Nazareth University senior field hockey GK Lauren Bachner (GHS ‘22) earned National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Division III Defensive Player of the Week Honorable Mention accolades on Wednesday, Sept. 10 for games played Sept. 1 – 7. Bachner made 22 saves and recorded an .880 save percentage. She made 18 saves in a 3-2 overtime loss to the University of Rochester on Wednesday. 

Bachner earned her first shutout of the season with a 1-0 double overtime win over Oswego on Saturday, making four saves. She is the first Empire 8 student-athlete to receive NFHCA weekly accolades in the 2025 season. Bachner also earned Player of the Week two weeks in a row when she was named POW on Sept. 15. 

According to the Naz athletic website: The Empire 8 Conference is committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. 

For more on the Empire 8 visit www.empire8.com. Bachner is equally committed to her academic excellence, with a double major of criminology and toxicology.