 Former
UD Sprinter Tyechia Smith Named NCAA Woman
of the Year for State of
Delaware
Date:
September 28, 2004
INDIANAPOLIS,
IN -- Former University of Delaware
women's track and field standout Tyechia
Smith has been named the 2003-04 NCAA
Woman of the Year for the state of
Delaware.
Smith, who
earned her degree in health behavior
management from Delaware this past May,
was one of 52 state winners selected by an
NCAA committee from 276 nominations
throughout the country. The award honors
outstanding female student-athletes for
their achievements in athletics,
academics, and community service. Each
NCAA institution may nominate a
student-athlete and a winner is selected
from each state. The University of
Delaware has had the state winner 12 of
the 14 years since the program was started
in 1990-91.
The 10
finalists for the national 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). The overall NCAA Woman of the
Year will be honored Oct. 31.
Smith, a
native of Jersey City, NJ (McNair Academic
HS), was a standout sprinter and hurdler
for the Blue Hen indoor and outdoor track
and field teams for head coach Sue
McGrath-Powell over the last four seasons.
She served
as a co-captain for both squads and earned
eight career letters. She holds eight
school records, including indoor marks in
the 400 meters, 500 meters, and 4 x 400
meter relay and outdoor standards in the
400 meters, 4 x 100 meter relay, 4 x 200
meter relay, and 4 x 400 meter relay, and
the sprint medley relay. She won six
career meet titles and placed fourth in
the 4 x 100 meter relay and fifth in the
400 meters at the 2004 Colonial Athletic
Association Outdoor Track and Field
Championships in April at Richmond, VA.
She also had four other top nine finishes
at the CAA championships and twice earned
All-East notice for her performances at
the ECAC championships.
Smith, who
graduated with a 3.624 grade point index,
was a Dean's List student, 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 received an NCAA
Women's Enhancement Post-Graduate
Scholarship this past spring. She also
received the Pauline A. Young Award for
Academic Excellence from Delaware in 2004,
was honored four times as a University of
Delaware African-American of Distinction,
and was named a University of Delaware
Outstanding Woman of Promise in 2002. She
currently attends graduate school at the
University of Central Florida.
At
Delaware, she also 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 H.E.N.S. Peer Mentor, volunteered at the
Newark Senior Center, and was a resident
assistant.
Past
University of Delaware NCAA Woman of the
Year state winners 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).
- DDD
-
Copyright,
© 2004, University of Delaware. All
rights reserved.
Please direct Athletics questions to the
Athletics
Media
Relations
office.
|
Return
to Women's Outdoor Track and Field
Homepage
       
|
