National Collegiate Athletic Association
NCAA News Archive - 2007
« back to 2007 | Back to NCAA News Archive Index
Rising to the top
Woman of the Year award recognizes the best in women’s college athletics
Woman of the Year award recognizes the best in women’s college athletics
|
By Michelle Brutlag Hosick
The NCAA News
The NCAA News
Without exception, the women who have received the NCAA’s Woman of the Year award have credited those around them — friends, family, teammates, coaches — for helping them become their best.
1999 winner Jamila Demby, a first-generation college graduate and track and field standout from the University of California, Davis, recognized her mother, Deborah Thomas: “I want to thank my mother for inspiring me to go to college and to get where I am today,” Demby said. “My mother inspired me to go to college so I could get a job I enjoy, since she’s never had that opportunity.”
In 2003, Kenyon College swimmer Ashley Jo Rowatt said she drew inspiration from her teammates: “Just seeing them being dedicated to the classroom and dedicated to the pool really put it in my head that something like this was possible,” she said.
Kimberly A. Black, a University of Georgia swimmer and the 2001 Woman of the Year, said her coach, Jack Bauerle, set the right tone for achievement: “He was just as excited about me winning the Walter Byers Scholarship as he was about me making the Olympic team. That kind of a commitment from a coach really makes a difference.”
In 2002, Tanisha Silas, a track star also from UC Davis, gave credit to her extended family, friends and mentors for her success: “You know that cliché ‘it takes a village to raise a child’ — well, it really does take a village, particularly in the neighborhood where I grew up,” she said. “I wouldn’t be where I am today without the love and support of all of those people.”
Like all of its winners, the Woman of the Year award was not the product of one person’s vision; it was the result of collaboration between the NCAA, a corporate partner and each member institution within the Association, all with a common desire — honoring women in athletics.
Making a difference
First conceived and awarded in 1991, the Woman of the Year began as a way for Hanes Her Way and parent company Sara Lee Corporation to support women’s athletics and provide an opportunity for grass-roots exposure of outstanding women student-athletes nationwide. At the time the award was created, the NCAA had sponsored women’s championships for a decade, and the sports world was increasingly recognizing that women were a valuable part of intercollegiate athletics.
The award was intended to honor female student-athletes who not only earned success in their sport, but also excelled academically and gave back to their communities. Each of the 16 winners from 1991 (Mary Beth Riley, Canisius College, cross country and track and field) to 2006 (Anne Bersagel, Wake Forest University, cross country) had inspiring stories to tell.
Riley overcame a diagnosis of Hodgkin’s disease, continuing to compete while receiving chemotherapy treatments. Nnenna Lynch, the 1993 winner from Villanova University, dreamed of opening a network of community centers and after-school programs for underprivileged kids. Past winners have been Rhodes Scholars and Fulbright Scholars and Olympians, all-Americans, conference champions and NCAA champions.
Rowatt, the 2003 Woman of the Year, just completed a term as a member of the committee that selects the winners. She said that attending the banquet the year she won and meeting the other student-athletes who were finalists was inspiring — and helpful to her later when she had the task of sifting through the nominations.
“It completely opened my eyes to how many people are out there making such a difference in their communities,” Rowatt said. “Having met some of the women who had been selected in the past, I could understand who the people were more than just their paper application. Their personality stood out, and even though I had never met them, I still felt like I understood better the kind of people that they were, having stood next to other people like them.”
Building role models
The NCAA Women of the Year all started in the same place — they were nominated by someone at their institution. For 15 years, the process remained the same: Athletics administrators at each NCAA member institution chose a woman to represent their campus, and a committee then chose winners to represent each state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Ten finalists were chosen by the selection committee, and from those finalists, one winner was selected as the Woman of the Year.
In 2006, that process was changed to be more equitable. All institutions now forward nominations to their conference office, and the conferences select a woman of the year. The selection committee now honors a top 10 in each division, and then the top three from each division are chosen as finalists. The committee then chooses the Woman of the Year from the finalists.
Tanya Rush was chair of the selection committee and a member of the Committee on Women’s Athletics when the selection process changed. The CWA is responsible for oversight of the Woman of the Year. Rush said the changes allow for a broader spectrum of women to be honored by the NCAA.
“The change has resulted in identifying more women within the Association and provides a greater representation of the talented women in the NCAA,” Rush said. “It’s a little bit more competitive.”
Rowatt said the changes were positive and allowed for a more fair comparison among women because similar schools would be grouped in the same conferences, as opposed to comparing large state-run universities with small, private colleges.
Bersagel, last year’s Woman of the Year, represented the Atlantic Coast Conference. Other finalists included representatives of the Colonial Athletic Association, the Southeastern Conference, the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, the State University of New York Athletic Conference, the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference, the Lone Star Conference and the Sunshine State Conference.
This year’s finalists represent the New England Small College Athletic Conference, the SEC, the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, the Big East Conference, the Pacific-10 Conference, the Liberty League, the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association, the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference and an independent institution.
However the Woman of the Year is chosen, it would be difficult to find someone who doesn’t believe that the award has been a valuable addition to the NCAA’s annual honors. The winners — and the finalists — are excellent role models not only for young girls participating in athletics, but also for young women and girls who aspire to achievegreatness in any aspect of life.
“It’s important that we recognize these women so that other people know that you can have it all: you can be a top athlete and a top student, and you can still be spending your time giving back to your community and involved in leadership and service,” Rowatt said. “When I started college, it was hugely important for me to see people who were doing it right, to see people who were working out every day, who never missed a practice, who competed at their best and were at the top of their class. It is important that we highlight these people so others know what you can do.”
Rush, vice president for student affairs at Wright State University, said the Woman of the Year award is “much bigger than the NCAA.”
“It’s important to all women. It’s another opportunity for young women to be acknowledged and celebrated for their outstanding achievements,” she said. “It’s not limited to the NCAA — we are just fortunate that the NCAA is on the forefront of leadership in making (this type of award and event) a priority. It’s important to everybody.”
Monique Morgan, assistant commissioner/senior woman administrator at the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association, is the current chair of the selection committee. Morgan said that she grew up watching “role models” like Lucille Ball on “I Love Lucy” and Edith Bunker on “All in the Family.” Funny women, yes, but both were certainly not treated with respect by their husbands.
“For those of us who grew up watching things like that, to see a woman being honored for being able to do several things at one time — community service, athletics, and academics — it provides a much better role model than a Lucy,” she said. “This award gives us the opportunity to go beyond sports, beyond winning championships, to show that athletics builds character.”
1992 Catherine Byrne, Swimming and Diving, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
1993 Nnenna Lynch, Cross Country and Track and Field, Villanova University
1994 anya Jones, Track and Field, University of Arizona
1995 Rebecca Lobo, Basketball, University of Connecticut
1996 Billie Winsett-Fletcher, Volleyball, University of Nebraska, Lincoln
1997 Lisa Anne Coole, Swimming and Diving, University of Georgia
1998 Peggy Boutilier, Lacrosse and Field Hockey, University of Virginia
1999 Jamila Denby, Track and Field, University of California, Davis
2000 Kristy Kowal, Swimming, University of Georgia
2001 Kimberly A. Black, Swimming, University of Georgia
2002 Tanisha Silas, Track and Field, University of California, Davis
2003 Ashley Jo Rowatt, Swimming and Diving, Kenyon College
2004 Kelly Albin, Lacrosse, University of California, Davis
2005 Lauryn McCalley, Diving, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
2006 Anne Bersagel, Cross Country and Track and Field, Wake Forest University
1999 winner Jamila Demby, a first-generation college graduate and track and field standout from the University of California, Davis, recognized her mother, Deborah Thomas: “I want to thank my mother for inspiring me to go to college and to get where I am today,” Demby said. “My mother inspired me to go to college so I could get a job I enjoy, since she’s never had that opportunity.”
In 2003, Kenyon College swimmer Ashley Jo Rowatt said she drew inspiration from her teammates: “Just seeing them being dedicated to the classroom and dedicated to the pool really put it in my head that something like this was possible,” she said.
Kimberly A. Black, a University of Georgia swimmer and the 2001 Woman of the Year, said her coach, Jack Bauerle, set the right tone for achievement: “He was just as excited about me winning the Walter Byers Scholarship as he was about me making the Olympic team. That kind of a commitment from a coach really makes a difference.”
In 2002, Tanisha Silas, a track star also from UC Davis, gave credit to her extended family, friends and mentors for her success: “You know that cliché ‘it takes a village to raise a child’ — well, it really does take a village, particularly in the neighborhood where I grew up,” she said. “I wouldn’t be where I am today without the love and support of all of those people.”
Like all of its winners, the Woman of the Year award was not the product of one person’s vision; it was the result of collaboration between the NCAA, a corporate partner and each member institution within the Association, all with a common desire — honoring women in athletics.
Making a difference
First conceived and awarded in 1991, the Woman of the Year began as a way for Hanes Her Way and parent company Sara Lee Corporation to support women’s athletics and provide an opportunity for grass-roots exposure of outstanding women student-athletes nationwide. At the time the award was created, the NCAA had sponsored women’s championships for a decade, and the sports world was increasingly recognizing that women were a valuable part of intercollegiate athletics.
The award was intended to honor female student-athletes who not only earned success in their sport, but also excelled academically and gave back to their communities. Each of the 16 winners from 1991 (Mary Beth Riley, Canisius College, cross country and track and field) to 2006 (Anne Bersagel, Wake Forest University, cross country) had inspiring stories to tell.
Riley overcame a diagnosis of Hodgkin’s disease, continuing to compete while receiving chemotherapy treatments. Nnenna Lynch, the 1993 winner from Villanova University, dreamed of opening a network of community centers and after-school programs for underprivileged kids. Past winners have been Rhodes Scholars and Fulbright Scholars and Olympians, all-Americans, conference champions and NCAA champions.
Rowatt, the 2003 Woman of the Year, just completed a term as a member of the committee that selects the winners. She said that attending the banquet the year she won and meeting the other student-athletes who were finalists was inspiring — and helpful to her later when she had the task of sifting through the nominations.
“It completely opened my eyes to how many people are out there making such a difference in their communities,” Rowatt said. “Having met some of the women who had been selected in the past, I could understand who the people were more than just their paper application. Their personality stood out, and even though I had never met them, I still felt like I understood better the kind of people that they were, having stood next to other people like them.”
Building role models
The NCAA Women of the Year all started in the same place — they were nominated by someone at their institution. For 15 years, the process remained the same: Athletics administrators at each NCAA member institution chose a woman to represent their campus, and a committee then chose winners to represent each state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Ten finalists were chosen by the selection committee, and from those finalists, one winner was selected as the Woman of the Year.
In 2006, that process was changed to be more equitable. All institutions now forward nominations to their conference office, and the conferences select a woman of the year. The selection committee now honors a top 10 in each division, and then the top three from each division are chosen as finalists. The committee then chooses the Woman of the Year from the finalists.
Tanya Rush was chair of the selection committee and a member of the Committee on Women’s Athletics when the selection process changed. The CWA is responsible for oversight of the Woman of the Year. Rush said the changes allow for a broader spectrum of women to be honored by the NCAA.
“The change has resulted in identifying more women within the Association and provides a greater representation of the talented women in the NCAA,” Rush said. “It’s a little bit more competitive.”
Rowatt said the changes were positive and allowed for a more fair comparison among women because similar schools would be grouped in the same conferences, as opposed to comparing large state-run universities with small, private colleges.
Bersagel, last year’s Woman of the Year, represented the Atlantic Coast Conference. Other finalists included representatives of the Colonial Athletic Association, the Southeastern Conference, the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, the State University of New York Athletic Conference, the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference, the Lone Star Conference and the Sunshine State Conference.
This year’s finalists represent the New England Small College Athletic Conference, the SEC, the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, the Big East Conference, the Pacific-10 Conference, the Liberty League, the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association, the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference and an independent institution.
However the Woman of the Year is chosen, it would be difficult to find someone who doesn’t believe that the award has been a valuable addition to the NCAA’s annual honors. The winners — and the finalists — are excellent role models not only for young girls participating in athletics, but also for young women and girls who aspire to achievegreatness in any aspect of life.
“It’s important that we recognize these women so that other people know that you can have it all: you can be a top athlete and a top student, and you can still be spending your time giving back to your community and involved in leadership and service,” Rowatt said. “When I started college, it was hugely important for me to see people who were doing it right, to see people who were working out every day, who never missed a practice, who competed at their best and were at the top of their class. It is important that we highlight these people so others know what you can do.”
Rush, vice president for student affairs at Wright State University, said the Woman of the Year award is “much bigger than the NCAA.”
“It’s important to all women. It’s another opportunity for young women to be acknowledged and celebrated for their outstanding achievements,” she said. “It’s not limited to the NCAA — we are just fortunate that the NCAA is on the forefront of leadership in making (this type of award and event) a priority. It’s important to everybody.”
Monique Morgan, assistant commissioner/senior woman administrator at the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association, is the current chair of the selection committee. Morgan said that she grew up watching “role models” like Lucille Ball on “I Love Lucy” and Edith Bunker on “All in the Family.” Funny women, yes, but both were certainly not treated with respect by their husbands.
“For those of us who grew up watching things like that, to see a woman being honored for being able to do several things at one time — community service, athletics, and academics — it provides a much better role model than a Lucy,” she said. “This award gives us the opportunity to go beyond sports, beyond winning championships, to show that athletics builds character.”
Women of the Year
1991 Mary Beth Riley, Track and Field, Canisius College1992 Catherine Byrne, Swimming and Diving, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
1993 Nnenna Lynch, Cross Country and Track and Field, Villanova University
1994 anya Jones, Track and Field, University of Arizona
1995 Rebecca Lobo, Basketball, University of Connecticut
1996 Billie Winsett-Fletcher, Volleyball, University of Nebraska, Lincoln
1997 Lisa Anne Coole, Swimming and Diving, University of Georgia
1998 Peggy Boutilier, Lacrosse and Field Hockey, University of Virginia
1999 Jamila Denby, Track and Field, University of California, Davis
2000 Kristy Kowal, Swimming, University of Georgia
2001 Kimberly A. Black, Swimming, University of Georgia
2002 Tanisha Silas, Track and Field, University of California, Davis
2003 Ashley Jo Rowatt, Swimming and Diving, Kenyon College
2004 Kelly Albin, Lacrosse, University of California, Davis
2005 Lauryn McCalley, Diving, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
2006 Anne Bersagel, Cross Country and Track and Field, Wake Forest University
© 2010 The National Collegiate Athletic Association
Terms and Conditions | Privacy Policy