Nicola White awarded an MBE

Nicola White shows her Olympic gold medal

Nicola White has been awarded an MBE in the 2016 New Year's Honours list.

Nicola, from Littleborough, and all her hockey teammates have been awarded MBEs for their magnificent achievement at the Olympic games.

Captain Kate Richardson-Walsh becomes an OBE, having already been awarded an MBE in 2014 for her services to hockey.

The manner in which the GB hockey team won gold will live long in the memory, with Danny Kerry's side winning all eight of their games in Brazil. Nine million people saw the GB team defeat The Netherlands in dramatic fashion to become the nation's first female hockey gold medal winners, and come home from Rio with more gold medalists than any other Team GB sport.

Since Rio, the players have received great praise for their achievements on the pitch, but also for the way in which they have harnessed their success for the good of the sport. Collectively, they have hugely increased interest in hockey, through countless visits to schools and hockey clubs, numerous media appearances and a raft of sporting awards.

Chief Executive Sally Munday said, "It is wonderful that our athletes have been recognised in this manner. As history-making women, they have inspired thousands of people to pick up a hockey stick and enjoy our wonderful sport."

Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE): Kate Richardson-Walsh

Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE): Giselle Ansley, Sophie Bray, Crista Cullen, Alex Danson, Maddie Hinch, Hannah MacLeod, Shona McCallin, Lily Owsley, Samantha Quek, Helen Richardson-Walsh, Susannah Townsend, Georgie Twigg, Laura Unsworth, Hollie Webb, Nicola White