University Park, Pa. — Penn State swimming and diving alumna Molly Crispell (Boalsburg, Pa.) has been named one of 30 finalists for the NCAA Woman of the Year. The NCAA Woman of the Year program honors senior student-athletes who have distinguished themselves throughout their college careers in the areas of academic achievement, athletics excellent, service and leadership. Crispell is one of only 10 honorees from Division I. The NCAA Woman of the Year dinner will be held in Indianapolis on Sunday, Oct. 19.
An ESPN The Magazine First Team Academic All-American, Crispell was a two-time Academic All-American. In addition to her academic honor last year, Crispell was the female recipient of this year's Ernest B. McCoy Memorial Award, which is presented annually to one senior male and female student-athlete who combined successful athletic participation with academic excellence. She was the 15th McCoy Award winner from the swimming and diving program since the award began in 1971. Also the recipient of the Big Ten Medal of Honor, Crispell was awarded the 2008 Wayne Duke Postgraduate Award by the Big Ten Conference and presented by the Indianapolis Big Ten Community Partnership.
A two-time team captain, Crispell graduated from Penn State and the Schreyer Honors College last spring with a degree in biobehavioral health and a perfect 4.0 grade point average. Eyeing a career as a physician's assistant, Crispell has since enrolled in graduate school at Arcadia University in suburban Philadelphia to pursue her physician's assistant degree. Also a recipient of the prestigious NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship, she was a four-time CSCAA All-Academic selection and a three-time academic All-Big Ten selection.
In the pool, Crispell was a four-time scorer at Big Ten Championships and a two-time qualifier for NCAA Championships. She was a two-time honorable mention All-American as part of the 800 freestyle relay team and ended her career ranked sixth all-time at Penn State in the 200 freestyle. This past season, the 800 free relay team she was a part of ranked in the top 16 in the country.
The NCAA Woman of the Year Award, established in 1991, honors senior student-athletes who have distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate careers in the areas of academic achievement, athletics excellence, service and leadership.
The NCAA Woman of the Year selection committee determines the top 10 and top three honorees in each division. The association-wide Committee on Women's Athletics (CWA) then selects the overall winner, regardless of division. The NCAA announces the winner of the award at a dinner honoring the top 10 honorees from each division.
In 2006, the CWA changed the nomination format to a conference rather than state winner system. In 2008, 438 student-athletes were nominated by their institutions or conferences. From 1998 through 2005, an average of 345 female student-athletes per year were nominated for the award; and since the program's inception, 1,145 women have been recognized as state or conference honorees.