Kentucky’s Asia Seidt Named NCAA Woman of the Year
The high-achieving University of Kentucky alumna swimmer that has made headlines all fall reached the pinnacle of her athletic career on Friday evening, as Asia Seidt was named the 2020 NCAA Woman of the Year. Selected from more than 600 candidates, the announcement was made during a live virtual award show on Friday, November 13, hosted by ESPN basketball analyst Rebecca Lobo.
The prestigious honor marks UK Athletics’ first NCAA Woman of the Year ever.
Of all swimmers and divers – male or female – who have ever come through the Kentucky swimming and diving program, Seidt holds the most records. Seidt has earned more All-America honors, NCAA Championship podium finishes, Southeastern Conference Championship medals and All-SEC First Team selections than any UK swimmer or diver, man or woman, who has come before her.
Meanwhile, Seidt maintained a 4.0 cumulative grade-point average and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in kinesiology with the highest honors. She is currently attending UK’s Physical Therapy Graduate Program.
In her (nearly four) years at Kentucky, the Louisville native has earned 21 All-America honors, 15 SEC Championship medals, eight NCAA Championship podium finishes, four conference titles, one USA Swimming Summer Nationals gold medal and one World University Games silver medal.
Asia Seidt holds five individual school records, was twice named to the USA Swimming National Team, twice qualified for Team USA Olympic Trials, was three times named to the All-SEC First Team, is the 2019 ELITE 90 recipient, the 2019 Arthur Ashe Female Sports Scholar of the Year, the 2020 SEC H. Boyd McWhorter Scholar-Athlete of the Year and the 2020 CoSIDA At-Large Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
One week ahead of the canceled 2020 NCAA Championships, Asia Seidt had three individual events ranked in the nation’s top seven, with her best event, the 200 backstroke, listing third in the nation with a seed time (1:48.86, 2020 SEC Championships) that wasn’t even her career best (1:48.65, 2019 NCAA Championships).
NCAA Woman of the Year Selection Process
Nine former college athletes were selected as finalists for the 2020 NCAA Woman of the Year award, including Seidt. The nine finalists, three women from each NCAA division, were selected for their outstanding achievements in academics, athletics, community service and leadership.
Finalists were chosen from the Top 30 NCAA Woman of the Year honorees, who represent 10 honorees from each division and 14 sports, including two emerging sports. In 2020, schools nominated 605 graduating female student-athletes for this prestigious award.
Previous NCAA Woman of the Year Winners (Swimming & Diving)
- 1997: Lisa Coole, Georgia
- 2000: Kristy Kowal, Georgia
- 2001: Kim Black, Georgia
- 2003: Ashley Jo Rowatt Karpinos, Kenyon
- 2005: Lauryn McCalley, Tennessee
- 2007: Whitney Myers, Arizona
- 2009: Lacey Nymeyer, Arizona
- 2010: Justine Schluntz, Arizona
- 2015: Kristin Day, Clarion University of Pennsylvania
- 2016: Margaret Guo, MIT
— The above press release was posted by Swimming World in conjunction with Kentucky Swimming & Diving. For press releases and advertising inquiries please contact Advertising@SwimmingWorld.com.
