BOSTON ? The institutional nominations for the America East Woman of the Year award were announced on Tuesday afternoon. Albany’s Ashey DeNeal (volleyball), Binghamton’s Megan Hoag (volleyball), Boston University’s Marisa Ryan (cross country), Hartford’s Nikki Thompson (softball), Maine’s Tal Shpaizer (swimming & diving), UMBC’s Melanie Denischuk (softball) and Janelle Wilson (track & field), New Hampshire’s Danielle Clark (basketball), Stony Brook’s Jessica Smith (basketball) and Vermont’s Brittney Cross (basketball) have been chosen as the senior female student-athletes on their respective campuses that best exemplifies a commitment to service, leadership, athletics and academics during their collegiate careers.
To be nominated, student-athletes must have earned a varsity letter in a NCAA-sponsored sport and competed during the 2006-07 academic year, completed intercollegiate eligibility in her primary sport by the end of the 2007 spring season or received her undergraduate degree prior to the conclusion of the spring 2007 term and have a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 2.500 (4.000 scale).
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 last year, the NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics (CWA) receives conference-designated nominees in lieu of the previous institution- and state-based nomination format.
The America East nominees will be narrowed down to three finalists on Wednesday, May 23 with the America East Woman of the Year being announced on Tuesday, June 12 at the America East Annual Meeting in Stony Brook, N.Y. The three league finalists will be invited to the Annual Meeting where they will be recognized for their achievements.
The America East Woman of the Year will then 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 2007 NCAA Woman of the Year.
For the latest news regarding the America East Woman of the Year, log on to the conference’s official website www.AmericaEast.com.