BRETTON WOODS, N.H. — University of Maine field hockey standout Holly Stewart received the 2015 America East Woman of the Year award Tuesday evening at the conference’s annual awards dinner on Mount Washington in Bretton Woods, N.H. 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 conference’s Senior Woman Administrators narrowed the pool of nine institutional Woman of the Year nominees down to three finalists on May 14, and chose Stewart as the conference winner. The other finalists were fellow Black Bear and swimming & diving student-athlete Naja Harvey and UMass Lowell track and field student-athlete Taelour Murphy.
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).
Stewart will now be forwarded to the NCAA Woman of the Year selection committee to be considered for the 2015 NCAA Woman of the Year. 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 2015 NCAA Woman of the Year.
A Maine graduate, Stewart excelled in all facets of college life embodying the conference’s three pillars of the complete student-athlete. In the classroom, she earned a 3.97 GPA in in kineslology & physical education with an exercise science concentration and earning numerous academic accolades. Stewart has earned America East All-Academic honors three times and was a NFHCA National Academic Squad member three times. A multi-time America East Commissioner's Roll honoree, Stewart was named an America East Presidential Scholar-Athlete in December upon graduating with over a 3.75 GPA.
In the community, Stewart volunteered for several causes devoting time to Relay for Life and reading to children at local elementary schools among others. She was also an active member of Maine's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
On the field, Stewart earned all-conference honors each of her four years, including first-team distinction as a junior and senior. Maine's first-ever Woman of the Year winner, she also earned second-team Al-Region accolades each of the last two years as well. Stewart currently competes on the Canadian national field hockey team.
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.
Year-by-Year America East Woman of the Year Honorees
2015 Holly Stewart, Maine (field hockey)
2014 Olivia Burne, Stony Brook (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.