Illinois Wesleyan’s Meg Stanley Named CCIW Woman Of The Year

Photo Courtesy: Illinois Wesleyan Athletics

Illinois Wesleyan’s Meg Stanley was named the 2017 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Woman of the Year on Monday and will now represent the conference as a nominee for the 2017 NCAA Woman of the Year award.

Stanley, a member of the Titans’ swimming team, was chosen through a voting process conducted by the CCIW Senior Woman Administrators and Faculty Athletics Representatives. She was chosen among a group of six other nominees including Augustana’s Hannah Lohmeier (soccer), Carthage’s Morgan Young (track & field), Elmhurst’s Melissa Nava (volleyball), North Central’s Anicia Mattingly (lacrosse), North Park’s Elizabeth Rehberger (basketball) and Wheaton’s Katie McDaniels (basketball).

The NCAA Woman of the Year award honors senior female student-athletes who have distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate careers in the areas of academic achievement, athletics excellence, service and leadership. The NCAA had a record 543 student-athletes nominated, including 197 from Division III, 229 from Division I and 117 from Division II. The nominees represent 21 different women’s sports, and 122 of the nominees competed in more than one sport in college.

Stanley, a native of Leawood, Kansas and Shawnee Mission East High School, achieved a 3.95 grade-point average while majoring in History/Secondary Education at Illinois Wesleyan. She was named a scholar all-American three-straight years (2015-2017) and earned the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Division III Academic All-American of the Year award this past season.

Stanley is a volunteer for Reading is Fundamental and Susan G. Komen activities, the local Tool Library and Bed Blitz, and helped organize Student Education Association fundraisers for The Promise Council. She is a member of Phi Beta Kappa honors society along with the Alpha Lambda Delta and Kappa Delta Pi honoraries.

In the pool, Stanley became Illinois Wesleyan’s first swimming national champion after she took first in the 500-yard freestyle at the national meet on March 15. Trailing with 25 yards to go, Stanley won with a time of 4:50.76, setting a new school and CCIW open record in the process. She became the first CCIW swimmer, male or female, to win a national title in the 500 freestyle.

Stanley also claimed all-America honors in the 1,650-yard freestyle where she finished third with a time of 16:41.93 on March 18. Her time set a new school and CCIW open record.

During the CCIW Championships held February 9-11, Stanley established new meet records while taking first in both the 500 freestyle (4:52.47) and the 1,650 freestyle (16:48.04). Stanley also won the 200-yard freestyle (1:51.65) and was part of the winning 800-yard freestyle relay (7:38.45). In April, she was named the 2017 CCIW Female Swimmer of the Year.

The Woman of the Year selection committee, made up of representatives from the NCAA membership, will now choose the top 30 honorees including 10 from each division. From the top 30, the selection committee determines the top three honorees from each division and announces the nine finalists in September. The NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics then chooses from among those nine to determine the 2017 NCAA Woman of the Year.

The top 30 honorees will be celebrated and the 2017 NCAA Woman of the Year winner will be announced at the annual award ceremony October 22 in Indianapolis.

CCIW Woman of the Year Winners
2016-17 – Meg Stanley – Illinois Wesleyan (Swimming)
2015-16 – Jill Harmon – Illinois Wesleyan (Track & Field)
2014-15 – Kelsey Graham – Wheaton (Soccer)
2013-14 – Lexi Baltes – Illinois Wesleyan (Basketball)
2012-13 – Elise Anderson – Illinois Wesleyan (Cross Country/Track & Field)
2011-12 – Lauren Knaack – Illinois Wesleyan (Soccer)
2010-11 – Elizabeth Ave Maria – Illinois Wesleyan (Cross Country/Track & Field)
2009-10 – Lindsey Haines – Illinois Wesleyan (Golf)
2008-09 – Nicole Spear – Illinois Wesleyan (Golf)
2007-08 – Sarah Richardson – Wheaton (Soccer)
2006-07 – Meghan Voiland – Augustana (Track & Field)
2005-06 – Melinda Sprague – Illinois Wesleyan (Cross Country/Track & Field)

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Thomas A. Small

6 years ago

Congratulations