National Collegiate Athletic Association

Top 30 NCAA Woman of the Year honorees announced

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By Emily Potter

Thirty women, selected from a group of nearly 430 nominees, have been chosen as the top 30 honorees for the NCAA Woman of the Year award.

The top 30 women are composed of 10 honorees from each NCAA division and span various NCAA sports. In September, three finalists will be chosen from each division to form nine finalists for the award. The 2012 Woman of Year will be announced and the top 30 women will be honored during an Oct. 14 ceremony in Indianapolis.

The top 30 honorees reflect the pillars of the Woman of the Year award, with outstanding achievements in academics, athletics, community service and leadership. For example:

• Cumulatively, the top 30 earned a 3.87 grade-point average and more than 90 Academic All-America honors.
• The top 30 earned nearly 20 national championships (individual and team) and nearly 110 All-America honors.
• The top 30 volunteered for more than 375 organizations during their college careers.
• Many served as team captains and held leadership positions in various campus and community organizations.

Alecia Shields-Gadson of Coppin State, NCAA Woman of the Year selection committee chair, described the extraordinary commitment to academics and athletics by each of the top 30 honorees.

“Being an NCAA student-athlete takes dedication to both academic and athletic excellence,” said Shields-Gadson, who will chair the NCAA Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee starting next month. “These women rose to that challenge and became leaders on the court, in the classroom and in their communities. The Woman of the Year honorees are excellent role models and will most certainly continue to make a positive impact on the world.”

The top 30 honorees are: