National Collegiate Athletic Association |
The NCAA News - News and FeaturesSeptember 14, 1998 Woman of the Year state winners announced NCAA Woman of the Year award winners representing each state and the District of Columbia were announced September 1.
More than 400 student-athletes were nominated for this year's award. The state winners were selected by a committee composed of representatives from member schools. Judith M. Sweet, director of athletics at the University of California, San Diego, chaired the selection committee. Each NCAA member institution was encouraged to submit a nominee. The selection committee then reviewed the nominees' grade-point-averages, athletics accomplishments and community service and involvement. The state winners include 26 student-athletes from Division I, 10 student-athletes from Division II and 15 student-athletes from Division III. These state honorees represent 15 of the 17 sports in which women compete for NCAA championships. A national winner will be selected by the NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics from among 10 finalists, who will be announced later this month. The national winner will be announced at an awards dinner sponsored by Rawlings October 18 at the Westin Hotel in Indianapolis. This is the first year Indianapolis has hosted the event. Last year's national winner, Lisa Ann Coole, a record-setting swimmer from the University of Georgia, was killed in an auto accident in May. Coole will be remembered in a special ceremony at this year's dinner. Previous winners of the NCAA Woman of the Year are: 1996 -- Billie Winsett-Fletcher, volleyball, University of Nebraska, Lincoln; 1995 -- Rebecca Lobo, basketball, University of Connecticut; 1994 -- Tanya Hughes, track and field, University of Arizona; 1993 -- Nnenna Lynch, track and cross country, Villanova University; 1992 -- Catherine Byrne, swimming, University of Tennessee, Knoxville; and 1991 -- Mary Beth Riley, track and field, Canisius College. For information on tickets to the 1998 NCAA Woman of the Year award dinner, contact the Indiana Sports Corporation at 317/237-5000 or 800/HI-FIVES. 1998 NCAA Woman of the Year State Awards Winners STATE SCHOOL NAME WINNER'S NAME SPORT Alabama -- University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa -- Merritt Leigh Booth -- Gymnastics Alaska -- University of Alaska Anchorage -- Zuzana Razusova -- Skiing Arizona -- Arizona State University -- Kellee Anne Booth -- Golf Arkansas -- University of Arkansas, Fayetteville -- Christy Smith -- Basketball California -- University of California, Los Angeles -- Nada Mufid Kawar -- Track Colorado -- University of Colorado, Boulder -- Kelly Elizabeth Smith -- Cross Country, Indoor/Outdoor Track Connecticut -- Quinnipiac College -- Tara Thibeault -- Field Hockey, Lacrosse, Basketball Delaware -- University of Delaware -- Liza Shoemaker -- Lacrosse District of Columbia -- Catholic University -- Janet Muckenthaler -- Track, Cross Country Florida -- Barry University -- Janina Lara Morusiewicz -- Volleyball Georgia -- Emory University -- Alicia K. Moore -- Basketball, Volleyball, Track Hawaii -- University of Hawaii, Manoa -- Nicole Cockett -- Basketball Idaho -- Boise State University -- Johnna Evans -- Gymnastics Illinois -- Eureka College -- Sarah E. Gohl -- Basketball, Tennis Indiana -- Ball State University -- Jennifer Brown -- Field Hockey Iowa -- University of Iowa -- Anne West -- Rowing Kansas -- University of Kansas -- Maria Abatjoglou -- Tennis Kentucky -- University of Kentucky -- Beth Leake -- Diving Louisiana -- Louisiana State University -- Amy McClosky -- Gymnastics Maine -- University of Southern Maine -- Heather B. Gilmour -- Field Hockey Maryland -- College of Notre Dame (Maryland) -- Emily Kristina Yanero -- Volleyball, Basketball, Tennis Massachusetts -- University of Massachusetts at Lowell -- Shannon M. LeBlanc -- Field Hockey Michigan -- Alma College -- Marisa K. Proctor -- Swimming & Diving Minnesota -- Gustavus Adolphus College -- Rebecca Wold -- Basketball, Track, Cross Country Mississippi -- Millsaps College -- Heidi Hudlow -- Soccer Missouri -- Northwest Missouri State University -- Katherine Ann Kearns -- Cross Country, Indoor/Outdoor Track Montana -- University of Montana -- Skyla R. Sisco -- Basketball Nebraska -- Creighton University -- Carrie Welle -- Basketball Nevada -- University of Nevada -- Lisé Mackie -- Swimming New Hampshire -- Colby-Sawyer College -- Kim-Laura Boyle -- Soccer, Lacrosse New Jersey -- Princeton University -- Amy Elizabeth MacFarlane -- Field Hockey, Lacrosse New Mexico -- New Mexico State University -- Anna Jane Eathorne -- Golf New York -- Ithaca College -- Heidi Nichols -- Volleyball, Track, Basketball North Carolina -- Fayetteville State University -- Reeshemah Parkinson -- Volleyball, Softball North Dakota -- North Dakota State University -- Andrea Jeseritz -- Track Ohio -- College of Wooster -- Heather K. Heitsenrether -- Field Hockey Oklahoma -- Oral Roberts University -- Heidi Miller -- Volleyball Oregon -- Oregon State University -- Deanne Droegemueller -- Gymnastics Pennsylvania -- Allegheny College -- Jennifer Erdos -- Swimming Rhode Island -- Brown University -- Margaret Gardel -- Rowing South Carolina -- Newberry College -- Lovee T. McKinney -- Basketball South Dakota -- Northern State University -- Nadya Wiedrich -- Track Tennessee -- University of Tennessee, Knoxville -- Leslie Ann Henley -- Track Texas -- University of Texas at Austin -- Vera S. Ilyina -- Swimming & Diving Utah -- Brigham Young University -- Amy Steele Gant -- Volleyball Vermont -- Middlebury College -- Kathryn Masselam -- Cross Country, Outdoor Track Virginia -- University of Virginia -- Peggy Boutilier -- Lacrosse, Field Hockey Washington -- Seattle Pacific University -- Lisa Marie Malmin -- Track West Virginia -- Bethany College -- Kathleen M. McGowan -- Swimming, Cross Country, Track Wisconsin -- University of Wisconsin, La Crosse -- Lace Elly Van Zeeland -- Track, Cross Country Wyoming -- University of Wyoming -- Molly Cochran -- Cross Country |
The award honors outstanding female student-athletes who have excelled in academics, athletics and community leadership.