Michelle Nwokedi, a former superstar on the women’s basketball team who graduated in May, has been chosen by the Ivy League as one of its two nominees for NCAA Woman of the Year.
Now in its 28th year, the NCAA Woman of the Year Award recognizes graduating female student-athletes who have made an impact in academics, athletics, service, and leadership throughout the course of their collegiate careers.
A key part of the winningest class in program history, Nwokedi finished her career at Penn as the fifth-leading scorer in program history with 1,517 points, the second-leading rebounder with 1,048, and the second-leading shot blocker with 308. She is the first player in Ivy League history with 1,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, and 300 blocks.
A three-time First-Team All-Ivy and First-Team All-Big 5 selection, Nwokedi was named Ivy League Rookie of the Year as a freshman and Ivy League Player of the Year as a junior. She was also honored as the Most Outstanding Player at the 2017 Ivy League Tournament.
Off the court, Nwokedi spearheaded a hurricane relief effort last fall for her hometown region of Houston, and she was a member of the Friars Senior Society at Penn.
“The Woman of the Year award is one of the most prestigious that the NCAA distributes, and it recognizes a student-athlete’s success in competition, in the classroom, and in the community,” says M. Grace Calhoun, director of athletics and recreation at Penn. “It is a true testament to Michelle’s outstanding career that she will represent the Ivy League, which is known nationally for the unrivaled academic and competitive experience that it fosters for student-athletes, and advance to the next stage of this award.”
Nwokedi was selected as a NCAA Woman of the Year nominee from a pool of outstanding Ivy candidates after a vote by administrators representing all eight Ivy schools.
The NCAA Woman of the Year selection committee will choose 10 honorees from each division. The committee will then select three honorees from each division and name the nine finalists in September. The 2018 NCAA Woman of the Year will be announced at the annual award ceremony on Oct. 28 in Indianapolis.
Photos courtesy of Penn Athletics.
