a pair of defensive saves. Wichmann and the Owls defense allowed just 1.19 goals against per game against league opponents which included three shutouts. She was also recognized as part of the NFHCA National Academic Squad for her efforts in the classroom.

2023-24 CSC Academic All-District Men's and Women's NCAA & NAIA At-Large Teams