INDIANAPOLIS---The NCAA announced today the top 30 conference nominees representing Divisions I, II, and III for its prestigious Woman of the Year award.
Now in its 17th year, the Women of Year award honors exceptional female student-athletes who have excelled in academics, athletics and community leadership, and have completed their collegiate athletics eligibility.
A committee comprised of representatives from NCAA member schools and conferences selected the top 30 out of 128 conference and independent nominees.
The conference winners present outstanding credentials as students and athletes. Of the 30 nominees, four competed on national championship teams; 10 were named academic all-Americans; and 25 served as their team captains or co-captains. Twelve were multi-sport student-athletes; four received a NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship; and 12 represented their fellow student-athletes on their campus Student-Athlete Advisory Committees (SAAC).
In addition, they found time to help in their communities, volunteering for a wide variety of organizations, including United Way, American Cancer Society, Habitat for Humanity, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Headstart, YMCA, Make-A-Wish Foundation and also served as volunteers in schools, hospitals and churches.
The top 30 nominees earned an overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.83, with seven posting a perfect 4.0 GPA. They graduated with a variety of majors, including biotechnology, political science, mathematics, psychology, marketing, exercise science, engineering physics, criminal justice, information systems management, Spanish, pre-med and education.
There are 10 conference winners from each division. These student-athletes participated in 12 of the 20 sports in which women compete for NCAA championships.
A national winner – the NCAA Woman of the Year – will be selected by the NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics from among nine finalists. The top nine finalists will be announced in September.
The 2007 Woman of the Year will be announced during the annual awards dinner Oct. 27 in Indianapolis.
Last year’s national winner was Anne Bersagel, a former cross country and indoor and outdoor track and field student-athlete from Wake Forest University.
Other past winners include: 2005 – Lauryn McCalley, diving, University of Tennessee; 2004 – Kelly Albin, lacrosse, University of California, Davis; 2003 – Ashley Rowatt, swimming and diving, Kenyon College; 2002 – Tanisha Silas, track and field, University of California, Davis; 2001 – Kimberly A. Black, swimming, University of Georgia; 2000 – Kristy Kowal, swimming, University of Georgia; 1999 – Jamila Demby, track and field, University of California, Davis; 1998 – Peggy Boutilier, lacrosse and field hockey, University of Virginia; 1997 the late Lisa Ann Coole, swimming and diving, University of Georgia; 1996 – Billie Winsett-Fletcher, volleyball, University of Nebraska; 1995 – Rebecca Lobo, basketball, University of Connecticut; 1994 – Tanya Jones, track and field, University of Arizona; 1993 – Nnenna Jean Lynch, cross country and track and field, Villanova University; 1992 – Catherine Byrne, swimming and diving, University of Tennessee; and 1991 – Mary Beth Riley, track and field, Canisius College.
The following are the 2007 Woman of the Year conference nominees:
American Southwest Conference, Virginia Aguilar, Hardin-Simmons University, Division III, volleyball
Atlantic Coast Conference, Michelle Sikes, Wake Forest University, Division I, cross country and indoor and outdoor track and field
Big 12 Conference, Brittney Koncak-Schumann, University of Oklahoma, Division I, gymnastics
Big East Conference, Jessica Javelet, University of Louisville, Division I, field hockey
Big Ten Conference, Jessica Gall, Indiana University, Bloomington, Division I, cross country and indoor and outdoor track and field
California Collegiate Athletic Association, Valarie Tucker, California State University, Dominguez Hills, Division II, cross country and outdoor track and field
DIII Independents, Ashley Parker, Lincoln University (Pennsylvania), Division III, indoor and outdoor track and field
Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, Erin Miller, Ferris State University, Division II, basketball
Great Lakes Valley Conference, Mary Moskal, Lewis University, Division II, basketball
Great Northwest Athletic Conference, Ana Gutierrez, Seattle University, Division II, soccer
Great Northwest Athletic Conference, Mandy Kaempf, University of Alaska Anchorage, Division II, cross country, skiing and outdoor track and field
Independent, Megan Vogel, South Dakota State University, Division II, basketball
Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, Alicia Whisner, Central College (Iowa), Division III, volleyball and indoor and outdoor track and field
Ivy Group, Julie Chu, Harvard University, Division I, ice hockey
Liberty League, Debbie Sharnak, Vassar College, Division III, tennis
Lone Star Conference, Angela Aguilar, Abilene Christian University, Division II, indoor and outdoor track and field
Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association, Lisa Winkle, Calvin College, Division III, basketball and outdoor track and field
Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association, Sarah Shearman, Truman State University, Division II, volleyball
Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, Amanda Weinmann, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, Division III, indoor and outdoor track and field
New England Small College Athletic Conference, Shauneen Garrahan, Amherst College, Division III, cross country and indoor and outdoor track and field
Pacific-10 Conference, Whitney Myers, University of Arizona, Division I, swimming
Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference, Jamie Wolf, Clarion University of Pennsylvania, Division II, swimming
South Atlantic Conference, Rebecca Brezovec, Wingate University, Division II, volleyball
Southeastern Conference, Claire Maust, University of Georgia, Division I, swimming
Southeastern Conference, Felicia Guliford, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Division I, cross country and indoor and outdoor track and field
Sun Belt Conference, Chrissy Givens, Middle Tennessee State University, Division I, basketball
University Athletic Association, Delaina Martin, Washington University in St. Louis, Division III, indoor and outdoor track and field
University Athletic Association, Stephanie Nothelle, Case Western Reserve University, Division III, cross country
Western Collegiate Hockey Association, Sara Bauer, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Division I, ice hockey
Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, Stephanie Barnes, University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire, Division III, gymnastics and indoor and outdoor track and field
