VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – The NCAA championship weekend started on a high note on Thursday night for the Salisbury University field hockey team as senior Haley Quillen was named the Elite 89 Award recipient for the Division III field hockey championship.

The Elite 89, an award founded by the NCAA in 2009, recognizes the true essence of the student-athlete by honoring the individual who has reached the pinnacle of competition at the national championship level in his or her sport, while also achieving the highest academic standard among his or her peers. The Elite 89 is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average participating at the finals site for each of the NCAA's 89 championships.

Quillen is a senior on the field hockey squad, with a 3.932 grade-point average as a mathematics major. Her GPA is the highest of any player on the four teams in the semifinals this weekend.

The Seaford, Del., native is the second Sea Gull to earn the honor, joining Sean Hickey, who was named the winner during the men's lacrosse championships in 2010.

Quillen and the Sea Gulls will play their national semifinal game on Friday, Nov. 22 against Skidmore College. The game will be played at 2 p.m., at the USA Field Hockey National Training Center in Virginia Beach, Va. The winner advances to the national championship game on Sunday, Nov. 24.