BOSTON — The America East Conference announced today that University of Maine’s Naja Harvey (swimming & diving) and Holly Stewart (field hockey) and UMass Lowell's Taelour Murphy (track & field) track & field) have been named finalists for the 2014-15 America East Woman of the Year award. The honor recognizes the conference’s senior female student-athlete who has best distinguished herself throughout her collegiate career in the areas of academic achievement, athletic excellence, service and leadership.
The three finalists were selected from a pool of the 11 America East institutional nominations, which were announced on May 12. To be nominated, student-athletes must have completed intercollegiate eligibility in her primary sport by the end of the 2015 spring season, received her undergraduate degree prior to the conclusion of the summer 2015 term and had a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 2.500 (4.000 scale). The 2014-15 America East Man of the Year will be announced on Tuesday, June 2 at the conference’s annual awards dinner in Bretton Woods, N.H., the site of the conference’s Annual Meeting, as well as via a news release on www.AmericaEast.com.
Naja Harvey, Maine - Swimming & Diving
- Owns a 3.62 GPA in communication.
- Three-time America East All-Academic selection.
- Named an All Maine Women as a senior - a group of senior women selected on leadership, scholarship and service.
- Placed third in the 200-yard breastroke at the 2015 America East Swimming & DIving Championship, earning all-conference honors.
- Volunteered with several organizations, including Relay for Life and Ronald McDonald House.
Holly Stewart, Maine - Field Hockey
- Graduated with 3.97 GPA in kineslology & physical education – exercise science in December.
- 2014 Academic All-American.
- Named an America East Presidential Scholar-Athlete in December.
- Two-time first-team all-conference selection and an All-Region selection.
- SAAC Member.
Taelour Murphy, UMass Lowell - Track & Field
- History major with a 3.28 GPA.
- Holds four individual UMass Lowell record and three as part of a relay team.
- Earned Dean's List honors four times.
- Off the track she has been a student representative on the NCAA IPP committee and is a member of the UML Choosing Personal Leadership Program, and serves as a tutor for the Student-Athlete Academic Center.
In conjunction with the changes in the nomination process for the NCAA Woman of the Year award, the America East Woman of the Year award was established for the 2005-06 athletic season. Beginning in 2006, the NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics (CWA) started receiving conference-designated nominees in lieu of the previous institution- and state-based nomination format.
The America East Woman of the Year will be forwarded to the NCAA Woman of the Year selection committee. The selection committee will select the top 10 winners in each NCAA division (I, II and III). From among those 30 honorees, the selection committee will determine the top three in each division. Finally, the members of the CWA will vote from among the top nine to determine the 2014-15 NCAA Woman of the Year.
Year-by-Year America East Woman of the Year Honorees
2014 Olivia Burne, Stony Brook University (cross country/track & field)
2013 Katie Matthews, Boston University (cross country/track & field)
2012 Lucy Van Dalen, Stony Brook (cross country/track & field)
2011 Nikki Branchini, Albany (lacrosse)
2010 Emily Pallotta, Boston U. (soccer)
2009 Kristen Millar, Vermont (lacrosse)
2008 Sarah Hudak, Boston U. (field hockey)
2007 Marisa Ryan, Boston U. (cross country/track & field)
2006 Ashlee Reed, Albany (volleyball)
About America East: The America East provides its member schools and their athletic programs a platform upon which student-athletes can achieve both collegiate and life success through the promotion and nurturing of athletic excellence, academic achievement and leadership, on and off the field.