Forty-seven Division III soccer players nominated for NCAA Woman of the Year

By Christan Shirk

Of the 605 total nominees for the 2020 NCAA Woman of the Year award, forty-seven are Division III soccer players.

Forty-seven women’s soccer players are among the 220 Division III student-athletes nominated by their schools for the 2020 NCAA Woman of the Year award. Across all three divisions there are a total of 605 nominees—the most ever in the history of the award.

For the 2020 award, nominees are required to have completed their intercollegiate athletic eligibility during the 2019-20 school year and have graduated by the end of the 2020 summer term (or would have if not for Covid-19 pandemic) with a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.50. Candidates are graded in the areas of service and leadership, academic achievement, and athletic excellence as well as their personal statement of no more than 500 words. The impacts of Covid-19 pandemic (e.g., cancelation of winter championships and spring seasons, modifications to academic year) will be taken into consideration, but, as in any other year, the nominees are evaluated based on their achievements and involvements throughout their time as collegiate student-athletes, not just during their final year.

Of the forty-seven Division III soccer players nominated (see full list below), six were D3soccer.com All-Americans last fall as seniors.  Brooke Firestone (Messiah) was our 2019 Forward of the Year after garnering third team honors in 2018. Defender Jessie Turner (Centre) was also a two-time All-American adding second team honors to her third team nod as a junior. Midfielder Emily Berzolla (MIT) and defender Nkem Iregbulem (Williams) were selected to the second team as seniors while the third team included defender Kendell Groom (Hardin-Simmons) and forward Lydia Lawson (Elizabethtown).

Soccer was most represented sport among the 605 nominees from all three NCAA divisions with 114 having played soccer collegiately (basketball was second with 110 participants). Seventeen of the nominated soccer players were multi-sport athletes, fifteen from the Division III ranks.

From the list of school nominees, conferences select up to two women to represent their conference.  Those names, which totaled 151 last year, are forwarded to the Woman of the Year selection committee who pares the field down to the Top 30 Honorees—ten from each division—in September. In early October, the selection committee announces nine finalists—three from each division—who are forwarded to the NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics (CWA) who choose the winner.

Normally the Top 30 honorees would be recognized and the NCAA Woman of the Year winner would be announced at the annual awards dinner and ceremony in mid- to late-October; however, due to the Covid-19 pandemic the 2020 winner will simply be announced this year. Last year, Swarthmore forward and two-time D3soccer.com All-American Marin McCoy was named as one of the nine finalists. Only five Division III student-athletes have won the award in its 29-year history, the most recent being a soccer player: Washington University's goalkeeper Lizzy Crist just three years ago in 2017 after she concluded her collegiate career as a national champion and two-time D3soccer.com Goalkeeper of the Year. She was just the second soccer player from any division to receive the honor, three years after the first in 2014. More information on the NCAA Woman of the Year award can be found below.

Click to enlarge (source: ncaa.org)

Division III soccer players nominated for NCAA Woman of the Year

NCAA Woman of the Year Award

Process (modified due to Covid-19 pandemic)

• NCAA member colleges and universities nominate their top graduating female student-athlete (May to June due to Covid-19 pandemic).
• Conferences select up to two women from the nominees to represent the conference (early July due to Covid-19 pandemic).
• The Woman of the Year selection committee selects the top 30 honorees–10 from each division (September).
• The selection committee determines the top three in each division; announces the top nine finalists (early October).
• The NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics votes from among the finalists to determine the NCAA Woman of the Year.
• The NCAA Woman of the Year winner is announced (mid- to late-October?) (no annual awards dinner and ceremony in October due to Covid-19 pandemic).

Eligibility

• Nominee must have competed and earned a varsity letter in an NCAA-sponsored sport.
• Nominee must have completed intercollegiate eligibility in her primary sport by the end of the 2019-20 competitive season and received her undergraduate degree no later than the summer 2020 term (or would have if not for the Covid-19 pandemic) .
• Nominee must have a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 2.50 (4.00 scale).

Selection Criteria

• Personal Statement (10%)

• Based on the nominee’s own description, in 500 words or less, of how her experiences as a scholar, an athlete, and a leader on her campus and in her community have influenced her life and empowered her to have a positive impact on the world.  This year, the nominee may use a limited portion of her statement to discuss the personal impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
  Eloquently explains her experiences using poignant examples that illustrate her significant growth and development; provides insightful analysis of and appreciation for how she can have a positive impact on the world	5 pts.
  Effectively explains her experiences using appropriate examples that illustrate her growth and development; provides a perceptive understanding of how she can have a positive impact on the world	4 pts.
  Communicates her experiences using multiple examples that illustrate her growth and development; presents a clear understanding of how she can have a positive impact on the world	3 pts.
  Communicates her experiences using at least one example related to her growth and development; offers a basic understanding of how she can have a positive impact on the world	2 pts.
  Lists some of her experiences, referring in some way to how she can have a positive impact on the world	1 pt.

• Service and Leadership (30%)

• Based on the nominee's involvement in campus and leadership activities and community service as follows:
  Consistently engaged in extensive service and leadership activities that impact the campus, community and/or beyond; makes most of opportunities by taking on key roles; is creative and innovative in seeking out meaningful service and leadership opportunities	5 pts.
  Consistently engaged in service and leadership activities, and plays a significant role in impacting the campus and community in a meaningful way	4 pts.
  Consistently involved in service and leadership activities that positively affect her campus	3 pts.
  Involved in some service and leadership activities at various times during collegiate career	2 pts.
  Involved in a few one-time or short-term service or leadership activities	1 pt.

• Academic Achievement (30%)

• Based on cumulative undergraduate GPA as follows:
  3.90 - 4.00	5 pts.
  3.70 - 3.89	4 pts.
  3.50 - 3.69	3 pts.
  3.30 - 3.49	2 pts.
  3.00 - 3.29	1 pt.

• Athletics Excellence (30%)

• Based on nominee's highest athletics honor and/or accomplishment as follows:
  Team/individual national champion, 1st Team athletics All-American	5 pts.
  Athletics All-American other than 1st team	4 pts.
  Athletics All-Region, 1st Team All-Conference, team/individual conference champion	3 pts.
  Athletics All-Conference other than 1st team	2 pts.
  Multisport varsity letter	1 pt.

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