HADLEY, Mass. - Shauneen Garrahan (Fairfax Station, Va.), a 2007 graduate of Amherst College and a former three-sport athlete for the Lord Jeffs, is one of 30 contenders for the 2007 NCAA Woman of the Year award. Garrahan was selected by a committee of conference administrators to represent the NESCAC for this year's Woman of the Year award.

Related:  NCAA Announcement | Garrahan Nominated by NESCAC

Now in its 17th year, the Women of Year award honors exceptional female student-athletes who have excelled in academics, athletics and community leadership, and have completed their collegiate athletics eligibility.

A committee comprised of representatives from NCAA member schools and conferences selected the top 30 out of 128 conference and independent nominees.

The conference winners present outstanding credentials as students and athletes. Of the 30 nominees, four competed on national championship teams; 10 were named academic all-Americans; and 25 served as their team captains or co-captains. Twelve were multi-sport student-athletes; four received a NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship; and 12 represented their fellow student-athletes on their campus Student-Athlete Advisory Committees (SAAC).

In addition, they found time to help in their communities, volunteering for a wide variety of organizations, including United Way, American Cancer Society, Habitat for Humanity, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Headstart, YMCA, Make-A-Wish Foundation and also served as volunteers in schools, hospitals and churches.

The top 30 nominees earned an overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.83, with seven posting a perfect 4.0 GPA. They graduated with a variety of majors, including biotechnology, political science, mathematics, psychology, marketing, exercise science, engineering physics, criminal justice, information systems management, Spanish, pre-med and education.

There are 10 conference winners from each division. These student-athletes participated in 12 of the 20 sports in which women compete for NCAA championships.

A national winner – the NCAA Woman of the Year – will be selected by the NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics from among nine finalists. The top nine finalists will be announced in September.

The 2007 Woman of the Year will be announced during the annual awards dinner Oct. 27 in Indianapolis. More information on the award and a list of previous winners can be found at www.ncaa.org/awards/woty.

For more information: 
Dan Fisher, Assistant Director, NESCAC