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UD’s Tyechia Smith NCAA Woman of Year
Smith, who earned her degree in health behavior management from UD in May, was one of 52 state winners selected by an NCAA committee from among 276 nominees throughout the country. The award honors outstanding female scholar-athletes for their achievements in athletics, academics and community service. Each NCAA institution may nominate a scholar-athlete and a winner is selected from each state. UD scholar-athletes have been named the winners in Delaware for 12 of the 14 years since the program was started in 1990-91. The national NCAA Woman of the Year will be honored Oct. 31 and the finalists for the award are Kelly Albin (California-Davis), Julie Hardt (Georgia), Abbey Elsberry (Boise State), Megan Grunert (Indianapolis), Sherita Williams (Michigan State), Kinsey Coles (North Dakota State), Kayla Heising (College of Wooster), Shana Robinson (Tulsa), Imani Dorsey (University of Portland), and Melissa Block (Mary Washington). Smith, a native of Jersey City, N.J., was a standout sprinter and hurdler for the Fightin’ Blue Hen indoor and outdoor track and field teams under Head Coach Sue McGrath-Powell for four seasons. She served as a co-captain for both squads and earned eight career letters. She holds eight school records and won six career meet titles. Smith, who graduated with a 3.624 grade point average, was a three-time member of the Colonial Athletic Association Academic Honor Roll, was named to the 2004 Verizon/College Sports Information Directors of America District 2 University Division Track and Field All-Academic team, and she received an NCAA Women's Enhancement Postgraduate Scholarship. She also received the 2004 Pauline A. Young Award for Academic Excellence from UD, was honored four times as a UD African-American Student of Distinction and was named a UD Outstanding Woman of Promise in 2002. She currently attends graduate school at the University of Central Florida. At UD, Smith was active as a Blue Hen Ambassador, served as a sports marketing student assistant, was a member of the Athletic Governing Board, served as a HENS Peer Mentor, volunteered at the Newark Senior Center and was a resident assistant. Past NCAA Woman of the Year state winners from UD are Jill Hershey (field hockey, 1991), Tara Finnegan (tennis, 1992), Liz Coogan (swimming, 1993), Kari Manlove (softball, 1994), Kathy Shaw (volleyball, 1995), Liza Shoemaker (lacrosse, 1998), Kelly Cawley (field hockey, 1999), Sarah Edwards (lacrosse, 2000), Cindy Johnson (basketball, 2001), Aimee Alexander (track and field, 2002), and Julie Van Deusen (diving, 2003). To learn how to subscribe to UDaily, click here. |
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