NORTON, MA- Ten Wheaton College student-athletes were named to the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Academic All-Conference team for the fall of 2008. Student-athletes receiving the award must maintain a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.5 or better upon completion of the 2008 spring semester, attain at least a sophomore year standing and be a competing member of a varsity team for the entire season. Men's cross country and women's volleyball each had three honorees, tying for the most among Wheaton's programs.

The men's cross country team had three academic all-conference qualifiers for the first time, as senior co-captain Scott Hafferkamp (Merrimack, NH/Merrimack) led the way with his program-record third honor. Junior co-captain Miles Souza (Norton, MA/Saint Sebastian's School) drew his second accolade, while sophomore Nick Kacher (Waltham, MA/Waltham) earned his initial nod. The trio led Wheaton to a fifth-place showing at the NEWMAC meet on November 1, as Kacher was the second Lyon to cross the finish line.

For the fourth straight season, three women's volleyball players were honored, as senior co-captain Liana Merrill (Northwood, NH/Coe-Brown Northwood Academy) and junior co-captain Lauren Kraus (Westboro, MA/Westboro) each qualified for the second straight year. Sophomore Sam Andreacchi (Burlingame, CA/Pinewood School) collected her first honor after sitting out the season with an injury. Kraus, a 2007 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District honoree, led Wheaton in kills (315), hitting percentage (.287), aces (53) and blocks (67) while helping the Lyons go 13-20 overall and 3-6 in the NEWMAC before falling in the first round of the league tournament. Merrill was second on the team in aces (48), third in kills (171) and fifth in digs (169).

Senior Jessie Landau (Pound Ridge, NY/Fox Lane) and junior Kathleen Carroll (New Paltz, NY/New Paltz Central) were the women's soccer team's academic all-conference representatives for the second straight year, as Landau tied a program mark with her third selection. Landau made nine starts among her 21 appearances, playing all three field positions while scoring twice. Carroll started the first four games before suffering a season-ending injury for the Lyons, who are 16-5-2 overall and went 7-1-1 in the NEWMAC. Wheaton qualified for its 10th consecutive league tournament championship game and will compete in the NCAA Tournament for the ninth straight season. The Lyons begin by facing Eastern University in the first round on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. at Rowan University in New Jersey.

Women's cross country and field hockey each had one player qualify, as both student-athletes received their initial academic accolade. In her first season running cross country for the Lyons since 2005, senior Megan O'Sadnick (Evergreen, CO/Evergreen) helped Wheaton place second at the NEWMAC Championship on November 1. Sophomore Julia Atwood (Concord, MA/Brooks School) of the field hockey team started all 19 games while scoring three goals, including one game-winner. The Lyons went 12-7 overall and finished with a 6-2 record in the NEWMAC, advancing to the league tournament semifinals before falling in overtime to eventual runner-up Wellesley College.

Fall sports sponsored by the NEWMAC include men's and women's cross country, field hockey, men's and women's soccer, women's tennis and women's volleyball.