CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - The America East Conference announced today that Boston University’s Katie Matthews (cross country/track & field), University of Hartford’s Caitlin Alves (women’s soccer) and University of Maine’s Corey Conner (cross country/track & field) have been named finalists for the 2013 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 10 America East institutional nominations, which were announced on May 7. To be nominated, student-athletes must have completed intercollegiate eligibility in her primary sport by the end of the 2013 spring season, received her undergraduate degree prior to the conclusion of the summer 2013 term and had a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 2.500 (4.000 scale). The 2013 America East Woman of the Year will be announced on Tuesday, June 4 at the conference’s annual awards dinner in Portland, Maine, the site of the conference’s Annual Meeting, as well as via a news release on www.AmericaEast.com.
Matthews, a native of Rocky Hill, Conn., is a three-year captain of the Terrier cross country and track & field teams. She is a two-time first team All-American in the 3,000m and 5,000m runs in indoor track, while also earning All-America status in the same events in outdoor track in 2011. Matthews, a member of the 2012 U-23 USA Olympic team, also has been named to the America East Commissioner’s honor roll five times and is a three-time America East All-Academic selection. She is a Boston University Scarlet Key Recipient, which is bestowed upon a senior who demonstrates exceptional leadership. She owns a 3.70 GPA in Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, and has been an active member of College for Every Student, the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and is a peer tutor among numerous other activities. Matthews was named the Winter Scholar
Alves was an NSCAA All-America Third Team honoree in 2011 and a two-time America East All-Conference selection. A native of Ludlow, Mass., Alves has been a tremendous member of the Hartford community, participating in community service activities such as Campus Clean Up, assisting at the St. Francis Children’s Psych Unit, and volunteering at the Boys and Girls Club, contributing to the Newington and Hartofrd Adopt-a-Family projects. She is a student representative onto the University Athletics Council, on the Smoke Free Committee, and has spoken at both the Soccer and Athletic Banquets. On the field, Alves is a two-time CoSIDA All-America District I first team selection, as well as being selected to the America East All-Academic team each of the last two seasons.
Conner has totaled seven conference titles in cross country, indoor and outdoor track in her four years in Orono. A West Townsend, Mass., native, Conner won the outdoor 5,0000m title in 2012, the cross country title in 2009, the indoor mile in 2010, the indoor 4x800 in 2009, the indoor 3,000m in 2013, the outdoor 4x800 in 2010 and the outdoor 1,500m in 2009. She has made Dean’s List in every semester since enrolling at Maine and carries a 3.73 GPA as a Nursing major. Conner earned All-America Second team honors in the 5,000 in 2013, while being named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America Team twice in 2011 and 2013. The USTFCCCA honored Conner seven times in her career, placing her on the All-Academic Track & Field team four times and the All-Academic Cross Country team three times.
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 2013 NCAA Woman of the Year.
Year-by-Year America East Woman of the Year Honorees
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)