Melissa Chmielewski Nominated For NCAA Woman of the Year
7/8/2010 5:29:00 PM | Softball
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind.--The NCAA has announced a record 452 college and university nominees for the 20th annual NCAA Woman of the Year award and North Dakota State record-setting first baseman Melissa Chmielewski is on the list.
Chmielewski, a senior from Circle Pines, Minn. (Centennial H.S.), became the fourth Bison softball player to earn CoSIDA Academic All-America® honors this spring.
A two-time Summit League Player of the Year, Chmielewski hit .385 with 19 doubles, 10 home runs and 59 RBI this season. Three of the home runs were grand slams. She was named to the Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-Midwest Region second team and landed a spot on the Summit League's all-tournament team this season.
The award honors senior student-athletes who have distinguished
themselves throughout their collegiate careers in the areas of academic
achievement, athletics excellence, service and leadership. Every NCAA member institution was encouraged to honor its top
graduating female student-athlete. If at least one of the nominees was
a woman of color or international student-athlete, schools were urged
to submit two nominations to their respective conference offices.
Nominees represent all three divisions. Each conference will assess each nominee's eligibility and select a
conference nominee based on collective achievements in service,
leadership, athletics and academics. All conference nominees will be
forwarded to the Woman of the Year selection committee, which will
choose the top 10 honorees in each division. From among those 30 candidates, the selection committee will
determine the top three in each division. Finally, members of the NCAA
Committee on Women's Athletics will vote from among the top nine
finalists to determine the 2010 NCAA Woman of the Year. To be eligible for the award, female student-athletes must have
completed intercollegiate eligibility in her primary sport by the end
of the 2010 spring season, graduated no later than the end of the
summer 2010 term and achieved a minimum cumulative grade-point average
of 2.5. The top 10 honorees per division will be announced in August,
followed by the top three honorees by division in September. The top 30
honorees and the nine finalists from Divisions I, II and III will be
honored and the 2010 NCAA Woman of the Year winner will be announced at
the annual ceremony in Indianapolis on October 17. To view the list of college and university nominees, click here.
