A Fresno State student-athlete has the opportunity to be named the NCAA Woman of the Year.
Tuesday, the Mountain West selected track and field athlete Amelia DiPaola as one of its two nominees for the award.
The big picture: DiPaola was the first Fresno State athlete to qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the hammer throw since 2014.
- She finished 21st in the contest and earned All-America Honorable Mention.
- DiPaola was a four-time qualifier for the NCAA West Preliminary Round and a two-time All-Mountain West performer.
Off the field: Along with her success as an athlete, DiPaola excelled as a student as well.
- She was named a five-time Academic All-Mountain West and Mountain West Scholar-Athlete honoree.
- She was also named USTFCCCA All-Academic four times, and was selected twice as College Sports Communicators Academic All-District.
- DiPaola graduated magna cum laude in May in animal science and will be attending veterinary school.
Driving the news: The NCAA Woman of the Year program has recognized excellence in graduating female student-athletes since 1991.
- Nominees need to have competed and earned a varsity letter in an NCAA-sponsored sport and must have completed their undergraduate degree by the summer of 2024.
Zoom out: In total, the NCAA has received a record 627 nominees for the award from schools across the country.
- Conferences were allowed to nominate up to two student-athletes if at least one of them was an international student-athlete or a person of color.
What we’re watching: The Woman of the Year Selection Committee will choose a list of 30 top honorees, which will be announced in the fall.
- That list will eventually get whittled down to nine student-athletes, with the winner being presented the award at the NCAA Convention in Nashville, Tennessee, in January.
