INDIANAPOLIS --- Whitney Myers, a former swimming student-athlete at the University of Arizona, is the 2007 NCAA Woman of the Year.
Myers received the award—one of the most prestigious that the NCAA bestows—at the 17th annual NCAA Woman of the Year Awards Dinner tonight, October 27, at the Murat Centre Egyptian Room. The award honors female student-athletes who have completed their eligibility and demonstrated academic and athletics excellence, as well as community service and leadership.
A committee comprised of representatives from NCAA member schools and conferences selected the top 30 out of 128 conference and independent nominees, 10 from each division. From the 30 honorees, nine finalists were selected, three from each division. The Committee on Women’s Athletics selected Myers from the nine finalists.
Myers, an Oxford, Ohio, native, is the second NCAA Woman of the Year from the University of Arizona and the fifth swimming student-athlete to be named NCAA Woman of the Year. Myers represents the Pacific-10 Conference.
A science education major with an emphasis in biology/pre-pharmacy, Myers has been a Dean’s list honoree every semester. Myers’ academic prowess earned her first-team academic all-American and first-team Pacific-10 all-academic honors for four consecutive years. Myers twice earned the Mary Roby Academic Achievement Award, was winner of the 2003 Arizona Distinguished Scholar Award and twice earned the Arizona Academic Champions Award.
In addition to excelling in the classroom, Myers was also an exceptional performer in the pool. She was a first-team all-American in seven different swimming events and a top three finisher at the NCAA Division I Swimming and Diving Championships in eight events. Myers holds 14 school records at Arizona and is a two-time NCAA record holder. For her outstanding athletics talents, Myers was named a Honda Award Finalist for two years, the top senior student-athlete at Arizona and the Greater-Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Women’s Sports Foundation College Sportswoman of the Year. A member of the U.S. Women’s National Swimming Team for three years (2004, 2005, 2006), Myers finished third at the 2004 Olympic Trials, fourth at the 2005 and 2007 World Championships and qualified for the 2008 Olympic Trials in five events.
Outside of the pool and the classroom, Myers participated in many service and leadership roles. She was team captain, co-president of the student-athlete advisory board, pre-pharmacy club liaison, student-teacher club member, group leader in the sponsorship of a low-income family and founder and director of a local swim clinic. Myers worked closely with local Girl Scouts troops, elementary schools and retirement communities, and represented her university through many speaking engagements. A volunteer at a pharmacy, Myers always found time to visit the children’s ward at the University Medical Center.
“Participation in collegiate swimming has allowed me to continue to build self-esteem while teaching me to believe in my abilities and preparation when the competition is at its most fierce,” Myers said in her personal statement on her nomination form. “I’ve also developed a strong belief in living a healthy lifestyle while exhibiting responsible social behavior outside the athletic arena. Most importantly, I’ve learned to manage my time wisely while realizing the benefits of goal setting, self-discipline, personal sacrifice, perseverance, and dedication every day ...”
Last year’s NCAA Woman of the Year was Anne Bersagel, former cross country and track student-athlete from Wake Forest University. Berasagel graduated with a dual degree in economics and political science. She was the first NCAA Woman of the Year from Wake Forest and the sixth cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field student-athlete to be named NCAA Woman of the Year.
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