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Women of the Year Top 30 Nominees 2025

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The Woman of the Year Selection Committee has announced the Top 30 honorees for the 2025 NCAA Woman of the Year Award

Established in 1991, the award is rooted in Title IX and recognizes female student-athletes who have completed their undergraduate studies and distinguished themselves in their community, in athletics and in academics throughout their college careers. 

Selected from a record-breaking 631 nominees submitted by member schools — a group that was then narrowed to 167 nominees at the conference level — the Top 30 honorees include 10 from each of the three NCAA divisions. Each honoree has demonstrated excellence in academics, athletics, community service and leadership. The honorees competed in a total of 14 NCAA championship sports and two NCAA Emerging Sports for Women. They have a variety of majors, including chemistry, mathematics, biology, education, engineering, psychology, nursing, computer science, journalism, sport management and more. 

"These honorees represent the very best of what it means to be a student-athlete, and the character-building potential that is inherent in all athletic pursuits. They have distinguished themselves among the many thousands of collegiate athletes who find and surpass their limits every day on the journey to becoming their best selves, not just in sport, but in life," said Marion Terenzio, chair of the Woman of the Year Selection Committee and president of SUNY Cobleskill. "I congratulate all of the remarkable women named to the Top 30 and applaud their demonstrated ability to create positive change in themselves and in the world around them."

From these 30 finalists, the Woman of the Year Selection Committee will choose the 2025 NCAA Woman of the Year, who will be announced this fall and recognized at the NCAA Convention in January. 

Below is a summary of their accomplishments.


Women of the Year Top 30 Nominee 2025 - Journey Amundson
Journey Amundson

Journey Amundson

School: Saint Louis
Division: I
Conference: Atlantic 10 Conference
Sport: Indoor and outdoor track and field
Major: Chemistry, also earned a Master of Public Health

Athletics

  • Captured two Atlantic 10 titles in the triple jump for Saint Louis and set school records in the indoor triple jump and long jump, as well as the indoor long jump. She also contributed to a school record 4x100-meter relay time.
  • Placed ninth in the 2023 Division III indoor championships and 14th in the outdoor championships in triple jump while attending Macalester.

Leadership

  • Served as team captain at Saint Louis and Macalester, and spoke at 2025 NCAA Convention after being chosen as the most accomplished cohort member of the NCAA x Meta NIL Empower Program.
  • Worked as chief expansion officer at Top Tier Lessons, scaling mentorship and name, image and likeness opportunities for over 400 student-athletes nationwide; created NIL education and brand-building events for peers.

Academics

  • Recognized with multiple Division I and Division III U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association All-Academic honors; received the Highest GPA Award from Saint Louis University's College for Public Health & Social Justice.
  • Earned multiple chemistry and science-specific academic honors, including the 2023 American Institute of Chemists Award.

Community Service

  • Directed Special Olympics programming while at Macalester.
  • Coached high school athletes at a St. Paul, Minnesota, high school to record-breaking performances.

Women of the Year Top 30 Nominee 2025 - Bethany Arabe
Bethany Arabe

Bethany Arabe

School: Point Loma
Division II
Conference: Pacific West Conference
Sport: Soccer
Majors: Spanish, biology/chemistry

Athletics

  • Was a key part of the 2023 national champion team and was named to the championship's All-Tournament Team.
  • Earned Division II Conference Commissioners Association All-West Region honors, led the Pacific West with five game-winning goals and was named the conference tournament Most Outstanding Player in 2024.

Leadership

  • Three-year team captain who led members on a global service trip to Africa with the Sports Outreach Institute to expand access to education and sport.
  • Laboratory teaching assistant and honors scholar researcher, mentoring peers and presenting findings at conferences.

Academics

  • Graduated summa cum laude, received an NCAA Division II 50th Anniversary Scholarship and earned back-to-back Sea Lion of the Year Awards from her athletics department.
  • Earned the 2024 Point Loma Biology/Chemistry Department Molecular Sciences Award and multiple Pacific West All-Academic honors.

Community Service

  • Involved in a Tijuana, Mexico, medical outreach; volunteered as an integrative-healing-through-arts volunteer (working one-on-one with hospital patients on art projects); and was a tutor of African refugee students. 
  • Participated in outreach including homeless services, Vacation Bible School and construction of a church in Mexico.

Women of the Year (WOTY) Top 30 Nominee 2025 - Ellie Arndt
Ellie Arndt

Ellie Arndt

School: Wisconsin-La Crosse
Division III
Conference:
Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Sport: Soccer
Majors: Archaeology, recreation management

Athletics

  • Named to the United Soccer Coaches All-America first team in 2023 and 2024 and the second team in 2022.
  • Helped team win conference regular-season and tournament titles for three straight years and qualify for four Division III championships, earning multiple first-team all-conference and conference Offensive Player of the Year honors in 2023 and 2024.

Leadership

  • Served as team captain.
  • Active member of her school's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

Academics

  • Named to the United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-America first team in 2023 and 2024, earned the 2023 United Soccer Coaches Scholar Player of the Year honor and was selected to the 2024 College Sports Communicators Division III Academic All-America second team. 
  • Voted the 2024 conference Judy Kruckman Scholar-Athlete in soccer.

Community Service

  • Volunteered with the cancer awareness event Steppin' Out in Pink, with the Ashley for the Arts festival and at the Nature Place with WisCorps.
  • Provided campus tours to prospective students and families as a volunteer with the campus Vanguard organization. 

Women of the Year (WOTY) Top 30 Nominee 2025 - Sivan Auerbach
Sivan Auerbach

Sivan Auerbach

School: Oklahoma State
Division I
Conference:
Big 12 Conference
Sports: Cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field
Majors: Computer engineering, computer science 

Athletics

  • Had first-team U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association All-America finishes in the distance medley relay in 2021 and 2024 and won the 2021 and 2024 Big 12 indoor titles in the 1,000-meter run. 
  • Competed in the 1,500-meter run at the 2024 European Athletics Championships and set multiple Israeli national records. 

Leadership

  • Led efforts to reinstate the Hillel Jewish Student Organization, coordinating events and organizing meetings with university leaders to advocate for Jewish students' safety and concerns.
  • Advocated for increased visibility for women's sports in Israel, mentored Israeli athletes pursuing NCAA opportunities and raised awareness of body image issues in women's athletics.

Academics

  • Received multiple College Sports Communicators Academic All-America recognitions, as well as multiple USTFCCCA All-Academic honors.
  • Became the first woman in Division I cross country to twice win the NCAA Elite 90 award, which recognizes the student-athlete with the highest GPA at each championship finals site.

Community Service

  • Volunteered in local elementary schools and at the Stillwater Humane Society.
  • Serve as a volunteer at youth track clubs and clinics in Israel. 

Women of the Year (WOTY) Top 30 Nominee 2025 - Chiara Barbieri
Chiara Barbieri

Chiara Barbieri

School: Presbyterian
Division I
Conference:
Independent
Sport: Wrestling
Major: French

Athletics

  • Qualified twice for the National Collegiate Women's Wrestling Championships, contributing to a sixth-place team finish in 2025. 
  • Tallied 20 wins as a senior, including victories against six opponents on nationally ranked teams. 

Leadership

  • Served as a resident advisor, leading monthly programs and addressing student needs. 
  • Coached youth wrestling camps and worked as a writing center tutor and a math and ethics tutor. 

Academics

  • Was a two-time National Wrestling Coaches Association Scholar All-American at Presbyterian and earned National Junior College Athletics Association All-Academic first-team honors in 2023 while a student at North Iowa Area Community College.
  • Received Presbyterian's Outstanding Senior Award (French department), named to the President's List, and inducted into Psi Chi and Phi Theta Kappa honor societies.

Community Service

  • Volunteered with Special Olympics, a food bank, a soup kitchen, and school and community sports events, in addition to helping with youth fitness testing and charity races.
  • Taught English in South Korea, building relationships with elementary and middle school students.

Women of the Year (WOTY) Top 30 Nominee 2025 - Natalie Barnouw
Natalie Barnouw

Natalie Barnouw

School: MIT
Division III
Conference:
New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference
Sport: Soccer
Major: Computational biology 

Athletics

  • Named a United Soccer Coaches All-American in 2024 and earned multiple All-Region selections. 
  • Was the 2021 NEWMAC Rookie of the Year and the 2024 NEWMAC Athlete of the Year, leading the conference in goals and points in 2024 and helping the Engineers finish with an 11-0 conference record.

Leadership

  • Co-founded MIT's Kidney Disease Screening and Prevention chapter, providing free kidney screenings and health education to underserved communities.
  • Worked as an undergraduate researcher on a stroke-detection algorithm, was a teaching assistant and a lab assistant, and held leadership roles in MIT student government and her sorority chapter.

Academics

  • Earned College Sports Communicators Academic All-America honors in 2023 and 2024, as well as United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-America honors those years. 
  • Received MIT's Malcolm G. Kispert Award for MIT Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year for 2024-25.

Community Service

  • Volunteered at Massachusetts General Hospital in the pediatric hematology/oncology department and at Boston Children's Hospital as a child life volunteer, holding weekly game nights for patients and their families.
  • Served as a tutor through MIT's English for Speakers of other Languages program and developed initiatives to address student food insecurity for undergraduate students.

Women of the Year (WOTY) Top 30 Nominee 2025 - Nikki Boon
Nikki Boon

Nikki Boon

School: Emory
Division III
Conference:
University Athletic Association
Sport: Indoor and outdoor track and field
Major: Psychology  

Athletics

  • Won Division III championships in the 2025 indoor pentathlon and outdoor heptathlon, setting the division record in the pentathlon and becoming the first to surpass 4,000 points. 
  • Earned multiple U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association All-America honors, set Emory records in several events, and won the 2025 Women's Decathlon World Championships to earn its "World's Greatest Athlete" title. 

Leadership

  • Stepped up as a guest lecturer and panel speaker at Emory.
  • Served as a teaching assistant for a neuroscience data course, a research assistant and a mathematics tutor.

Academics

  • Earned multiple College Sports Communicators Academic All-America first-team honors, as well as being chosen as the 2025 CSC Women's Track & Field/Cross Country Academic All-America Team Member of the Year for Division III.
  • Named Department of Psychology Student of the Year and earned the President's Award at Coastal Carolina, her previous school, and received Emory's H.Y. McCord III Award for women's teams for most outstanding season performance by a student-athlete. 

Community Service

  • Helped coach children at the Horry County Youth Track and Field Day and participated in Women in STEM activities. 
  • Volunteered at Special Olympics and church events. 

Women of the Year (WOTY) Top 30 Nominee 2025 - Ella Brissett
Ella Brissett

Ella Brissett

School: Claremont-Mudd-Scripps
Division III
Conference:
Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Sport: Tennis
Major: Biology

Athletics

  • Led team to two Division III championships, securing the 2022 trophy with her singles victory in the title match.
  • Earned two Intercollegiate Tennis Association All-America honors in doubles and was a three-time All-SCIAC selection, earning first-team honors in 2025.

Leadership

  • Founded the Women's Empowerment in Sports Club, organizing mentorship and equity initiatives, while serving as team captain, a Title IX peer leader and a Student-Athlete Advisory Committee representative.
  • Earned the ITA Ann Lebedeff Leadership Award, the ITA Division III Arthur Ashe Leadership and Sportsmanship Award, and the SCIAC Character Award.

Academics

  • Earned 2025 College Sports Communicators Academic All-America first-team honors.
  • Inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa academic honor society, was a four-time ITA Scholar-Athlete Award recipient and earned multiple Claremont-Mudd-Scripps academic awards.

Community Service

  • Hosted menstrual product drives and menstrual hygiene kit assembly events to assist the House of Ruth, a nonprofit supporting women and children facing homelessness.
  • Worked as an elementary school youth engagement volunteer, as a triage assistant at a free women's health clinic and as a youth mentor in multiple capacities. 

Women of the Year (WOTY) Top 30 Nominee 2025 - Paige Bueckers
Paige Bueckers

Paige Bueckers

School: UConn
Division I
Conference:
Big East Conference
Sport: Basketball
Majors: Human development and family studies

Athletics

  • Led team to win the 2025 Division I championship and received several notable honors, including the Wade Trophy, Honda Sport Award, Naismith Trophy, Wooden Award, Associated Press Player of the Year and Nancy Lieberman Award.
  • Received multiple first-team All-America and NCAA Final Four All-Tournament recognitions, became the first three-time Big East Tournament Player of the Year and set multiple UConn records.

Leadership

  • Coordinated team service participation with Team IMPACT and Geno's For the Kids charity events and served as a frequent leader at multiple youth camps.
  • Leveraged speaking platforms to promote racial equity in sports, invested in youth sports through equipment grants, and directed name, image and likeness partnerships toward philanthropic causes.

Academics

  • Earned 2024 College Sports Communicators Academic All-America first-team honors.
  • Earned Big East Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2024.

Community Service

  • Provided funding and support for free grocery stores at Hopkins West Junior High School and UConn's Storrs campus from 2021-25 and at a downtown Minneapolis pop-up store during the 2022 NCAA Final Four.
  • Volunteered at Connecticut Children's Hospital, read to local elementary schools, and participated in Special Olympics events. 

Women of the Year (WOTY) Top 30 Nominee 2025 - Kimberly DeBoer
Kimberly DeBoer

Kimberly DeBoer

School: San Francisco State
Division II
Conference:
California Collegiate Athletic Association
Sport: Volleyball
Major: Kinesiology, also earned a master's in kinesiology 

Athletics

  • Named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association All-America second team in 2024 and was a three-time CCAA Setter of the Year.
  • Helped the program earn its first NCAA West Regional title, NCAA tournament wins and national runner-up finish, while setting the team's single-season assists record in 2024. 

Leadership

  • Served as team captain, as the school's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee president and as a student representative advising the presidents of CCAA schools.
  • Represented her school and conference at the 2023 NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum and planned the school's first student-athlete awards show and a Midnight Madness event to kick off the basketball season.

Academics

  • Named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-America second team in 2024, earned multiple CCAA All-Academic Awards and received an NCAA Division II 50th Anniversary Scholarship.
  • Graduated summa cum laude, contributed data analysis on a faculty-led published paper and received the conference's Dr. Hal Charnofsky Memorial Award for achievements in the classroom and athletics.

Community Service

  • Supported Best Buddies Friendship Walk fundraising and organized departmentwide engagement in service initiatives across multiple years.
  • Launched a campuswide mental wellness campaign, hosted mental wellness activities and created a website to provide students easy access to mental health resources.

Women of the Year (WOTY) Top 30 Nominee 2025 - Avery Decker
Avery Decker

Avery Decker

School: Nebraska Wesleyan
Division III
Conference:
American Rivers Conference
Sport: Outdoor track and field
Major: Biology, also earned master's degrees in medical anatomy and business administration 

Athletics

  • Captured the 2025 NCAA national championship in women's javelin and earned multiple first-team U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association All-America honors in the event.
  • Set school and conference javelin records and earned multiple all-conference honors.

Leadership

  • Served as Student-Athlete Advisory Committee representative and WESPYs committee member, helping plan campuswide athletic events.
  • Held leadership roles in Delta Zeta sorority, including vice president of finances and sisterhood chair.

Academics

  • Earned 2025 College Sports Communicators Academic All-America second-team honors and multiple USTFCCCA All-Academic honors.
  • Was inducted into the Beta Beta Beta biological honor society and Blue Key Honor Society and was an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship winner.

Community Service

  • Delivered meals to seniors and individuals with disabilities through Tabitha Meals on Wheels.
  • Volunteered with Special Olympics as an official, scorekeeper and clerk for track and field meets and basketball tournaments.

Women of the Year (WOTY) Top 30 Nominee 2025 - Hailey Gregg
Hailey Gregg

Hailey Gregg

School: Bethel (Minnesota)
Division III
Conference:
Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Sport: Indoor and outdoor track and field
Majors: Teaching English as a second language, elementary education

Athletics

  • Earned first-team U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association All-America honors twice for the 4x400-meter relay and 2025 second-team All-America honors.
  • Contributed to winning 2024 MIAC indoor track and field team championship and set MIAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships record for the 4x400 relay.

Leadership

  • Served as a track captain and participated in "The 25," a female leadership cohort program empowering leaders to explore career challenges women face.
  • Awarded Bethel's Servant Leadership Award.

Academics

  • Won the NCAA Elite 90 (awarded to the student-athlete with the highest GPA at each NCAA championship finals site) and the MIAC Elite 22 Award twice and earned multiple USTFCCCA All-Academic team honors.
  • Studied abroad in Ecuador and as a Critical Language Scholar in Hindi in India.

Community Service

  • Taught and tutored students in the U.S. and Ecuador, including working with multilingual students and children with reading challenges like dyslexia.
  • Volunteered for Bethel's Welcome Week for new students.

Women of the Year (WOTY) Top 30 Nominee 2025 - Grace Hartman
Grace Hartman

Grace Hartman

School: NC State
Division I
Conference:
Atlantic Coast Conference
Sports: Cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field
Major: Psychology

Athletics

  • Earned multiple U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association All-America honors, helped her team win the 2023 NCAA cross country title, and recorded three top-five finishes in NCAA history in three events.
  • Won the 2024 ACC cross country individual title and 2025 ACC outdoor 5,000-meter title and was named 2025 ACC Women's Outdoor Track Performer of the Year.

Leadership

  • Advocated for athlete mental health and fueling through public writing and storytelling.
  • Created content for Voice in Sport, a global community of woman athletes.

Academics

  • Won the NCAA Elite 90, which is awarded to the student-athlete with the highest GPA at each championship finals site, and was named the ACC Scholar-Athlete of the Year for both cross country and outdoor track in 2024.
  • Named to multiple USTFCCCA All-Academic and All-ACC Academic teams.

Community Service

  • Volunteered with Triangle Disability and Autism Services, providing resources and socialization opportunities.
  • Served as a counseling intern supporting students with learning differences and teaching coping strategies.

Women of the Year (WOTY) Top 30 Nominee 2025 - Meghan Hunter
Meghan Hunter

Meghan Hunter

School: Brigham Young
Division I
Conference:
Big 12 Conference
Sports: Cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field
Major: Communication disorders, also earned master's in communication disorders

Athletics

  • Earned multiple first-team U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association All-America honors in the 800-meter run and won the 2025 Big 12 outdoor 800-meter title with a meet record.
  • Holds school indoor and outdoor 800-meter records and set NCAA and school records with her distance-medley relay team.

Leadership

  • Served as president of her church congregation's women's organization, coordinating activities and lessons.
  • Mentored youth and student-athlete groups through motivational speaking.

Academics

  • Earned multiple USTFCCCA All-Academic honors, a pair of Academic All-Big 12 honors and two Big 12 Dr. Gerald Lage Academic Achievement Awards and was named a finalist for the 2024 Honda Inspiration Award.
  • Worked as a research assistant on communication disorders and as a speech pathology intern.

Community Service

  • Coached Provo High School track and field athletes.  
  • Assisted with equine speech therapy for children at Camp Hippo Pediatric Therapy and supported elementary school hearing screenings.

Woman of the Year (WOTY) Top 30 Nominee 2025 - Anna Igims
Anna Igims

Anna Igims

School: Slippery Rock
Division II
Conference:
Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference
Sports: Cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field
Major: School wellness education

Athletics

  • Named to multiple first-team U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association All-America teams for cross country and outdoor track and field and was program record holder in the mile, 5,000 meters and steeplechase.
  • Won 14 PSAC individual championships in cross country and track; won multiple PSAC Athlete of the Year awards in cross country and track; and was undefeated in 2024-25 PSAC competition.

Leadership

  • Conducted research as a graduate assistant in curriculum, instruction and educational leadership and helped organize a student symposium for education majors.
  • Served as a Unified Fitness coach, a Rock Life mentor and a Transition Achievement Program student mentor, supporting those with adapted needs.

Academics

  • Earned College Sports Communicators Academic All-America honors twice, multiple USTFCCCA All-Academic honors and multiple PSAC Top 10 honors.
  • Awarded an NCAA Division II 50th Anniversary Scholarship and was the 2025 PSAC Pete Nevins Female Scholar Athlete of the Year.

Community Service

  • Volunteered with the Special Olympics track and field team and coached high school students at the Slippery Rock cross country camp.
  • Gave a presentation to incoming freshmen on bystander intervention and volunteered at the Week of Welcome for first-year students.

Woman of the Year (WOTY) Top 30 Nominee 2025 - Ellie Jones
Ellie Jones

Ellie Jones

School: Belhaven
Division III
Conference:
Collegiate Conference of the South
Sports: Softball, volleyball
Major: Chemistry

Athletics

  • Earned National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-America honors twice and was the conference Softball Player of the Year in 2025.
  • Led Belhaven to its first NCAA Division III national runner-up finish in 2024 and set program single-season records in batting average and slugging percentage.

Leadership

  • Received Belhaven's Matthew 20:28 Award for service and character and served as captain of the volleyball team for two years.
  • Worked with the American Chemical Society student chapter, coordinating service projects and other activities.

Academics

  • Graduated summa cum laude and earned 2025 College Sports Communicators Academic All-America first-team recognition.
  • Presented computational chemistry research across the southeastern United States as a chemistry research fellow.

Community Service

  • Volunteered with the Mississippi Children's Museum Science Fest and helped with the food pantry and child care at the We Will Go program in Jackson, Mississippi.
  • Coached a youth travel softball team and volunteered at Belhaven softball camps.

Woman of the Year (WOTY) Top 30 Nominee 2025 - Kendall Kramer
Kendall Kramer

Kendall Kramer

School: Alaska Fairbanks
Division II
Conferences:
Great Northwest Athletic Conference (cross country); Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Ski Association (skiing)
Sports: Cross country, skiing
Majors: Biological sciences, psychology

Athletics

  • Won the 20K freestyle at the National Collegiate Men's and Women's Skiing Championships in 2025 and finished as the NCAA Division II cross country national runner-up in 2024.
  • Earned multiple All-America honors and was named Alaska Fairbanks Most Outstanding Female Athlete three times.

Leadership

  • Five-year member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
  • Mentored younger teammates and volunteered at campus athletics competitions.

Academics

  • Received College Sports Communicators Academic All-America honors.
  • Was named Great Northwest Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

Community Service

  • Served as a Healthy Futures youth running mentor and Mush for Kids volunteer.
  • Provided American Sign Language mentorship to a deaf child.

Woman of the Year (WOTY) Top 30 Nominee 2025 - Abigail Lee
Abigail Lee

Abigail Lee

School: Middle Tennessee
Division I
Conference:
Conference USA
Sport: Golf
Major: Mechatronics engineering 

Athletics

  • Named to the All-Conference USA second team.
  • Earned All-Tournament Team honors at the 2025 conference championship.

Leadership

  • Served as president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, leading service initiatives and advocating for student-athlete well-being.
  • Received the True Blue President's Award for academic and athletic achievements, community service and leadership.

Academics

  • Earned multiple Women's Golf Coaches Association first-team All-American Scholar selections and multiple Conference USA first-team All-Academic honors.
  • Graduated summa cum laude, winning top departmental honors.

Community Service

  • Organized opportunity for student-athletes to participate in Teddy Bear Toss for Vanderbilt Children's Hospital.
  • Coordinated toy drives and a park cleanup and raised more than $4,000 for the Mason Goodnight Foundation, which seeks to boost sports opportunities for youths.

Woman of the Year (WOTY) Top 30 Nominee 2025 - Mia Levy
Mia Levy

Mia Levy

School: Yale
Division I
Conference:
The Ivy League
Sport: Rowing
Major: English

Athletics

  • Was part of the NCAA champion team in the varsity eight in 2025 as her school finished as national runner-up.
  • Named the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association Athlete of the Year in 2025.

Leadership

  • Served as team captain and received the Nellie Pratt Elliot Award, which honors the senior female who best exemplifies what it means to be a Yale athlete.
  • Was co-president of Yale Athlete Ally, overseeing its transformation from a campus club into a chapter of a national nonprofit.

Academics

  • Was recognized multiple times as a CRCA Scholar-Athlete and named a College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honoree.
  • Contributed to peer writing programs and graduated cum laude.

Community Service

  • Tutored incarcerated undergraduates through the Yale Prison Education Initiative.
  • Completed an internship with New Haven Public Schools, working on recruitment and mentorship programs for teachers of color.

Woman of the Year (WOTY) Top 30 Nominee 2025 - Carmen Llopis Fabra
Carmen Llopis Fabra

Carmen Llopis Fabra

School: Illinois Springfield
Division II
Conference:
Great Lakes Valley Conference
Sport: Tennis
Major: Biology 

Athletics

  • Earned multiple first-team All-Great Lakes Valley selections.
  • Served two years as team captain.

Leadership

  • Served as secretary and Academic Committee chair for the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
  • Served as a supplemental instruction leader in chemistry and biology and a senior leader in the Student Union.

Academics

  • Earned Brother James Gaffney Distinguished Scholar and Council of Presidents Academic Excellence Award honors from the conference.
  • Received the Nada Chang Undergraduate Research Award and multiple student research and support grants from the school.

Community Service

  • Volunteered in Springfield Memorial Hospital's emergency, infusion and day surgery units.
  • Supported The ACE Project's community outreach initiatives aimed at providing equitable access to tennis after-school programs in underserved areas.

Woman of the Year (WOTY) Top 30 Nominee 2025 - Jaci Maze
Jacqueline Maze

Jacqueline Maze

School: Azusa Pacific
Division II
Conference:
Pacific West Conference
Sport: Soccer
Major: Biochemistry

Athletics

  • Earned All-Pacific West first-team honors and Division II Conference Commissioners Association All-West Region honors.
  • As team's top scorer, led her school to an NCAA tournament appearance in 2024.

Leadership

  • Served as a three-year team captain and Student-Athlete Advisory Committee president.
  • Acted as student ambassador for the biology and chemistry departments and twice won the outstanding presentation award at the school's STEM Research Symposium.

Academics

  • Won Pacific West Women's Soccer Scholar-Athlete of the Year and College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honors.
  • Earned Azusa Pacific's Biology/Chemistry Senior Scholar Research Award.

Community Service

  • Worked as a COPE Health Scholar, gaining firsthand clinical experience in a health care setting.
  • Participated in mission trips to Colombia and Mexico. 

Woman of the Year (WOTY) Top 30 Nominee 2025 - Abigail McCulloh
Abigail McCulloh

Abigail McCulloh

School: Georgia
Division I
Conference: 
Southeastern Conference
Sport: Swimming and diving
Major: Journalism

Athletics

  • Won 2024 NCAA championship in the 1,650-yard freestyle and multiple College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America first-team All-America honors.
  • Won SEC championship in the 1,650 freestyle and a silver and two bronze medals at SEC championships.

Leadership

  • Served as team captain and a representative on the UGA Athletic Association board of directors, advocating for nonrevenue sport preservation on Capitol Hill.
  • Founded the Performance and Wellness Support Committee, advancing mental health programming and advocacy.

Academics

  • Received the SEC H. Boyd McWhorter Women's Scholar-Athlete of the Year award, along with two conference Women's Swimming and Diving Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors.
  • Earned the Rose Bowl Keith Jackson Postgraduate Scholarship and multiple University of Georgia Presidential Scholar honors.

Community Service

  • Named to the SEC Community Service Team and nominated for the Allstate National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics Good Works Team.
  • Participated in outreach at a local church and worked with groups like Swim Across America and Special Olympics.

Woman of the Year (WOTY) Top 30 Nominee 2025 - Emily Moehringer
Emily Moehringer

Emily Moehringer

School: Catholic
Division III
Conference: 
Landmark Conference
Sport: Cross country, outdoor track and field
Major: Nursing

Athletics

  • Became the first woman in program history to win multiple All-America honors, earning U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association first-team All-America and several second-team All-America honors.
  • Earned multiple All-Landmark Conference first-team honors.

Leadership

  • Organized and led Long Island Shooting Stars Running Program, supporting children with disabilities to foster inclusion and fitness.
  • Participated in BuildOn, fundraising for and helping construct a school in Nicaragua.

Academics

  • Graduated summa cum laude and received multiple College Sports Communicators Academic All-District and USTFCCCA All-Academic honors.
  • Earned a Spanish for Healthcare certificate as part of her academic program.

Community Service

  • Helped serve meals to those facing food insecurity.
  • Donated medical supplies and toiletries to Costa Rican residents and assisted with medical checkups for underserved populations.

Woman of the Year (WOTY) Top 30 Nominee 2025 - Mary Kelly Mulcahy
Mary Kelly Mulcahy

Mary Kelly Mulcahy

School: Findlay
Division II
Conference:
Great Midwest Athletic Conference
Sport: Golf
Major: Business administration

Athletics

  • Won the 2024 Women's Golf Coaches Association Division II National Player of the Year award and earned multiple first-team All-America honors.
  • Contributed to Findlay's 2022 NCAA team championship and represented Team USA twice in the Arnold Palmer Cup.

Leadership

  • Served as president of the Business-Oriented Women Club, establishing mentorship and professional development opportunities for women business majors.
  • Was a four-year member of the Delta Mu Delta international business honor society.

Academics

  • Earned the conference's Elite 26 Award, recognizing the student-athlete with the top cumulative GPA at a Great Midwest championship site.
  • Earned multiple Great Midwest All-America Scholar honors.

Community Service

  • Supported the Helping Hands food drive and the Chopin Food Pantry, sorting and distributing food to the community.
  • Tutored elementary students and provided youth golf instruction.

Woman of the Year (WOTY) Top 30 Nominee 2025 - Hailey Poe
Hailey Poe

Hailey Poe

School: North Central (Illinois)
Division III
Conference:
Independent
Sport: Triathlon
Majors: Ethical leadership, sports management

Athletics

  • Won multiple Division III USA Triathlon individual and team national championships, capturing the record for most Division III individual national championships with four.
  • Received USA Triathlon's inaugural Alexander Award, presented to the top collegiate triathlete in athletics, academics and community service. 

Leadership

  • Served as Student-Athlete Advisory Committee president, leading events like an inaugural athletics award ceremony, SAAC for Social Accountability sessions and Special Olympics collaborations.
  • Helped plan and execute freshman orientation on campus, supervising a team of students and serving as a mentor to freshmen. 

Academics

  • Earned multiple College Triathlon Coaches Association Scholar All-America and multiple Academic All-Conference honors.
  • Inducted into the Chi Alpha Sigma student-athlete honor society and received her university's Leadership, Ethics and Values Fellow scholarship multiple times.

Community Service

  • Organized numerous campus and community service projects, including mental health awareness events and social media campaigns for The Hidden Opponent.
  • Developed and presented research on social media and athlete advocacy through her senior thesis and independent studies.

Woman of the Year (WOTY) Top 30 Nominee 2025 - Samantha Schott
Sam Schott

Sam Schott

School: The University of Texas at Tyler
Division II
Conference:
Lone Star Conference
Sport: Softball
Major: Biochemistry

Athletics

  • Helped UT Tyler capture back-to-back NCAA Division II national championships.
  • Earned first-team All-Region honors and two-time conference Golden Glove recognition and set the school record for sacrifice hits in a season.

Leadership

  • Served as a Fellowship of Christian Athletes speaker, mentoring middle and high school athletes.
  • Volunteered with Refuge International, mobilizing supplies and support for medical missions.

Academics

  • Received College Sports Communicators Academic All-America first-team honors and the Elite 90 award, honoring the student-athlete with the highest GPA at each NCAA championship finals site.
  • Named the Lone Star Academic Player of the Year for softball and the Fred Jacoby Overall Academic Player of the Year and graduated summa cum laude from the Honors College.

Community Service

  • Traveled multiple times to Guatemala to assist medical teams in providing primary care and surgical services to communities lacking basic health care.
  • Supported community initiatives, including Special Olympics Field Day, Read Across America, the East Texas Food Bank and the Miracle League buddy program.

Woman of the Year (WOTY) Top 30 Nominee 2025 - Teagan Starkey
Teagan Starkey

Teagan Starkey

School: Concordia-St. Paul
Division II
Conference:
Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference
Sport: Volleyball
Majors: Mathematics, actuarial science

Athletics

  • Earned multiple American Volleyball Coaches Association first-team All-America honors and led Division II in assists per set for three straight seasons.
  • Guided Concordia to an NCAA championship runner-up finish and was named Northern Sun Outstanding Senior of the Year for volleyball.

Leadership

  • Coached a high school boys volleyball team as an assistant and head coach, leading during the team's transition to varsity status.
  • Held office in the Tri-Pi Math Club, coordinating events and fundraising.

Academics

  • Earned College Sports Communicators Academic All-America Team Member of the Year award and multiple Academic All-America honors.
  • Won the conference's Myles Brand All-Academic With Distinction Award.

Community Service

  • Volunteered at the Lutheran Grade School Tournament and supported Bear Brigade athletics initiatives.
  • Presented to young athletes on building mental toughness techniques and handling mental health challenges.

Woman of the Year (WOTY) Top 30 Nominee 2025 - Avery Williams
Avery Williams

Avery Williams

School: Columbus State
Division II
Conference:
Peach Belt Conference
Sport: Soccer
Major: Biology 

Athletics

  • Won second-team United Soccer Coaches All-America and first-team All-Conference honors.
  • Earned the NCAA Elite 90 award, honoring the student-athlete with the highest GPA at each NCAA championship finals site.

Leadership

  • Committed more than 500 hours to the Servant Leadership Program, addressing food insecurity and mental health awareness.
  • Served as a Student-Athlete Advisory Committee member, advancing student-athlete engagement and inclusion on campus.

Academics

  • Named Peach Belt Conference Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year. 
  • Received United Soccer Coaches College Scholar All-America honors and a Girls in the Game scholarship.

Community Service

  • Volunteered with TOPSoccer, partnering with athletes of all abilities.
  • Assisted in the mother/baby care unit at a hospital.

Woman of the Year (WOTY) Top 30 Nominee 2025 - Leanne Wong
Leanne Wong

Leanne Wong

School: Florida
Division I
Conference:
Southeastern Conference
Sport: Gymnastics
Major: Health education and behavior

Athletics

  • Earned multiple first-team All-America honors, achieved a gym slam with perfect scores in her career in all four events and was co-winner of the 2024 NCAA uneven bars championship. 
  • Earned two World Championships gold medals with Team USA and claimed multiple SEC event titles.

Leadership

  • Founded the Leanne Wong Foundation, which coordinates the delivery of leftover food to food banks and homeless shelters.
  • Launched the Leanne Wong Bowtique and authored "My Journey: Trust the Process" to inspire young gymnasts.

Academics

  • Selected twice to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-America first team and earned multiple Women's Collegiate Gymnastics Association Scholastic All-America honors.
  • Worked as a research assistant at Florida's Center for Behavioral Economic Health Research, completing an honors project on substance use and physical activity.

Community Service

  • Organized food-packing and delivery initiatives through her foundation and supported events to help feed the homeless.
  • Volunteered at Climb for Cancer sports camp and Gator Tracks shoe-wrapping drives for children in need.

Woman of the Year (WOTY) Top 30 Nominee 2025 - Alyssa Xu
Alyssa Xu

Alyssa Xu

School: Amherst
Division III
Conference:
New England Small College Athletic Conference
Sport: Ice hockey
Major: Neuroscience

Athletics

  • Four-year varsity contributor who helped Amherst claim two NESCAC titles and two NCAA championship runner-up finishes.
  • Named to the 2025 All-NESCAC second team and NCAA All-Tournament Team.

Leadership

  • Served as team's diversity, equity and inclusion representative, organizing equity and inclusion events, and served as managing editor of Bouncing Back, an online platform and magazine dedicated to increasing representation for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in athletics.
  • Acted as president of Amherst's Amnesty International chapter, the world's largest human rights campaign organization.

Academics

  • Graduated summa cum laude in neuroscience and received a Rhodes Scholarship to study at Oxford University.
  • Received the James Olds Memorial Neuroscience Award, presented to the student whose neuroscience research is of the highest quality.

Community Service

  • Volunteered with Tapestry Health Mobile Clinic, providing medical and harm reduction support to underserved populations, and led an emergency medical service team that provided physical and mental health interventions on campus. 
  • Coached youth hockey and organized advocacy campaigns for social justice and health access.
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