(INDIANAPOLIS, IN) The NCAA has announced the names of 132 NCAA female student athletes, including eight from HBCUs, who have received Woman of the Year recognition from their conferences and independent institutions. The selections came from all three divisions and multiple sports.
Farrah Sells (Saint Paul's - softball) and Bowie State's
Tiffany Toney (Abilene, TX, Abilene Cooper, The University of Oklahoma ) (softball, volleyball, indoor & outdoor track) represented the CIAA.
NC A&T's Loreal Smith (indoor & outdoor track) represented the MEAC, while Mireille LeBlanc (Jackson State - golf) and Almarie Soto-Ortiz (Southern - soccer) were selectees from the SWAC
Chicago State's Jacquelin Darby (indoor & outdoor track) and Fiona Wan (golf) were selected in the Division I Independents category.
Jordean Matthews (Lincoln (PA) - softball, volleyball, indoor & outdoor track) was chosen as a Division III Independent.
These women will vie for the 2009 NCAA Woman of the Year award that will be presented at a dinner in Indianapolis on October 18, 2009.
A committee composed of representatives from NCAA member schools and conferences will select the Top 30 – 10 from each division – from the conference and independent nominees. The Top 30 will be announced in September and from the Top 30 honorees, nine finalists – three from each division – will be chosen. The NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics will select the national winner from the pool of nine finalists and announce the recipient during the 2009 Woman of the Year dinner.
The 2008 NCAA Woman of the year was Tennessee women’s basketball standout Nkolika Anosike.