Fresno State Athletics
Hummel, Nicholson named NCAA Woman of the Year nominees
7/14/2022 11:15:00 AM | General, Women's Tennis, Water Polo
A.C. Hummel (Women’s Tennis) and Emily Nicholson (Water Polo) are the department’s two nominees for the 2022 NCAA Woman of the Year Award.
INDIANAPOLIS – Fresno State seniors A.C. Hummel and Emily Nicholson have been nominated into a pool of a 557 female college athletes for the 2022 NCAA Woman of the Year Award.
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Established in 1991, the award recognizes female student-athletes who have exhausted their eligibility and distinguished themselves in their community, in athletics and in academics throughout their college careers.
As 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of Title IX, the NCAA Woman of the Year program, which is in its 32nd year, is an important opportunity to honor and reflect on the impact of women on intercollegiate sports.
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This year's nominees represent all three NCAA divisions, including 248 from Division I, 127 from Division II and 202 from Division III. Of the 577 nominations, 23 sports are represented, with 125 student-athletes competing in multiple sports.
A.C. Hummel, Women's Tennis
Spotlight on NCAA Woman of the Year award
Each year, NCAA member schools are encouraged to celebrate their top graduating female student-athletes by nominating them for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award. Up to two female student-athletes can be recognized from each school if at least one of them is an international student-athlete or student-athlete of color.
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The conference offices will then select up to two student-athletes from their member school nominations. (If two are chosen, one must be an international student-athlete or student-athlete of color.) Nominees who compete in a sport that is not sponsored by their school's primary conference, as well as associate conference nominees and independent nominees, will be picked to advance by a selection committee. The Woman of the Year Selection Committee will then select 10 student-athletes from each division, determining the Top 30 honorees.
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Of the Top 30, the Woman of the Year Selection Committee will announce nine finalists, three from each NCAA division. The NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics will review the finalists and name the 2022 NCAA Woman of the Year.
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For the first time in the award's history, the Top 30 honorees will be celebrated and the Woman of the Year will be named at the NCAA Convention. The 2023 Convention will take place in January in San Antonio.
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"Fresno State Athletics - For The V: The Central Valley" – Bulldog student-athletes, coaches, and staff proudly wear the "Green V" to show their pride in representing the Central Valley. Stories of why the Bulldogs play for the "Green V" will be shared throughout the next year with #ForTheV. To become a Bulldog Foundation member or join "The Green V Society," please visit bulldogfoundation.org.
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Established in 1991, the award recognizes female student-athletes who have exhausted their eligibility and distinguished themselves in their community, in athletics and in academics throughout their college careers.
As 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of Title IX, the NCAA Woman of the Year program, which is in its 32nd year, is an important opportunity to honor and reflect on the impact of women on intercollegiate sports.
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This year's nominees represent all three NCAA divisions, including 248 from Division I, 127 from Division II and 202 from Division III. Of the 577 nominations, 23 sports are represented, with 125 student-athletes competing in multiple sports.
A.C. Hummel, Women's Tennis
- A.C. Hummel graduated with a 4.0 grade point average and summa cum laude honors while earning a bachelor's degree in international business from Fresno State.
- Hummel – a 2020 All-Mountain West singles honoree – helped lead the Bulldogs to the outright 2022 MW regular season championship with a perfect 10-0 team record in conference play in 2022.
- Hummel went 5-0 during MW regular season singles matches in 2022.
- Throughout her playing career at Fresno State, Hummel went 36-13 overall in dual singles matches.
- Emily Nicholson graduated with a 3.97 grade point average and summa cum laude honors while earning a bachelor's degree in criminology with an option in law enforcement from Fresno State.
- Nicholson – the 2022 Golden Coast Conference Player of the Year – was a four-time ACWPC All-American and led the Bulldogs to back-to-back GCC Championships (both regular season and tournament) and NCAA Tournament appearances.
- Nicholson also earned Fresno State's Bob Duncan Bulldog of the Year award in 2022 (top female athlete).
- Nicholson also competes for the New Zealand National Team, including multiple FINA World Championship competitions.
Spotlight on NCAA Woman of the Year award
Each year, NCAA member schools are encouraged to celebrate their top graduating female student-athletes by nominating them for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award. Up to two female student-athletes can be recognized from each school if at least one of them is an international student-athlete or student-athlete of color.
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The conference offices will then select up to two student-athletes from their member school nominations. (If two are chosen, one must be an international student-athlete or student-athlete of color.) Nominees who compete in a sport that is not sponsored by their school's primary conference, as well as associate conference nominees and independent nominees, will be picked to advance by a selection committee. The Woman of the Year Selection Committee will then select 10 student-athletes from each division, determining the Top 30 honorees.
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Of the Top 30, the Woman of the Year Selection Committee will announce nine finalists, three from each NCAA division. The NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics will review the finalists and name the 2022 NCAA Woman of the Year.
Â
For the first time in the award's history, the Top 30 honorees will be celebrated and the Woman of the Year will be named at the NCAA Convention. The 2023 Convention will take place in January in San Antonio.
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"Fresno State Athletics - For The V: The Central Valley" – Bulldog student-athletes, coaches, and staff proudly wear the "Green V" to show their pride in representing the Central Valley. Stories of why the Bulldogs play for the "Green V" will be shared throughout the next year with #ForTheV. To become a Bulldog Foundation member or join "The Green V Society," please visit bulldogfoundation.org.
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