Nine Swimmers and Divers Named 2016 NCAA Woman of the Year Conference Nominees

This afternoon the NCAA announced 142 female student-athletes who are the conference level nominees for the 2016 NCAA Woman of the Year award.

Nine swimmers and divers have been named.

Cal’s Rachael Acker represents the Pac-12 conference on the national ballot. The ACC’s selection is Kara McCormack who dove for the University of Miami. Amanda Lucia of Wagner College and the Northeast Conference, and University of Richmond’s and the Atlantic 10 Conference’s Melissa Ross are the two other Division I swimming and diving nominees this year.

Lynn University two sport athlete Rebecca Matthews is the lone Division II swimmer, representing the Sunshine State Conference. She also ran cross country.

Division III had four swimmers selected. MIT’s Margaret Guo and Mount Holyoke College’s Cathleen Pruden are the nominees for the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference.

Clare Slagel represents Luther College and the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Haley Townsend of Kenyon and the North Coast Athletic Conference rounds out the nominees.

In June, schools nominated a total of 517 women. The award, “has recognized graduating female student-athletes for excellence in academics, athletics, community service and leadership since its inception in 1991.”

Last year’s winner was Kristin Day, a diver from Division II Clarion University.

Read the full press release from the NCAA below:

NCAA conferences and independent schools have nominated 142 female student-athletes for the 2016 Woman of the Year Award.

These women, selected from a record 517 school nominees, represent college athletes from 17 different sports spanning all three NCAA divisions. Of those recognized, 54 nominees competed in Division I, 37 in Division II and 51 in Division III.

Two of the honorees also will represent the United States at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

In early September, the Woman of the Year selection committee will name the Top 30 honorees, representing the top 10 women in each division. The selection committee will then choose and announce the nine finalists, with three from each division, at the end of September. Then, from the pool of nine finalists, the NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics will determine the 2016 Woman of the Year.

The Top 30 honorees will be celebrated and the 2016 NCAA Woman of the Year will be named at the annual banquet Oct. 16 in Indianapolis.

The NCAA Woman of the Year program has recognized graduating female student-athletes for excellence in academics, athletics, community service and leadership since its inception in 1991.

To view the list of conference nominees, click here.

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