Feb 25, 2010 9:42:12 AM

Nominations for the 2010 NCAA Woman of the Year award are being accepted.

The NCAA Woman of the Year award honors graduating student-athletes who have distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate careers in the areas of academic achievement, athletics excellence, service and leadership. Student-athletes are nominated only once in their career by their institution.

Institutions must submit nominees online to their respective conference by May 21. Conferences must submit their nominees online to the national office by June 25.

All conference nominees and independent nominees will be forwarded to the Woman of the Year selection committee, which will choose the top 10 in each division. From those 30 candidates, the selection committee will determine the top three in each division. Members of the Committee on Women's Athletics will vote from among the top nine finalists to determine the 2010 NCAA Woman of the Year.

To be eligible for the award, a nominee must have completed intercollegiate eligibility in her primary sport by the end of the 2009-10 competitive season and received her undergraduate degree before the end of the summer 2010 term.

Nominees must have a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 2.500 on a 4.000 scale.

Every institution's honoree is recognized for her achievements by the NCAA. The Committee on Women's Athletics encourages every school to nominate one or two women for this award and celebrate her achievements in their community.