Lia Thomas, Brooke Forde Among 2022 NCAA Woman of the Year Nominees (See Full List)

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

Lia Thomas, Brooke Forde Among 2022 NCAA Woman of the Year Nominees

NCAA champion Lia Thomas and American Olympian Brooke Forde were among the nominees for the 2022 NCAA Woman of the Year, released Thursday.

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

The duo is among 577 graduating student-athletes in Division I, II and III nominated for the award. Schools nominate their athletes for the award, and conferences select up to two from each school. The preliminary list will be narrowed down to 10 athletes from each division, 30 in total. The Woman of the Year award was created in 1991, honoring “female student-athletes who have exhausted their eligibility and distinguished themselves in their community, in athletics and in academics throughout their college careers.” This year’s class of nominees coincides with the 50th anniversary of Title IX.

The 2022 NCAA Woman of the Year will be named at the NCAA Convention in January 2023 in San Antonio, Texas.

Among the nominees are 50 aquatic athletes, with 46 swimmers and five water polo players (one, UC San Diego’s Ciara Franke, does both).

Some of the most notable nominees are:

Thomas, the NCAA champion in the 500 free and a transgender woman who was the subject of controversy throughout the season.
Forde, a Stanford grad who won a silver medal in the 800 freestyle relay at the Tokyo Olympics.
Sarah Bacon, a five-time NCAA champion diver at the University of Minnesota
Delaney Schnell, a diver at the University of Arizona who won a silver medal for the United States at the Tokyo Olympics in the 10-meter synchro
Emily Sweet, the Bentley swimmer nominated for the Honda Inspiration Award
Crile Hart of Kenyon, a Honda Award Finalist in Division III

The list of aquatics nominees are below, and the full list is available here.

NCAA Woman of the Year Nominees

Division I

Sarah Bacon, University of Minnesota, Big Ten
Autumn D’Arcy, Cal State Bakersfield, Mountain Pacific Sports Federation
Hanna Everhart, Duquesne, Atlantic 10
Brooke Forde, Stanford, Pac-12
Ciara Franke, UC San Diego, Big West (also water polo)
Riley Gaines, Kentucky, SEC
Sara Gendron, Bryant, Northeast Conference
Sydney Harrington, Navy, Patriot League
Elena Kotanchyan, Long Beach State, Big West (water polo)
Susan Elizabeth LaGrand, Oakland, Horizon League
Kara McCurdy, Providence, Big East
Anna Metzler, New Hampshire, America East
Madelyn Moore, University of Northern Carolina, Western Athletic Conference
Emily Nicholson, Fresno State, Golden Coast Conference (water polo)
Emma Nordin, Arizona State, Pac-12
Felicia Pasadyn, Harvard, Ivy League
Kathryn Power, Houston, AAC
Tara Prentice, UC-Irvine, Big West (water polo)
Mariana Roge Ferreira Duarte, University of the Pacific, Golden Coast Conference (water polo)
Delaney Schnell, Arizona, Pac-12
Sienna Senn, Davidson, Atlantic 10
Kate Steward, Kansas, Big 12
Camryn Streid, Cincinnati, AAC
Lia Thomas, Penn, Ivy League
Sarah Thompson, Missouri, SEC
Georgia Vargas, Siena, Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (water polo)

Division II

Kaitlyn Agger, Wingate University, South Atlantic Conference
Savannah Brennan, Florida Institute of Technology, Sunshine State Conference
Johanna Buys, University of Indianapolis, Great Lakes Valley Conference
Elizabeth Caird, Saginaw Valley State, Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Anna Miram, Wingate University, South Atlantic Conference
Grace Sill, Florida Southern, Sunshine State Conference
Emily Sweet, Bentley, Northeast-10
Kayla Tennant, Queens University of Charlotte, South Atlantic Conference

Division III

Claudia Barnett, Washington & Lee, Old Dominion Athletic Conference
Zoe Chan, College of New Jersey, New Jersey Athletic Conference
Molly Craig, Williams College, New England Small College Athletic Conference
Lydia DaCorte, Wheaton (Mass.) College, New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference
Maddie Ford, Connecticut College, New England Small College Athletic Conference
Ellen Gilbert, Illinois Wesleyan, College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin
Clio Hancock, Emory, University Athletic Association
Mary Hufziger, Tufts, New England Small College Athletic Conference
Macy Klein, St. Catherine, Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Sophie Lear, Ursinus, Centennial Conference
Drew Lei-Alerta, Sarah Lawrence, Skyline Conference
Madelynn Marunde, Augustana (Ill.) College, College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin
Emmerson Ann Mirus, Kenyon, North Coast Athletic Conference
Kathryn Murphy, Mount Holyoke, New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference
Valery Piachonkina, Austin College, College Water Polo Association (water polo)
Anna Pilecky, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Jesse Stovall, Southwestern (Texas) University, Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference
Jessica Touve, Bridgewater (Va.) College, Old Dominion Athletic Conference

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Theresa

1 year ago

So a man who took hormones to suppress his male development at the age of 19 is now a woman. Hahhahahahahaa!!!!!!! The stupidity of this is so amazing to me. Even if he’s not a record-breaking swimmer, he’s still edging actual women out of their opportunities for scholarships and awards.

Michael

1 year ago

Reply to Theresa

Beyond offensive at this point

Leander

1 year ago

Reply to Theresa

And they are supposed to be searching for truth at colleges and universities. Not doing very well on that one if you can’t tell the difference between a man and a woman. You can’t write satire anymore because the reality is too unbelievable.

John

1 year ago

i encourage everyone to send an email to the NCAA to complain. This is a deliberate attempt to normalize such blatant unfairness and give the false impression that those of us who think it is intolerable (esp. young women) are the odd ones out. No, we’re not.

Bill

1 year ago

Simply disgusting.

Rob

1 year ago

As a male athlete, I’d like to apologize to all women athletes who are getting utterly hosed by this lunacy. What on earth are we doing?

Dee Enaiir

1 year ago

Reply to Rob

Literally HOSED !!!!

Anna

1 year ago

He’s a man.

B. Jones

1 year ago

This just makes women furiously angry. Why is this madness encouraged? It harms gender non conforming boys by letting them think they have to ‘become girls’ in order to be ‘accepted’ and it harms young women who have to see men take their places in sport and awards. The world is already undeniably set up for men to have it all, they now get to own the word woman as well?!

BigSwingingRichard

1 year ago

One would think you would be disqualified from competing against women, if not because you are a man, but then because you have a rudder.

David

1 year ago

What is wrong with these people. HE is male, just because you WANT to be a woman doesn’t mean you biologically are one.

Lou

1 year ago

No transgender deserves a woman or male of the year award. The biological women have worked hard for this honor. Lia Thomas was a male through the puberty changes of life and has an unfair advantage over biological women.

Dee Enaiir

1 year ago

Reply to Lou

It will get to the point that young girls say why should i even bother ? Hours n hours training , working out , juggling academics n sports , trying to succeed and be the best among women…… then a MALE ( that was mediocre as a male athlete) waltzes in saying “ I’m a woman inside” has an obvious advantage , winning all the games, meets , awards , scholarships. WOMEN YOU MUST FIGHT BACK NOW !!!!!! PARENTS OF FEMALE ATHLETES SPEAK OUT !!!!!

Flora R

1 year ago

Reply to Lou

Still a male. Will always be a male.

Dee Enaiir

1 year ago

These college women HAVE to STAND UP AGAINST this ridiculousness. William Thomas SHOULD NOT be up for “WOMAN of the YEAR” ….. THATS. A. MAN. I get it, you stand up – your cancelled, ostracized, called transphobic before your life even begins after college. But these young women need to band together and say NO MORE!!!!!

Fox Nancy

1 year ago

Thomas was ranked #462 in NCAA when swimming as a male. Transferring to the women’s team and Thomas is suddenly #1. What’s wrong with this picture? Identities don’t play sports, bodies do, and men will always have an inherent advantage. Why did we fight for Title IX if we’re going to allow male bodies in our sports? It’s insane. Women are being kicked to the curb again. Yeah, we’re used to being told to sit down and shut up. It’s wrong! Savewomenssports.com

Last edited 1 year ago by Fox Nancy

Richard Misci

1 year ago

What a disgrace!

Richard Misci

1 year ago

This BS will continue until November when Republicans take back The House and Senate! This is beyond the pale!

robert kravutske

1 year ago

let him swim at olympic trials…….he would get smoked…..maybe he can date bruce jenner…..or join the wnba?????…..

Nacho Spain

1 year ago

What is the best woman? A man… Yep…

John

1 year ago

Stop it already! They are a transitioned male not a woman.

Flora R

1 year ago

Reply to John

Transitioned into what? he’s still a male.

hwfakhfwk

1 year ago

rooting for all the biological female nominees 🙂 good luck ladies