INDIANAPOLIS --The NCAA announced today that former Winthrop softball standout Janiva Willis is among the 10 finalists for the 2005 NCAA Woman of the Year award, one of the most prestigious honors the NCAA bestows.

Willis is the second former Winthrop female student-athlete in as many years to be selected the South Carolina NCAA Woman of the Year.  Ana Vagstad, a former volleyball player who is currently working toward a Ph.D. degree at Johns Hopkins University, was honored in 2004.

This award recognizes senior student-athletes in intercollegiate athletics for their outstanding achievements in athletics, academics and community service.

Willis, a member of the Canadian National Team this summer, was a four time All-Big South First Team selection and the 2005 Big South Scholar Athlete of the Year. She finished her college career as the most dominant hitter in the history of Winthrop softball. She also earned All-Region honors her junior and senior seasons, and she helped the Lady Eagles reach three conference championship games in four seasons.

 

In addition to her athletic accolades, Willis was a four-time Big South Presidential Honor Roll member and NFCA All-American Scholar-Athlete.  She also was named to Winthrop’s President’s List and Dean’s List. Willis served as a member of the Winthrop Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) for three years.  She also volunteered at Northside Community Center, the Big Brother/Big Sister program, participated in the Rock Hill Literacy Walk, served as a reader at several Rock Hill area elementary schools, and participated in Winthrop’s SOAR bracelet campaign to raise funds for Literacy programs.

This year’s finalists, who have an average grade-point average of 3.82 on a 4.0 scale, graduated or will graduate with degrees in the following majors: accounting, American history, communications, French, international studies, kinesiology, microbiology, physical education and social work.

The 10 finalists for the 2005 NCAA Woman of the Year award include six NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship recipients and seven of the ten are or were involved with the NCAA Student-Athlete Advisory Committees (SAAC) on their campuses and in their conferences.  SAAC is a committee made up of student-athlete leaders who provide vital perspective to the committees by sharing their unique experiences of being a student-athlete.  The SAAC is the “student voice” in the NCAA’s governance structure.

The finalists are volunteers who served as volunteer speakers at schools, worked with Special Olympics, Big Brothers/Big Sisters program and the Ronald McDonald House, served dinners to the homeless, raised funds for cystic fibrosis and domestic violence, and helped low-income citizens and the elderly prepare tax returns.

Of the finalists, seven, including Willis, are from Division I member institutions, two are from Division II and one is from Division III.  They represent a variety of sports including cross country/track and field, field hockey, gymnastics, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, and volleyball.  The finalists attend schools in Alabama, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Iowa, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.  Four finalists, including Willis, participated on their respective national teams.

The complete list of finalists are:

• Michelle Reeser, Alabama, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, gymnastics.
  Hometown: Monroe, Louisiana.
• Alisha Williams, Colorado, Western State College of Colorado, cross country/track and field.
  Hometown: Frederick, Colorado.
• Leah Geib, Delaware, University of Delaware, field hockey.
  Hometown: Telford, Pennsylvania.
• Melissa Lehman, Florida, Barry University, volleyball.
  Hometown: Longmont, Colorado.
• Jennifer Skolaski, Iowa, University of Iowa, swimming and diving.
  Hometown: Madison, Wisconsin.
• Richelle Simpson, Nebraska, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, gymnastics.
  Hometown: Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
• Deirdre Dlugonski, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania State University, swimming and diving.
  Hometown: Washington, Pennsylvania.
• Janiva Willis, South Carolina, Winthrop University, softball.
  Hometown: Irishtown, New Brunswick, Canada.
• Lauryn McCalley, Tennessee, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, swimming and diving.
  Hometown: Moultrie, Georgia
• Lindsay Hagerman, Virginia, Washington and Lee University, tennis.
  Hometown: Wichita Falls, Texas.

The finalists were selected from 352 entries by the Woman of the Year Selection Committee.  The NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics will select the 2005 NCAA Woman of the Year from among the 10 finalists.  The national winner will be announced at an awards dinner on October 29 in Indianapolis.

Last year’s national winner was Kelly Albin, a lacrosse standout from the University of California, Davis. She was the third winner from UC Davis since the award’s inception in 1991.  The University of Georgia has also produced three national award winners.

Other past winners include: 2003 – Ashley Rowatt, swimming and diving, Kenyon College; 2002 – Tanisha Silas, track and field, University of California, Davis; 2001 – Kimberly A. Black, Olympic gold medal swimmer, University of Georgia; 2000 – Kristy Kowal, Olympic silver medal swimmer, University of Georgia; 1999 – Jamila Demby, track and field, University of California, Davis; 1998 – Peggy Boutilier, lacrosse and field hockey, University of Virginia; 1997 – the late Lisa Ann Coole, swimming, University of Georgia; 1996 – Billie Winsett Fletcher, volleyball, University of Nebraska, Lincoln; 1995 – Rebecca Lobo, basketball, University of Connecticut; 1994 – Tanya Hughes Jones, track and field, University of Arizona; 1993 – Nnenna Jean Lynch, cross country and track and field, Villanova University; 1992 – Catherine Byrne Maloney, swimming, University of Tennessee, Knoxville; and 1991 – Mary Beth Riley-Metcalf, cross country, Canisius College.